by mrP(Boonen)VT » Mon Sep 03, 2007 4:12 pm
[quote]Thanks to Mark for organising the club track championships.
It would appear that only a handful of us had an "all day pass" (although Mark M's feeble excuse that he was locked out, so he came to watch us whilst waiting to get in!!).
Good to see AJ on a track bike, but he was somewhat bewildered in the pursuit, asking every time round where there was a wheel for him to follow
With only 4 of us (initially), myslef, Tamar, Andrew and Chris Colford, we decided to have a straight sprint final, after doing individual 200m times to warm up - Mark has the times, but I think Chris C was fastest.
In the final, Chris led out in the backstraight, I was behind Andrew, but he was riding high up the track, so passed on the inside, and into the homestraight, waited til 80m to go, and jumped hard, got ahead of Chris, but he came back at me with 20m to go, and with a big lunge for the line, just edged my wheel in front. This is the first time I have won the club track sprint champs, after 34 years of trying
Next up was a 9 lap pursuit, and after seeing everyone dying in the last few laps, took a steady (very) approach to the first 6 laps, then speeded up with a rapid finish. The theory was good, but my judgement was a bit off, finishing slower than Tamar (the ringer with tri bars ) who then made the whole stadium aware of the fact.
Then to the 5 mile. With each of the clubs having a handful of riders, everyone went together. Keith Coffey was the first to show his hand with the sniff of some money in the form of a prime, the pace went up by 10mph. I followed him closely to the line, then they slowed up, and a select group of around 10 riders had formed. When I swung off after a turn on the front, I was amazed to see 2 other Agreeables in the group - was that Andrew? NO it was Owen on his lovely Ridley track bike. Steady few laps, then more money on offer, so Keith was off again. This time the elastic broke and both Chris and Owen were distanced. I stayed up front doing my turns, then another prime. Dug deep and hung on, just, then spotted Chris ahead, and sped past at warp speed behind KC. 3 laps to go and couldn't hold on any longer, but had done enough to regain the 5 mile trophy.
After a quick rest, got up on the track on my tandem with Tamar, to set up a 500m track time. Sped round for a few steady laps, feeling a bit strange, especially on the banking as the longer track looks weird when you look down at the back wheel on the bend as it somehow doesn't seem to be following the front Then 2 more laps and we would have a flat out 500m. At speed it is difficult to keep steady and tight on the bottom of the track, but luckily my "stoker" is very smooth and kept all in check. We timed in at 36.25 which was a couple of seconds slower than Chris Colford and I did in 2004, but for a "mixed" pairing. That was real pain and legs and lungs were hurting even on the way home after that effort.
Nonetheless a great day out in the sunshine, with great company, shame a few more faces weren't there - next year
. Pursuit was worse as my legs still felt a bit heavy. Legs felt better by the scratch race and I rode stronger in this, way down the field though (we all rode together - us, Bec and DeLaunne - so a good pack on the track). Paul T looked feeble as usual 
and rode a blinder in the scratch race, when Keith Coffey was ripping the field to shreds.
