The Wheelsucker at the Track

After doing a couple of days at the velodrome in Trexlertown PA last year, the wheelsucker was keen to ride the track again this year. But it is a long drive, and somehow he had lots of other things to do on weekends; by late August had not made it to the track yet. But the MABRA Track Championship was scheduled for the 29th of August. Initially the wheelsucker thought he could make it, and could also go a day early for practice, but then another commitment moved, and he could not race the track on Sunday. But Saturday was Rookies and Masters day at the track, and the wheelsucker could still make that.

It being a year since the wheelsucker had ridden on the track, he was a little apprehensive. Consider that on the track one is riding at high speeds around a short oval, in close proximity with other riders, and without brakes.

Last year one masters rider had rolled off the front several times using a monster gear, so the wheelsucker wanted to try gearing up. He went with a 48x14 rather than a 47x14 he used last time. During the last minutes of warm-up before the first masters race, he was told there was a new rule limiting masters to 90 gear inches or less, and his 48x14 was 90.2 gear inches. While the wheelsucker was scrambling to check on this, he missed the start of his first race. Darn! But the good news was that he was allowed to race with the 48x14 (perhaps 0.2 gear inches is not much of a difference), so he was ready for the next masters race.

Events at the track happen in quick succession. A short cat 5 race, then a short cat 4 race, then a women’s race, then a juniors race, then a masters race, then the next cat 5 race, and so on. Some events are nine laps, and it is three laps to a kilometer, so only a 3 kilometer race!

Last Out Race
This last out was a race where the last placed rider is pulled on each lap until the field was down to 10 riders and they then raced 5 more laps for the win. The wheelsucker rolled out a little too hard on the neutral lap and got off the front, so had to slow up and let the field catch up. The field was up to speed when they caught him, and the wheelsucker found himself near the back in short order, not a good place to be when the last rider is being pulled. The first 3-4 riders were pulled with the wheelsucker safely a few inches in front of them, and then there was a close one and the wheelsucker thought he might have been last placed, and he slowed up. But he was not – another rider had been pulled – but now the wheelsucker was 3 bike lengths off the back of the pack with ½ a lap to go before the line where the next rider would be pulled. Going hard and high the wheelsucker looked for an opening and thought he saw it high on the banked track, but just before the finish line a rather large rider squeezed him up towards the high rail and the wheelsucker was "pinched out" and pulled.

Scratch Race
The scratch race is similar to road race; all that matters is the finishing order at the finish. There are no points for any intermediate sprints. The wheelsucker was in no danger of being dropped, and could easily close gaps if they opened a short distance in front of him, but getting to the front end of the pack required a lot of energy and there was no good way to insert oneself in line a few places back, so the wheelsucker conserved energy but was not able to put himself in good position for the sprint; another pack finish.

After all the events were run for each of the fields, points were totaled. The masters – and therefore the wheelsucker -- can ride the A race or the B race at their choice, though cat 1 and cat 2 masters can only ride the A race. Juniors, women, cat 5s and cat 4s have to qualify.

B Race
As his day had not been all that successful the wheelsucker chose the B race. A quick 10 lap race whereas the A race was 15 and included all cat 1 and cat 2 masters. He rolled out at the back of the pack, sat in and took it easy, and then moved up with about 3 laps to go. But he did not go far enough, grabbing a spot in about 7th or 8th and holding it as the pace accelerated on the last laps. He sprinted for the line, but passed no one ahead, rolling across about 7th or 8th.

More Track Practice
Track races are short, and the wheelsucker had very little track time even after the B race, so he continued practicing on the track for another 40 minutes, trying a sprint every 3-4 laps to see how long he could hold sprint pace, and how fast he could be doing as he crossed the finish line.

Eventually, tired, thirsty and hot, the wheelsucker called it a day, and was on his way home after a quick shower.

What fun! The wheelsucker is already plotting to go back to the track and ride more aggressively.

Wheelsucker Data:

Max Speed: 34.3 mph
Max Cadence: 128 rpm
Max HR: 174 (B Race Finish), this is slightly higher than the wheelsucker's normal max HR.
Total distance ridden: 26.3 miles