5/30/98
Quite a few things since the last entry...
After the Enumclaw race, I was really tired. Instead of going to the track training session that Tuesday, since the weather was nice, Lan and I rode our tandem out to Marymoor Park from our home. We watched some of my teammates practice for a while, and then went back home. A new guy on our team (whose name eludes me) was headed back to Fremont, and since it was a long ride, he drafted us most of the way home. I must have felt pretty strong, since we were able to keep above 22 mph most of the way on the tandem.
On Wednesday, I did my first track race. It was okay. I must remember to bring more clothes, since it gets pretty chilly while waiting for your race to start. My best performance was in the Chariot Race, a one lap race from a standing start. I think I could have won, if I had remembered to stand up at the beginning. I was able to catch two of the three people in front of me, but since only the top finisher advances to the next round, I was eliminated.
Then, I got sick. I was pretty sick for 5 days, and did no riding, and I missed the Seward Park Thursday race because of it.
Two days ago was another Seward Park Thursday race, and I was wondering how I'd do, since I hadn't ridden for a while. But I managed to finish the race fairly comfortably.
Today, I just came back from a team training ride. Some of the team members are at a road race in Yakima today. Don P, Gordo, Michael Petty, Mark, Tony, and Dave showed up for the ride this morning. Don was sick, so he planned only on going as far as Seward Park. I got a flat tire on the way to the meeting place, but I still made it before they took off. About 45 minutes into the ride, I got another flat tire. My rear tire is getting worn out, and I think the tube is getting flats from sticking out or getting pinched in some of the holes in my tire. I think it's time to put on new tires.
After we got going again, Don went home. A few minutes later, we were in a construction zone, where the road surface was rather rough. Tony got his front wheel stuck in a hole and did an endo, where the rear wheel goes over the front wheel. He got a cut on his thumb, and managed to bend his derailer and hanger, among other things. Luckily, he was fairly close to home, so he walked there.
The rest of the ride was fairly uneventful. There were a lot of riders out, since the weather wasn't too bad. We went south around Renton, up around the east side of Lake Washington to I-90, and went to Mercer Island. Mike P, Dave and I were given a head start, and Mark and Gordo were going to try and catch us. Dave didn't get a good start, and ended up behind me and Mike. Mike did a lot more pulling than I did, and we were going 22-24mph for a long time. I managed to draft him for most of the way around the island, but when it got a bit hilly, I couldn't keep up. I made it to the usual finish of the island about a minute and a half behind Michael, and managed to get there about 30 second before Gordo showed up. Mark and Dave showed up soon after.
Then we all went home. Me and Dave swung by a 7-11 on the way home, and I got a nasty leg cramp on some hills, but I survived.