Team game...and a little confusion..

Last weekend marked my final crit of the season. Earlier on in the week, I received an email asking me to race for the Amy Gillett Foundation (AGF) women's team for a day. I was totally stoked!! The race was to be held at Geelong purpose-built criterium track. Having had a crack at the track when I first started racing 2 months prior, I was even more excited to see how far my short training time had taken me.

The race started with a prologue - a timed Individual Time Trial (ITT) of the 2.2km long circuit. Being my first ever ITT, I was really excited. I was one of the first women to be called to the start line - this meant I didn't have enough time to warm up, or have anyone else's time to try to beat. Oh well, I just had to give it my best shot! Up at the start line, I had someone to hold onto my bike so I could start with both my feet clipped in. "This is real cool!!" As the timer started counting down the start time from 30s, I could feel my heartbeat racing in excitement - all I could do was to try and take deeper breaths.

3,2,1 - go! I quickly rev up my cadence - and click, click, click - I found my right gear. As, I reached the first corner of the course: a tight right hand one - something which I was not used to - I found myself jamming on the brakes as I had built up way too much speed. Oh crap, I thought - I had just lost precious seconds there! No time to think Gracie, just spin those legs! I found myself going really quick again and for about 0.5ks I was flying. As I hit the back of the course, there was a slight incline and a head wind. And I bonked. I watched in horror as my speedometer quickly dropped from 45kmh to 33 kmh - uh oh. Click, click to an easier gear - spin, spin, spin - get that lactic acid out. I was soon back on track, but the course had run out. Ah well, it was really good experience, and in time I'll have to learn the art of time trialling while holding a steady pace.

Next up - crit! Playing my first team game on a crit was pretty exciting. With 6 of us, we were to attack 2 at a time over the course of the crit. My job - attack in the first 15mins with one my team mates, Nadine. First lap was neutral lap. As we got onto the 2nd lap, Nadine and I quickly moved up to front of the bunch. I did mini surge to push up the pace - it was game on.

I signalled Nadine to make a move, and she attacked. Being on the front of the whole peloton, I wasn't going to bridge the gap. I tried best to restrain myself from jumping- this was a team game. Somehow the riders sitting on my wheel weren't prepared to counter-attack - was everyone just trying to save energy? Well, our strategy worked. Nadine quickly gained lengths, and was pretty soon off on her own solo break.

A few riders soon realised and tried to bring Nadine back. My job for the next part - just counter every attempted attack. Someone would try to bridge, and I would immediately counter and sit on their wheel. I would always be on the 2nd or 3rd wheel. If the front rider slowed down, I just played the game. I just sat behind their wheel - it was my team mate on the break, I was going to chase. Someone behind would try to accelerate and jump up the front - I would just swing out and take their wheel. Each attack was slowly sapping at my energy stores, and at the same time knowing that contesting the win at this crit was game over for me, I was thoroughly enjoying this game of cat and mouse.

15 mins later, my team leader Jenny yelled "good job" and I quickly pulled behind and sat at the back of the peloton. It was at this time that I realised that 1/3 of the field had dropped off taking along 2 of my other team mates. The next 10 or so minutes I just kept spinning out whatever lactic acid that had built up - at times falling a bike length from the person in front of me, but determined to not get dropped.

2 of my other team mates kept the attacking spree going. As the peloton tired, team leader Jenny jumped and eventually managed to bridge the gap across to Nadine. A few laps later, another team mate Bec managed to break away from the peloton too.

Feeling a little stronger again, I decided to give the break a shot too. I managed to hold the break out for 2 or so minutes, but as I hit the slope and headwind, I started doubting whether I was going to be able to hold on solo. With no sight of my team mates that had broken away, I looked back twice to see if the peloton were going to respond. Being a little tired and not thinking straight - I knew I had made a mistake. I had half commited to the break, I was in doubt, and every turn of the head had slowed me down. The peloton soon caught up and I was left hanging on to the back again.

I looked down at my comp - there was about 7 or so minutes left before the sign for 3 laps. Tired as I was, I hung on to the back, knowing that I still had that bit left in me for a final sprint. Although it was a contest for 4th place, I was always up for a sprint - knowing that adrenaline will somehow take charge.

As I was getting ready to move up to the front, and feeling strong enough again to attempt another attack, the bunch started sprinting. I had never seen a mid-race peloton attack that way before. Something surely was up - was someone trying some sort of new breakaway with 3 laps to go??? I immediately chased. I got from right behind on the 10th wheel to the 4th wheel. I had come this far. No way was I going be dropped now.

And everyone in front of me slowed right down and started chatting. "That was a tough race," someone said. The front few had thought it was the last lap. "What...that was the last lap??!??" "Where was the final bell?" "I didn't even see the 3 laps to go sign!" I was absolutely pissed off!! Half angry at myself for not paying attention, half angry at the organisers for not ringing the bell louder. Having worked so hard, and not contesting a sprint well, I was really angry at everything. Oh well, it was race over - and I just had to make sure I cooled down well. Being in a 'don't talk to me mood', I quickly dropped behind the rest of the field to do my own spin.

As I reach the start line, I saw one of my team mates who had earlier dropped off. I pulled out of the course. "Why did you pull out?" she asked. "Well, the race is over!" I said. "Who said it's over?" the race director standing nearby said. "The bunch!" I said, half angry at him for not ringing the bell louder. Well, it turned out that the race wasn't over!! At this time I was about ready to throw my bike on the ground. "Would you like to finish the race? Here I'll give you a bell lap." Cussing under my breath, and being the sort that never gives up, I went off on my own solo lap to think things through.

At this point there really wasn't much I could do. I was in a state of anger and confusion. The bunch had mistakenly thought it was the last lap as the front few riders had saw a 2 lap to go sign for another grade. I should have trusted my own watch. But yet again, if the whole bunch said it was over, I might have made a mistake. At that point, I wasn't a happy camper. Yes, I knew it was only a contest for 4th place. But yet again, it was still to be a bunch sprint. And I would always contest a sprint.

Well, the anger quickly eased off, and with my team mates taking a clean sweep of the podium, I couldn't really stay disappointed all that long. I had played a good team's race. And I was happy that my team mates had won. The technical course with narrow roads and tight corners was truly a great learning experience. Racing as a team was cool - and I am thankful for the opportunity and 1-day experience. I'm sure Amy would have been really proud of all of us too!
The AGF chicks..

Read more about the foundation here:
http://www.amygillett.org.au/

Fun in the pouring rain!

6pm. I had just ridden home from work. Roads were wet - it has just started drizzling again.

Texted my coach: "Raining. Is training still on?" 5 mins..no reply. Done - means he's on his way. Time for some bit of fun in the rain! =)

As I hit the road, the back of my knicks started getting wet.. eekk! Maybe I should have fix on my mud guard. Or if only they made waterproof knicks. Oh well, just deal with it.

The bridges along the Yarra trail were pretty slippery, so I rode a little slower. It was getting pretty dark, and the thought of slipping and falling into the yucky river wasn't all that appealing. One other cyclist on his way from work rode past me. I quickly laughed that thought off and just rode faster.

Met my coach, and we decided to change the training session as the roads were pretty icky. "Do you want to try the Hawthorn velodrome?" '"Oh yeah!"

First ever session on the velodrome was quite an experience. Getting on for one - it was only a tiny slope on that outdoor velodrome, but somehow I pictured it being slippery. Well, it did look a lot steeper in the dark. I unclipped, made sure my bike was facing the right direction, and made it down to the inside lane.

I kept on looking down at the road in front me - one, a little afraid I was going to fall off, and two, I didn't want to hit any bumps. 3 laps later, I was starting to get pretty dizzy, and the thought of throwing up wasn't all that appealing. Realising the asphalt was pretty safe in the wet, and there was no debris around, I quickly looked straight ahead. 2 more laps in - I was actually starting to enjoy the velodrome and was just about ready to start picking up the pace. And the heavy rain came.

We decided to call it a night, and rode home. As we split ways, the rain started to pour a little heavier. By now, I was actually enjoying the quick pace from the slippery roads, and rode even faster. Drivers in cars were giving way as they saw me in the wet - probably thinking I was a little crazy to be riding out there. A pair of goggles would have been just perfect. But I couldn't care less about the spit in my eyes - it was just so much fun zooming down the roads in the rain!!

As I arrived near home, the rain had reduced to a drizzle. Feeling good and not wanting the fun to end, I decided to add a couple more laps around Albert Park lake. Watching the cool little water fountain coming off my front wheel, hearing the laughter of the nearby soccer team as they kicked the ball around in the mud, and feeling like you're going 10ks faster than you actually are: it's times like this when you find yourself amazed at what this sport of cycling can bring. I felt like a young kid again - with absolutely no worries in the world - just out to have some fun in the rain!

Well, cleaning up my bike after wasn't all that great..but wiping down every bit of dirt from it was definitely worth every bit of fun I had tonight! =)

Just ranting..

Been a great week of training on the bike. With daylight savings ended, the early morning bike sessions are starting to be much nicer now riding into the sunrise.

Though a session earlier in the week was a bit of a shock to the system. With the cold air starting to bite a little, I had thrown on an extra t-shirt underneath my jersey. Still in half finger gloves and an old pair of cotton socks, I hit Kew Blvd for a training ride.

Unlike other sessions where I'd usually warm up pretty quickly once I had gotten moving, I just got colder and colder as the session went on. Before I knew it, I could not feel my fingers or my feet. And no matter how hard I tried to warm up, or how hard I pedalled - my extremeties were just absolutely numb!

Being that cold, it took so much more mental focus to even stay on the bike - what more to focus on the training session. I tried distracting myself with the awesome view of hot air balloons rising with the sun, but it sure was tough when you can barely use your fingers to pull on the brakes, or feel the pedals beneath your feet. It's times like these where you are just totally dependent on your muscle memory to bring you through.

Despite only being able to find my feet again more than hour after the session (the hot cup of coffee after did help my fingers), that training session was a great experience. I certainly learned to appreciate the simple beauty of the pedalling rhythm. And learned that the mind can be much stronger than what your sensors are telling you. Turns out it wasn't such a bad session after all.

Looks like it's time for some retail therapy this week for some new warm clothing! =)

Anyways, there was no bike racing this weekend - though the Swim Champs today was great fun. Did some PBs..collected some great bookmarks...and certainly watched in awe at some of the really quick guys break national records in the pool.

Oh and another good news ...will be racing one more criterium next weekend! Looks like season isn't over just yet. Certainly can't wait!











My ribbon bookmark collection from today's swim meet...

Just pedal!

I don't recall many things from before I turned 5. The one thing I do remember is my elder cousin brother teaching me how to ride a bike. Taking off my training wheels was a big thing then. I was afraid. We took my little bike out onto the road, and he bent downwards to hold the back off my seat - telling me to "Just pedal!" I kept on telling him not to let go. There was a little hill opposite where I lived. And as I was rolling downhill, remembering to keep on pedalling, I screamed, "Look at me..I can ride!" No reply. I braked, put my foot down, turned around...and there he was at the top of the hill. And for the first time then, a smile spread across my face with the feeling of satisfaction - I had learned how to ride a bike. And today, somehow, competing at the SKCC Club Criterium Championships felt the same way as I did back when I was 4.

"Oh no - they're goin' to remove my training wheels!"

An extra hour's sleep with the end of daylight savings was very much welcomed. Knowing my usual pre-morning race nerves, I had prepared all my stuff the night before - even laying out my jersey, knicks, socks etc. on the chair. I decided to drive the short distance to the crit course just in case I hit a flat on the way - no, I did not want to miss the race.

Like Tuesday, today's race was a mass start, with women in different categories (elite and masters) competing for the club champion award. We even had a guy on a motorbike starting us off for the first neutral lap - I was pretty excited this being my first time pacing behind one!

Lap 2 - and 2 strong riders in the field attempted for a break right from the start. And me being me..I wasn't going to let them go. I chased them down quickly carrying the rest of the field with me. I could hear someone from the crowd screaming at me to go. The adrenaline immediately kicked in, and I knew this race was going to be a fast-paced one.

There were a few attempted breaks at the start - and I kept on jumping at them, half the time carrying the bunch with me. I would bridge, then fall right behind the bunch and spin out the lactic acid.. and a couple of laps later, repeat the drill. I knew this wasn't going to work, and being a sprinter, I should be a little more conservative and save some energy for the end. The other girls in field today were as fired up as I was, and they were prepared to bridge the breaks as well.

About 20 minutes in, I heard the dreaded creaking noise on the back of my bike - the force applied on the bike had caused my back wheel to move, and my brake had started rubbing the rim. Having learnt from the race a few weeks back, this time I knew I was allowed to take a lap out for mechanical problems. I rolled up to the race director, told him my problem and he sent me off to the mechanic's tent.

It's funny, but that 2 minutes out felt like the longest 2 minutes ever as the mechanic took out his trusty allen key and started fiddling with my bike. My heart was still pounding - I kept on glancing at the corner to look out for the bunch, and I tried to keep on moving my legs so as not to let any lactic acid build up. Finally, I saw the bunch coming up, and jumped at the back of them. Immediately, I increased my cadence, and within 1 lap, I was back near the front of the bunch.

With about 7 minutes to go, I suddenly found that over-excited kid in me again. I saw 1 rider break - and I immediately jumped. This time however, I wasn't carrying the bunch with me. It was just 2 of us!! We quickly gained a decent break, I took a little glance behind, and realised that we were gaining quite a few bike lengths. As we turned into the headwind on the back straight, she started to slow down, but somehow I was on fire. I nudged her and said "Let's work together!"

I jumped in front of her, and just pedalled. Pedal, pedal, pedal. And before I knew it - I was in a solo break. On the sprint straight, I could hear the crowd screaming at me to go. And I just went. Sitting out there alone in an Open race, I really did not know what to do. The kid me just wanted to go, yet, there was that little doubt in me not being sure if I could hold that TT effort for the rest of the race. "Don't waste your energy and get back to the rest of the bunch!" 1.5 laps later, I made the call to slow down, and the bunch finally caught up.
"On my solo breakaway..."(Photo by RobM)

Different to last week's Giant race when I hit a wall, I had actually made the call to slow down on my solo effort. Having only been training for just over a month, and not knowing the ablity of the rest of the riders, there was somehow that moment of doubt in me. "What if I waste all my energy trying to go solo and hit a wall right on the last lap?" Well, only time and experience will tell, and I knew today's race wasn't one to find that out.

Final lap to go - the bunch was so tight, I could't quite get right up the front. I tried as best as I could to push forward. Coming out of the last corner, I launched my sprint, climbed over a few riders, and finished 7th overall. I wasn't spent, but the winners had too far of a head start.

Although today's wasn't a podium finish, I was happy with my performance. Somehow, today felt like it did when I first learnt how to ride a bike as a kid. All I had to do was just pedal. Riding a bike is about going places, racing a bike is about tactics, and winning on a bike is about confidence. And as I keep persevering and keep racing, I will learn the tactics, and build the confidence to one day win.

For now, the Crit season has just come to an end. Winter Road Racing is still a month to go. And so, April will be a little quiet of adrenaline flow, though 2 big swim competitions are sure to keep me buzzing. Stay tuned!

A week of 2nds..

Mid-week racing is awesome! Raced down at the Sandown race track this time round. Whole new different course, different riders -- different strategy.

Manager was really nice and could get out of work earlier than I was going to. In some ways, I do feel pretty lucky having a job that is supportive of my ambitions. A little time to breath and re-check my gear was good. Managed to beat rush hour traffic, and got to the course an hour before race time.

Sandown crit is a little different than the usual crit course I was used to. Course was much longer meaning less corners, and much wider too. Being my first time down at this course, I made sure I tried to gather as much info as I could on my warm up laps. A little hill on the back end of the course into the headwind. A stong tailwind on the finishing straight. Jane, one of the SKCC race team girls pointed out the spots where attacks were most likely to happen. More experienced riders know this, and are always more than willing to share. All you have to do is ask, and listen.

Race time! All girls from all grades were bunched together. Prizes were awarded to top finishers in each grade. Was great to be racing with some of the elite and more experienced riders. A few top riders tried to do solo breaks, but with the wind factor this wasn't going to work. A couple of laps in, I knew the drill. 2 places on the course riders would attempt attacks - into the headwind, and with the tailwind. But it's been a month since myfirst open race. I have learned lots since then, the training has been making a difference and I've started gaining confidence.

And this time I was ready to counter attack. If there were any breaks, I wanted to be in them. Every time the front riders heighten their pace I followed. The riders in front pulled out a drink bottle, I followed. Different to Sunday's race, I wasn't calling the shots or setting the pace. Different races requires different strategies.

Final bell came - the pace edged up. Things were also getitng a little edgy at the back of the bunch. Everyone wanted to push for the front. I knew I had to hold onto the wheel in front of me tight. Final lap means no mistakes. You have to be extremely focused. And it was to be a bunch sprint finish.

Out of the last corner, I started the sprint. I saw the wheel in front of me, and tried to crank up my revs. I glanced up, and not again - I spotted the finish line too close. Again, I had underestimated my ability to get onto the sprint earlier. And so, 2nd place it was. Looks like it's a week of 2nds for me.

Each race is a new discovery. Each week I try to find my maximum effort, try to find my top speed. And believing that one day I will - that's already one step forward.

Final crit of the season is just around the corner. SKCC Club Champs - bring it on!

A little extra gear money....