I can't get off of work to come watch. You should do it.

I also would have loved to join, but not going to happen. do it!

Eric and I went out to t-town last night. It did not suck.

Eric had his work cut out for him in a fast pro field with Olympians and fast Kiwis. Looked strong and hung in there with the best.

I did ok in my races. Felt strong but made a few crucial errors that ended up putting out of contention for the omnium. Got the legs now, just need to get down there consistently. It's funny because its the worst I've done results wise down there but it's strongest I've felt.

Coleen Hayduck who won the women's pro race this past Friday was killing it in my combined 2/3 men's and pro 123women's field.

Andy,

Looking over a schedule for a Tuesday night...are 2/3s the "Stagiaires?"

Yes

Thanks. Planning on heading out tomorrow night. If everything works out with child and babysitter and weather (yet to happen this year) I've got a rental car gassed up and ready to go. I'm just going to pretend my rear wheel is rolling smoothly. #mighthaveconewrenchesbutwouldntknowwhattodowiththem also #wheredidmysocketwrenchesgo

Don't have the brain power to write up a big thing but...Kissena was well represented on Tuesday night by Eric Ragot (racing the Pro 1/2 field against the likes of Olympian Bobby Lea, US National Sprint/points race champion, dudes from New Zealand) and Andy Da Silva and myself in the cat 2/3 races.

Andy, got 4th place in a 10-lap scratch race and that was good enough for 7th place in the Omnium standings.

I did not crash. I did a thing here or there. I had lots of fun.

Here are the results though:

http://thevelodrome.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Fuji-SUper-Tuesday-Bear-Creek-Future-Stars-Results-8-5-14.pdf

Next Tuesday might be one of my last opportunities to race T-town this year.  Gotta see what I can do to make that happen.

Andrew Da Silva said:

Again, it did not suck. 

I felt and raced like garbage in the points race. In the 2/3 scratch Marc took a flyer with maybe 4 to go which helped to slot me into decent position leading in to the sprint. Rallied through the shitty feeling and sqeeked out 4th in the scratch. Thought i nipped by buddy Kieth for third but whatever.

Team racing is awesome on the track. A strong Pink Rhino dude, noticed that Andy and I were "attacking when no one wanted to go harder." Well, his comments were a little generous, we weren't super coordinated (mostly because I was still getting the lay of the land; although, next week we will be an unstoppable force, especially if JP comes out to play), but we definitely had our moments. For me, the strongest example of teamwork came in the 10-lap scratch, which Andy eventually grabbed 4th.

Andy was at the front pulling back a dangerous looking move middle/late in the race. I was on his wheel or thereabouts. As he shut the move down, I rolled past him at 4 to go, and said, "get ready to counter, I'm going to go." As it happened the guys at the front were already cranking a good pace, so my opportunity to launch came a bit later when they went high in turn 1 and I used the banking in turn 2 to get some speed going. And so there it was...me off the front with 3.5 to go. Andy blocked back in the field and my face transfigured itself into a most hideous looking thing as I did my best/worst impression of a Kilo racer. When I got bell lap, I was still off the front, but pedaling squares. A woosh of riders flew by me, including Andy, and I felt psyched that he was there to contest the final sprint.

Andrew Da Silva said:

Eric looked like a Pro taking the field by surprise in the 10k feature and getting 3/4ths of the way to lapping the field until the Pros(bobby Lea and the Kiwis) got worried and organized at the front to hunt him down. I took too hard of a pull at the front to chase down Gavi and that was my race for the feature. Marc hung in there until may 7-10 laps to go? Very impressive.

Awwh, shucks, thanks for the shout-out. But it was 5 laps to go before I got yanked :-) I want credit for every lap yo! I got to race 25/30 laps on the track with an Olympian, a national champion, and other assorted hammerheads. That feels cool. And it was a great workout.

I was somewhat anxious that being a cat 3, Marty Nothstein (the head dude in charge--and owner of world championship stripes) was going to be like, "Uhm, no. you can't race the feature event." But it was the exact opposite. He was like, "no problem." Cool. I wanted the extra kilos in my legs. 4 track races always greater than 3.

The race was tough, but not insane. Especially after swapping my 88 gear inches for a more reasonable 91 gear inches. Eric and Andy, and I think most folks run 94 there.

After spending a good portion of the 1st half of the race riding parallel to the dudes cranking in the sprinters lane, taking on way too much wind, I had to try and get myself into the speed brigade. And that was, honestly, kind of terrifying. They were easily cranking at 32-35 mph and not giving an inch. The big Kiwi in the black and white kit would just swing off, up and hammer down back into the line without a second thought. Meanwhile, I was like, "Uhm, hey guys, would you mind terribly if, well, I was just thinking it would be super-duper awesome if I could pop into your paceline. Pretty please?" You can imagine how this went over.

Eventually after holding steady, the field started to tire, gaps opened naturally a bit more and/or some dude felt sorry for me and barked, "GET IN." And once I was in, I was good to go. Problem was as guys were pulling off the front, it was then my turn in the lead, and instead of just sticking there and forcing others to come around me as I slowed, I pulled up and out, and promptly ended up at the back of a longish line of riders.

And then some of the back-markers started coming unglued, gaps were opening, and I was too far back. I had, apparently, according to Andy, (I don't know who anyone is on the track yet) got up to the rear wheel of multiple national champion Jackie Simes. But I guess he called it a day early. And so I cranked deep to try and get back on my own, and got as close as less than a straight-away away as the field slowed a bit in turn 3. But then they cranked it up again and I was done.

Andrew Da Silva said:

Warms my heart to have finally have done enough pestering to get JP, Eric and Now Marc down to a Tuesday night at T-Town. I think its the best racing around next to Friday Nights.

It was a great time at the track. Shuffling back to my car, in quiet dark night air, breeze blowing, knowing my wife was home, Peter sleeping, I felt so insanely relaxed for like 1/2 a second (before I started thinking about other shit). I'm keeping my fingers crossed we can get the band back together for next Tuesday. My only real problem with how the evening shook out is for the life of me I can't figure out why we didn't save some money at Applebee's and do that damn, "2 entree, 1 app for $20" deal. Too many pages with glossy pictures on that menu for my tired brain at 10pm.

Awesome!

Getting in the money would help with the Applebee's fund.

It was pretty cool riding in the feature. I'm well aware of Marty's reputation from back in the day(I shamefully can say I read his book and enjoyed it). But honestly he has been nothing but a positive presence in my racing career. Starting when I participated in the Try the Track clinic he facilitated to the current day when I'm asking him if I can hop in with the Pros in the feature.

I felt a bit like a fan boy when i pulled up after chasing on the front and saw that Bobby Lea was on my wheel. Bobby seems to be out there just riding for training. USAC Just announced last week the roster for the Pan Am Games and he is riding the individual pursuit. He seemed to just sit on the front and just chased down everything then popped out with one lap to go.

Speaking of prize money. Had we been riding on a 250 Eric would have lapped the field.

Cool planning on being there tmrw. I'll keep my eye out.

A typical "Dick Spot Andy" night out at T-Town. Had a good ride(good ride for me) in the miss and out got 6th. I tried boxing Pat G.a few times. Some how that dude can go low on the track and not get out? I swear that guy has magical powers in that race. Ended up playing devil pretty well but the 94 gear caught up with me and I just didn't have it to accelerate. 

It's official, both our baby sitter options were not options this Tuesday. Super bummed. One night of track racing this year...can't believe that happened. Oh well, next year. There's always next year...

Shame Marc. Good schedule this Tuesday. Madison and a Keirin. Glad you made it out at least that once! You, The Big Ragu ad I had a fun time.

Always next year.

@Andy, SWEET!

Eric and I raced the Madison. We did not get last. In fact we were several places away from last. There were pros, pro six day racers, Germans, Czechs, and best of all Kiwis. Eric was the oldest guy racing. It was fast. Bobby lea won a sprint... With no partner.

Konrad was our swany/boy. It was cool.

So cool!!!

Another note. I can say with a lot of confidence that the Madison has to be one of the hardest things I can imagine doing on a bike. You need to be super fast, super strong and have a ton of experience/tactical sense. I'm lucky I had a experienced partner who was able to make it a really valuable experience.

Anybody want to go tomorrow night? In not racing (most likely) and Luka is coming. Leaving prospect park zoo at 3 ish.