My pleasure. You win the prize for making it to both events! I'll have to show you that climb some day on the bike because I don't really know the street names and there are a few fussy turns. It's pretty a pretty cool stair stepping adventure, that provides opportunities, on the flatter bits, for the rolleurs to come back to the fold.

Hi all,

As nicely introduced by JP above, I’m the club’s new track mentor. I thought I’d take the opportunity to a) (re-)introduce myself and b) lay out what I’m hoping to do this year as a mentor, in terms of organized events and general things I can offer. In short (had to put this into 3 parts!), I noticed in my first year with the club last year that while there was less active participation on the track at KCC than I’d expected, there are enough riders who are keen to explore it for the first time, re-kindle their enthusiasm for it after a few seasons off it or are already experienced trackies, and that’s what I’m hoping to tap into and develop.

As a few of you will already know, I’m a fairly experienced track rider from the UK / Ireland (I moved to NYC last summer) and used to be a serious track sprinter, having raced internationally for a couple of seasons.  After “retiring” in 2008, I started racing again in 2011. Alas I’m a shadow of my former pre-retirement self, but train enough to be competitive at a regional level (and to occasionally kid myself I could be really good again). It’s nice to have the opportunity share some of my experience with others – and it will also be a good chance for me to develop!

Here’s the three main goals for the track program for 2013:

1. Increase awareness and participation of Kissena riders in track racing and training at Kissena velodrome

      2. Increase participation and visibility of Kissena riders in NYS track races. E.g. aim for a team of at least six riders at NYS champs, up from three in 2012.

      3. Win five medals + at NYS champs in July, up from three in 2012.

(part one)

1.      Beginners track day –– Sat, 2-4 weeks before Kissena Spring Classic on May 12. Aimed at absolute beginners on track. Using loan bikes to learn how to ride the basics of track riding safely, introduction to track racing (types of events, disciplines), advertise “why” track racing and a few mock races.

2.      Track day – intermediate – Sun, day after the above, 2-3 weeks before Kissena opening weekend, 5/12. Aimed at riders with some track experience but rusty – goal of refreshing skills, drills, mock race exercises, esp for riders aiming to ride opening weekend. Beginners who “graduate” from Sat’s ride can ride the Sun. *update - looks like the Pink Rhino guys are planning something similar on these dates, I'll work out what's best - I may just fold the two above events into one. Great start on my part I must say.*

3.      Kissena track opening weekend – 5/12 – available for race guidance, prep, tactics. Post-race debrief. Assuming I can still stand / speak.

4.      Track sprint skillz session – both for trackies who’d like to know more or specialise in sprinting and road guys looking to improve their sprint. Will include run through of sprint races, different skills in each (match sprint v keirin v team sprint v kilo), typical sprinting attributes, sprint drills (flying efforts, standing efforts, difference in each, on diff gears), match sprint tactics,  mock races  – tbd, one weekend in June

5.      Pre-pre NYS champs talk / training day @ either Ride Brooklyn or the track – 1 month before circa early July – aimed at raising enthusiasm for the champs / first look at the events – what to aim for, possible medal events.

6.      Pre-NYS champs training – 2 weeks before champs on 8/11 @ track. Race specific efforts for participants.

7.      NYS champs – provisional date 8/11 - available for race guidance, prep, tactics. Post-race debrief.

The NY State champs-centric part of the program is partly due to the above (i.e. lack of lots of races here) and it’s also a nice level to aim at – from my first time riding it last year, the standard was challenging, but by no means crazy hard and is accessible to riders with good road fitness. It will be a result in itself to get a nice large team of us there participating (there were three of us last year), but last year JP wiped the floor and grabbed gold in two of the 1/2/3 group races and I took silver in the men’s 1/2/3 sprint, so I think equalling that plus two more is more than reachable

Other services I can offer: training advice – weights, sprint drills, race prep, psychology. Feel free to contact me either through PM on here or kieranleahy67 at hotmail.com.

What I can’t offer – any support at the Wednesday track league (though I might try and get to one or two, boss permitting); driving to races.

Any comments / critique / support welcome. I’m by no means a know-it-all when it comes to doing something like this, so I’d definitely appreciate your support in helping to make the program work – either if you’re an experienced trackie that wants to impart your experience to others or looking to get back into / try out track for the first time. I also I confess I’ve not been a particularly visible club member at times so far – not least as I rarely make it out on group road rides (aka the loneliness of the short distance track rider / lazy b@stard) – so feel free to msg me / generally harass me to ensure that I am!

I’ll post something shortly about the beginners/intermediate track day in April and start trying to firm up some of the other dates once I get my shiz together further.

Cheers,

Kieran