^-- Thanks man. Hit the rollers and kick the last of that stuff out of your lungs and youll be making us work hard in no time. See ya next week.
Nice job Crossett, you pulled your race off very well man. I was watching Walton and was waiting for him to make a move, but it never came.

It was good to see so many people out there and wanting to get into it. The teachers were great. I dont know if Steve's sink-or-swim style worked for everyone in our group, but I actually feel a lot more confident in a group now. Plus I met some good people. Hopefully I will see you all out there some more.

Beginner track class was hella fun. Slow pacelining for the first little bit was boring and cold but when we sped up it was great.

At the end we did a 6 lap (1 mile at Alpenrose) scratch race. I stayed in third for the first 3 laps then a guy came around me and pulled hard I think we got a gap. I just sat on his wheel till the last 200m and sprinted past him easily. Best lead out ever, it was like we were teammates or something. The guy who led me out did all the work, I was just lucky. I didn't even know Walton was in the race until i looked back after crossing the line, seems like that race was all about positioning and luck.

I know it was a beginners session and I'd get owed in a real race but it was a fun none the less.

Grimm kicked ass in the second race, hard charging for a lap and a half to get the win.

Crosset -- Didn't realize that was you in the first race or I would have said hi. You looked like a real pro out there. Sitting in the whole race and then effortlessly gliding into the lead. The whole race I was sort of expecting Walton to let out a big yawn and then win but it didn't happen. Probably cause he was using drops :)

Last night was my first time on a track bike or the velodrome. ha. The class had a lot more standing around then I would have liked but I guess that's what track racing is like.

I was so terrible in my race... Started in the back and basically finished only a few up. Touched wheels with one of the guys in the back and it totally broke my mental concentration half way through the race.

I'm not Thor, but the race officials generally like you to take one class, then do a Friday omnium. After that, they're comfortable with you doing a Thursday omnium. They changed the rules this year so you can upgrade to a Cat4 after 4 race days now, instead of 10 like it used to be.

The Friday races seem to have a more casual atmosphere, and the events are shorter. You'll definitely get stronger if you ride in the Thursday races. The long points races are brutal, because we have all these higher-cat road racers coming through the 4/5s. I think I stayed above negative points only a few times last season.

The Eric K race was the last weekend event for a while. I guess you could count the West Side Invite as the next big event planned.

The Six Day at the end of June has category races, but they usually happen during a weekday. The OBRA Championships are the second weekend in July and they'll have all categories. You could probably race the qualifiers for the AVC, but you'd be up against some pretty stiff competition. If you're a Cat 3, you can race at the FSA Gran Prix up at Marymoor in Seattle.

I know Zak was talking about how if the turnout for most of the races stays pretty big, someone is bound to organize another weekend event. We'll see how that turns out.

yetti_core:

glad everyone had fun....i am making out there next week if it kills me. also glad it didn't rain on you guys :)

I plan on being out there friday to watch. see ya out there.

If anyone wants to ride out with me next wednesday I am gonna leave from the south waterfront or if you're driving I have gas money and beer monies.

I'm thinking about ditching class to make it. I'd be into riding up there.

Also Grimm --

What kind of training are you doing to be so fast? I don't think I have a fast twitch muscle fiber in my entire body.

d3fold:

Who's going out tomorrow, and wants to ride? I get off at 4:30.

im going to be lame and drive. but i think i remember reserving a spot for you back into town no?

alex:

Also Grimm --

What kind of training are you doing to be so fast? I don't think I have a fast twitch muscle fiber in my entire body.

and no training...yet. i'm currently commuting on my track ratio which is a terrible idea but i dont' have a choice. My point...spin spin spin to get fast.

alex:

I live in the west hills... No commuting on a track ratio for me :)

IMO, commuting on your track ratio is the worst way to train anyway.
While it may help build muscle, physics would tell us that it will slow your spin, unless you spend enough time on the rollers as well.

If I were training, as I shortly will be, I would ride at least -10" on the street from my track ratio.

Mashing is for streets, spinning is for velo.

Of course I could be talking out of my ass.

alex:

What events are in an omnium?

They mix it up each week. Scratch, point-a-lap, snowball, win-n-out, unknown distance, points, etc; choose 3. It's up to the organizer.

Actually, I went and looked at the Thursday flyer (http://www.obra.org/track/flyers/2008/thursdays.html) and they're saying that 5s should ride the Fast Twitch Friday Novice races (http://www.obra.org/track/flyers/2008/fast_twitch_fridays.html). So I guess you'll have to do 4 of those and submit your upgrade request before you can ride Thursdays, now.

krystenr:

Max is NOW!:

Mashing is for streets, spinning is for velo.

Well, fuck. I've got it all wrong.

No, you've got the ultimate training ratio.
There ain't no hills on the velo.

okay, maybe not ultimate.

once i get my commuter built up and can have a dedicated track bike what gearing should i be using for the streets? i was thinking 46 / 18 or something.

well i think ill try that and see how it feels.

Hah, thanks.
I was training more a month or two ago. I made a goal of the banana belt, and did those. So I got my overall fitness level up. But now I just commute and do some weekend riding. I have a tendency to push myself when im riding, which is often not far, so I do better at shorter distances.

grimm:

Hah, thanks.
I was training more a month or two ago. I made a goal of the banana belt, and did those. So I got my overall fitness level up. But now I just commute and do some weekend riding. I have a tendency to push myself when im riding, which is often not far, so I do better at shorter distances.

I've sort of been all over the place the past few months. Mainly commuting but some mountain biking, fixed gear road biking, and now some track riding... I'm basically trying everything out and planning on picking a focus for next year and doing something seriously. Right now I'm leaning toward getting a road bike and doing some road racing, but I might be swayed to get a track bike.

Max is NOW!:

krystenr:

Max is NOW!:

Mashing is for streets, spinning is for velo.

Well, fuck. I've got it all wrong.

No, you've got the ultimate training ratio.
There ain't no hills on the velo.

okay, maybe not ultimate.

Haha, I'm spinning like crazzzzzy.

I did one cross race last year.. It's ridiculously fun. I bought the San Jose mainly as a cyclocross bike. I'm planning on doing the Mt. Tabor series fixed as well.

Cool thanks for the tips. I think I'll go to another class next week and maybe try a race on Friday.

OMG yay Sean for doing it!! Did you freaking love it or what? Are you going to race on Friday!?

that was really fun

I was riding the white langster wit bright green grips, you?

Glad to hear a few more of you made it out. I cant make it this Fri, but next Fri everyone who took the class should go do Fast Twitch Friday.

whos fast who is going to be there? i dont have to race any of these people right? now im nervous...

How much does OBRA registration cost?

Who's going tomorrow?