Another racing season is behind me, and another one is rapidly approaching. That makes me step back and look at the big picture. So, what was my 2018 season like?
I've been racing bicycles on the track since 2010, and in 2014 I focused almost entirely on track sprint racing: match sprint, team sprint, and 500m time trial (read about race types here). Every year since then I have increased that focus, to the point where I no longer ride my bike to work, and only cycle enough to get the training I need without it interfering with my associated weight training. In fact, I now spend more time in the gym than I do cycling!
This year I continued my weight training at Santa Cruz Strength, while Jeff Solt continued on as my cycling coach. I've also been following a weights program that Sy Shaddox has written for me. I improved on some of my PRs from last year, in both the gym and on the bike:
My only disappointment in these results is my 500m time; all the rest showed significant improvement. At age 57 I can't take anything for granted, after all, yet my current winter training hints at even more improvement to come... I hope to soon have more good news on that front!
This year I only raced in a few USAC races, because my entire focus was on UCI Masters Track Cycling World Championships, which was held for the second year in Los Angeles. My secondary goal was our local NCNCA District (State) Track Championships. You can read about them both in extreme detail on the Spokesman Bicycles Racing Team Blog, but I will mention here that I was especially happy to be able to PR my 200m while at Worlds... it was so awesome and allowed me to race one-on-one against the best riders from around the world! And that followed the 2017 Worlds where my 200m wasn't even fast enough for me to qualify for the match sprints.
So my racing season went better than last year, for the most part, and I felt much better about it than I did about my 2017 season. Last year I was not that motivated after Worlds, but this year I have renewed energy and enthusiasm.
Let's hope for a great 2019!
I've been racing bicycles on the track since 2010, and in 2014 I focused almost entirely on track sprint racing: match sprint, team sprint, and 500m time trial (read about race types here). Every year since then I have increased that focus, to the point where I no longer ride my bike to work, and only cycle enough to get the training I need without it interfering with my associated weight training. In fact, I now spend more time in the gym than I do cycling!
Training
My season revolves primarily around my training, while my racing is almost more of a test of my training's effectiveness.This year I continued my weight training at Santa Cruz Strength, while Jeff Solt continued on as my cycling coach. I've also been following a weights program that Sy Shaddox has written for me. I improved on some of my PRs from last year, in both the gym and on the bike:
| 2012 | 2013 | 2104 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flying 200m: | 12.6 | 12.26 | 12.04 | 12.1 | 11.94 | 12.12 | 11.887 |
| Standing-start 500m: | 39.2 | 37.9 | 37.2 | 36.2 | 36.579 | 36.262 | 36.302 |
| Back squat: | 275# | 300# (3x) | 305# | ||||
| Bench press: | 185# (3x) | 205# | 220# | 255# | |||
| Deadlift: | 335# | 365# | 395# |
My only disappointment in these results is my 500m time; all the rest showed significant improvement. At age 57 I can't take anything for granted, after all, yet my current winter training hints at even more improvement to come... I hope to soon have more good news on that front!
Racing
While I do all this stuff primarily as a way to stay fit, healthy, and have fun, my specific training is meant to improve my results in track races, of course. So I'm always looking at my competition results as a way to gauge how well my training is adapting me to the demands of the races I enter. This is complicated by the many variables that can influence results, such as who else I am competing against, the level of racing, the type of racing, the track I'm at, weather conditions, and how well I happen to feel on the few days I actually race (it's not unusual to have illness and injury derail one's racing).This year I only raced in a few USAC races, because my entire focus was on UCI Masters Track Cycling World Championships, which was held for the second year in Los Angeles. My secondary goal was our local NCNCA District (State) Track Championships. You can read about them both in extreme detail on the Spokesman Bicycles Racing Team Blog, but I will mention here that I was especially happy to be able to PR my 200m while at Worlds... it was so awesome and allowed me to race one-on-one against the best riders from around the world! And that followed the 2017 Worlds where my 200m wasn't even fast enough for me to qualify for the match sprints.
So my racing season went better than last year, for the most part, and I felt much better about it than I did about my 2017 season. Last year I was not that motivated after Worlds, but this year I have renewed energy and enthusiasm.
2019
So, what will I be doing next year? Since the 2019 Worlds will be held in Manchester, UK, the commitment required is higher than I am willing to invest. But it turns out USAC Track Nationals will be held in LA! So I will return to Nationals, after an absence of 3 years. I will also race at NCNCA Track Districts, and a few LAVRA races as prep for LA, but for the most part it will be another year of training. It looks like I have a solid team too, but I can only hope we don't have a repeat of the last two years where my team didn't stick together.Let's hope for a great 2019!
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