MN State Champ.... I guess
What a night at the track. Somehow I came away with a state championship and nationals qualification. Thanks to Sarah for the photos.
The 10-lap scratch race was fun, the ladies were active and attacking and taking flyers and the like. I ended up second. The miss-n-out totally schooled me. I thought it was my favorite race at the track, but I definitely got humbled tonight and was the first one pulled. Sarah pulled off a third place though. Then we had a 40 lap points race.* It was really fun, Nature Valley girl and UofM girl each took a sprint, while I kept picking up 2nd place. Stratton had about 5 strong attacks during the race - awesome teamwork. Those were 5 attacks that I didn't have to chase down. Then Gilby got a sprint. I crossed the line first on one lap, somehow completely sure that it was a sprint lap. But then as I crossed the line in first, I heard the bell ringing. (Which means that the sprint was on the next lap.) Oops. Anyway, going into the last lap, the Nature Valley girl had 13 points, the UofM girl had 11, and I had 11. The three of us were off the front a ways and I swung up the track to get them to go ahead with about 2 laps to go. Coming around the backside of the track on the last lap, the two of them were right next to each other and I was right behind, waiting to jump. Then there was some bumping between the two of them and the Nature Valley girl went down. Ouch. I know what that feels like. The UofM girl and I sprinted it out at the end and I won by half a wheel. Fortunately the Nature Valley girl was OK, just some track rash and splinters, but that's a huge bummer. But, as I've heard many many times, "that's racing." Sometimes it hurts more than others.
Here I am before I got it together enough to zip up the jersey. Thanks to the men's cat 1/2 field (pete and s-r) for yelling at me to do that.
This weekend will be free of racing for me -- anyone have any suggestions as to how I should occupy my time?
*40 lap points race -- the race is based on the number of points each rider accumulates. There are 5 sprints total, a sprint every 8 laps. Points are awarded to the first 4 riders to cross the line on each sprint - 5 points for 1st, then 3 points, then 2, then 1.
The 10-lap scratch race was fun, the ladies were active and attacking and taking flyers and the like. I ended up second. The miss-n-out totally schooled me. I thought it was my favorite race at the track, but I definitely got humbled tonight and was the first one pulled. Sarah pulled off a third place though. Then we had a 40 lap points race.* It was really fun, Nature Valley girl and UofM girl each took a sprint, while I kept picking up 2nd place. Stratton had about 5 strong attacks during the race - awesome teamwork. Those were 5 attacks that I didn't have to chase down. Then Gilby got a sprint. I crossed the line first on one lap, somehow completely sure that it was a sprint lap. But then as I crossed the line in first, I heard the bell ringing. (Which means that the sprint was on the next lap.) Oops. Anyway, going into the last lap, the Nature Valley girl had 13 points, the UofM girl had 11, and I had 11. The three of us were off the front a ways and I swung up the track to get them to go ahead with about 2 laps to go. Coming around the backside of the track on the last lap, the two of them were right next to each other and I was right behind, waiting to jump. Then there was some bumping between the two of them and the Nature Valley girl went down. Ouch. I know what that feels like. The UofM girl and I sprinted it out at the end and I won by half a wheel. Fortunately the Nature Valley girl was OK, just some track rash and splinters, but that's a huge bummer. But, as I've heard many many times, "that's racing." Sometimes it hurts more than others.
Here I am before I got it together enough to zip up the jersey. Thanks to the men's cat 1/2 field (pete and s-r) for yelling at me to do that.
This weekend will be free of racing for me -- anyone have any suggestions as to how I should occupy my time?
*40 lap points race -- the race is based on the number of points each rider accumulates. There are 5 sprints total, a sprint every 8 laps. Points are awarded to the first 4 riders to cross the line on each sprint - 5 points for 1st, then 3 points, then 2, then 1.
posted by karla at 11:30 PM
4 Comments:
First of all, I need to let your blog readers know that I'm the reason you got boxed in for the Miss-N-Out...bad teammate!
Second, that points race was so fun! I'd attack, and the field would catch me about 2 seconds later, then Karla would attack, and the field would catch her, then I'd do a half-ass attack again, then Karla would go...good teammates!!
WAY TO GO!!! This is awesome, y'all.
Congrats!!
super rookie, that sounds like a great plan, especially since I LOVE the state fair -- will I see you there wearing your medal too?
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