@GregStreiff if you are totally new to track racing, you definitely want (need?) to go to an "intro to track" meetup before racing anything.  Not sure if Alan Atwood or any track focused team/club has any more of those scheduled this year though.

Looks like there's one on July 30th, the day after the Keirin races.
http://kissenavelodrome.info/calendar/July.html

David Yang said:

@GregStreiff if you are totally new to track racing, you definitely want (need?) to go to an "intro to track" meetup before racing anything.  Not sure if Alan Atwood or any track focused team/club has any more of those scheduled this year though.

Looks like there's one on July 30th, the day after the Keirin races.
http://kissenavelodrome.info/calendar/July.html

Thanks @David Yang I noticed the clinic on Sunday. I'll hit that up and hold on racing per you advice. I figured this would be recommended. Thanks again.

Yeah man, its a really unique discipline with it's own challenges.  I'm sure you'll have a good time!

I'm registered for the clinic on Sunday. Pretty stoked. 

couple pics from the clinic. was really fun. loved doing the pace work. could do a pace line on the veledrome for days. good fun.
will try to get out there this Wednesday night.
phil dropped by w his mountain bike too

1st velodrome race in the bag. It was tempo format. I won 2 laps. Official results pending. 

Next race coming up. 

Instant additiction to this shit. Definitely my jam.

Took 5th on the scratch race. Having a 49/17 set up definitely cost me the race. Lesson learned. Need a smaller COG at Kissena. Absolutely loved it. Will be back. 

EDIT: smaller cog, not big! ahhhh

Congrats.  I may have a cog for u

twoyacks said:

Congrats.  I may have a cog for u

@twoyacks you should come out next wednesday or the following. 2 races left

ok

Tomorrow night's CAT 5 race line up: 

1. Scratch--race runs the determined number of laps; top 5 taken at the finish
2. Snowball--lead rider each lap scores points, winner of the 1st lap gets 1 pt, with each subsequent lap earning 1 more point. Finish points will be announced on the rail before the start.
3. Win & Out--first sprint at 6 to go; winner of that sprint wins the race and may retire. Second sprint at 3 to go, winner of that sprint is 2nd place in the race and may retire. Remaining riders sprint at the finish for 3rd place on.

Win & Out sounds particularly fun. 

http://www.kissenavelodrome.info/info/2017/2017TwilightSeriesScheduleWeek18.pdf 

Start times?

David Yang said:

Start times?

All racers need to be there and check-in before 6:30pm.

There is no on-site day of reg. You have to register online. I think last week I registered the morning of the race, so the online reg portal stays open for a while. But don't quote me on that. You are better off registering tonight. It's only 15 bucks. 

Races start going off by 6:45pm. 

I hope you come @David Yang and @twoyacks and whoever else. 

I would be worse than useless in any bike race at the moment, but was looking to see if I could make time to spectate and take photos and vids.

me, Wilson and Kristen holding it down 

Took 6th overall, 5th on the final Miss & Out race. 6th on races 1 and 2. 

Race #1 Scratch- I don't totally remember what happened. but I remember being confused. I thought the first time across the line counted for points, so I chased a guy down, to the point where we had a 1/4 a lap breakaway. But then about 50 meters from the line I began second guessing the chase and remember thinking points probably start getting awarded at the completion of the first full lap. Which would explain why we had such a big gap and would mean gunning for the line so early in a scratch race was just dumb. After that I was just kinda in my head about what happened on lap one and finished 6th. 

Race #2 Snowball- simple problem here -- I was doing really well but then on the final lap I got blocked into the sprinter lane by another rider who wouldn't let me pass. he kept dipping into the sprinter lane, and seemed to be making a point of doing it each time I would push the gas. I thought slowing down, dropping back, and coming out of the lane to pass him on the right would take too much time, be dangerous, and would guarantee a loss. So I stuck it out thinking the guy would eventually get his shit straight. well that didn't happen and it became apparent he was doing it on purpose. in the meantime, a bunch of riders passed us on the right. that was my cue, I slowed, went around him to the right, and sprinted with over half a lap to go, passed a bunch of peeps between turns 3 and 4, but had to go as high as possible--no other option--too many people. but the opportunity to chop down at turn 4, and pick up the amount of speed needed to catch-up/pass the lead guys in the final sprint was not happening. I had to do like a curved chop and stay too far right, which just didn't work. I think I took 6th here too. 

Race #3 Miss & Out, I looked at my number just before the start of the race, but promptly forgot it. it matters bc for each lap whoever is in last gets pulled and the official does this by calling your number. The laps keep going until there are 5 people left. Thankfully I was far enough ahead each time we crossed that I knew I hadn't gotten pulled, but I spent a lot of time worrying about my number, which was a bummer. the pack took off at turn 3, I stayed with them but took 5th. This was another time where I felt like I was just spinning too much. I had dropped from a 16 COG to a 15 for this race and it helped, but I might try a 14 next week. 

Wilson and Kristin were there and it was cool to hang out with them. We cheered for each other, talked bikes, listened to music, and made plans to crush it again next week. 

Kristin did very well. It was her first time racing at the track. She took 2nd, 1st, then 4th. I think that was the order. Either way, she did great. 

Bump!

so long since anyone has posted in this thread.  Weird.

Well, thinking about the state championships in a few weeks as well as possibly doing masters nationals in September, I headed out for a hot night of track racing at the Kissena Velodrome.  I haven't been on the track since 2019, and I wanted to reacquaint myself with the sensations and racing without brakes.

After a delayed warmup, I heard the first A race was starting, a 9-lap scratch race.  I was in my training gear, 48x15, and didn't have time to swap in something bigger.  Guess it would be spin training.  Then I saw Michael Cumming at the fence.  I didn't realize he's in the 'must race everything' phase.  It's great to see, and it looked like we had a team for the race.  Could be fun.

Only he had to swap out his handlebars and skipped the first race.  Damn.

Didn't know what I'd have for the race, so after the second attack, I rolled to the front and set a decently hard tempo, which I thought I could accelerate from.  Turns out, rolling at 110rpm in my current state of legs, is not a good place to accelerate from.  Alas.  Maxed out at 123rmp and 30.6mph for this race.  Think I was sixth.

Swapped in a 49x14 for the second race.  For those trying to figure out gearing for the track, this site can be a help.  http://www.bikecalc.com/fixed

Michael joined me for the second race, a win-and-out that was nine laps. Turns out, he might have had an even lower gear than I did for the first race.  He was absolutely fanning those cranks.  I'm not used to the jumps on the track, or having to go all-out for such short distances.  Think i was sixth again.

In the third, a 12-lap points race, I just couldn't find the rhythm.  Probably finished about the same again.

Lots of fun.  Too short.

And for everybody, announce when you're coming out to these races; you might be able to scare up some company.

Looks like six days of Kissena is coming back in April. Anyone here going/racing?