Track outing #2

We had about 25 women out at the track last night--a pretty great showing for a women's field. Our second race of the evening was a rare event: a race for category 4 women only. There are four women's categories, with 4 being the beginners, but usually all women race together, which means that junior national champion Natalie Klemko takes the win every time like candy from a baby. I'm a cat. 3 on the road but still a 4 on the track because you have to start as a beginner. So I figured this was my chance to get a win. Then someone pointed out that Debbie Dust, who is a cat. 1 roadie and rides for Kenda Tire, was also a cat. 4 on the track. Hmmm...suddenly victory seemed unlikely.

Wouldn't you know it, on the second lap of our 15 lap points race Debbie went off the front with me hanging on to her wheel for dear life. She was so much stronger than the rest of the field that nobody was going to catch us. I took a couple of weak little pulls, but mostly I just gritted my teeth and tried not to get dropped so that I could collect the $50 prize for second. In the picture you can see me eating Debbie's wheel for dinner. She looks tough and I look like I can't wait for the suffering to end!

Here's another picture of me explaining to Debbie what it was like to be me in that race...



The other two races, in which we raced all women's categories together, were pretty uneventful. The first was a ten lap scratch. I took sixth, which I thought was pretty respectable for my third mass start track race ever. Then four different people made a point of telling me how much I screwed up. I was in great position for a podium finish, but I haven't exactly figured out how to sprint on my track bike so I kind of blew it. I'll get there...maybe next week! The final race was an unknown distance, which is quite amusing because you ride around not knowing exactly when the race is going to end. When they finally did ring the bell, I was in terrible position and couldn't manage better than eighth.

Then we went for Korean food...I need to find some more 24-hour places in Chicago, because track racing lasts until 10pm. But bibimbop hit the spot!

(photo #2 by Carlos Cabalu with the lensbaby, and photo #2 by Luke)