Speedway #3: Race Review

After returning from Bloom (read about that here and here) I was pretty tired. I wasn't even planning on riding Monday, and I skipped my easy ride on Tuesday, partially due to working later than I was expecting, partially due to a lack of motivation. Not the greatest lead up into a race. Thankfully this is just a local race and in my training plan, it was more forced intensity and tactical work. I was supposed to ride for two hours before but I underestimated how long it would take me to get home from work and do all my required pre-ride tasks.

I left the house an hour and a half before the race started, and set out in the wrong direction (intentionally). I rode out to Oak Bay, along the border between Oak Bay and Victoria, and looped back to downtown along the waterfront before meeting up with Killian (my tactical partner). We headed out to the race together going a tad harder than I was intending and arrived seven minutes ahead of schedule.

The field was big, I believe I heard 40 riders, which was interesting when you're on a 500m oval. I wouldn't say it was windy enough to play a factor in the race, but along the back straight you'd want to echelon (ride in a diagonal line), and around the corner, it was a bit windier and you'd want to be directly on the wheel of the person in front of you, which was next to impossible if you were in a proper echelon, and in a group of 40 riders trying to be in the exact same place as you are.

The tactic I was trying to work on today was counter-attacking. Killian went lap one, and the idea was he would make a small break, and I would try to counter when (... ok if) he got caught. There were two issues with this plan, the first being I got caught on the inside, and on this track, it was impossible to safely move up the inside, and even harder to do so efficiently. The other issue is that Killian formed more of a split than a break, a split that I chased down. I tried attacking a couple other times in the race, bridged up to a couple moves, but none of them stuck, most people who I was off the front with would pop after a lap or two, and I wasn't about to go solo. Regardless it was a great learning experience and definitely checked the forced intensity box. Half an hour at threshold anyone?

I didn't end up placing incredibly well. With about five minutes to go my lower half started to go numb from being on the rivet so long. Again this is my fault, I told myself I'd stay in the drops all race and I know my saddle isn't the most comfortable in that position. I was able to stay with the main pack but I couldn't put any power down. Now that I have a job I'll go buy a better saddle, and a stem that fits me, hopefully it will make me faster.

After the race, I decide to take the long way home since my ride out was half as long as it should be. Killian joined me out around Munn at my prescribed power, which meant going so slow up one stretch of road Killian's head unit auto-paused. It ended up being a solid 3ish hour endurance ride with half an hour of forced intensity. I can't really complain.

On an unrelated note, if you missed out on ordering T-shirts, the company I ordered from will allow you to buy them still (they're just a tad more expensive). If you'd like to order shirts for $25 including shipping and taxes, let me know and I'll put you on a list, but you may be waiting a while.

Stay cool internet ;)