Dear DHBC Ladies,
Saturday saw in the final week of the Women's Introduction to Velodrome Cycling Program. A big thanks and congratulations to all who participated. You have all excelled beyond my expectations and I can see that you have all formed some fantastic friendships along the way.
It was impressive to see that everyone now is riding with cycling shoes and pedals and are comfortably moving around the velodrome as well as up and down the banking. Speeding up and slowing safely, all out sprinting and riding around with people all around them, and for most of the ladies they have had a maximum of 8 goes on the velodrome which goes to show how much they have all achieved!
Here is what we got up to yesterday:
We started off with a 60 lap points race. We discussed the important things first:
1. there will be a sprint every 10 laps.
2. Points are given to the first 4 placings in each sprint and are awarded as 5, 3, 2, and 1.
3. You win the race by having the most accumulated points at the end of the race.
4. If you lap the field you will get 20 points.
5. If you are lapped you loose 20 points.
6. This race is one race in an Omnium and as such you must finish the race to complete an Omnuim. Therefore if you are feeling tired take a lap or two out of the racce and then jump in again when you are a little fresher.
Everyone completed the race! This was my favourite part. Camilla feined an injury prior to the race to trick us all and then proceeded to attempt to take a lap on us all and in turn won herself some valuable points. I must have been napping as I was concentrating so hard on the wheels I was following that I didn't see this happen at all! I could hear Joanne telling us that we needed to "push the pace" and that she was "tiring", but I had no idea what she was talking about. In relfection on the event, it all makes perfect sense now. Everyone rode extremely well and all looked satisfyingly pooped afterwards, as such we had a nice sit-down and chat all about it post-race to recover.
Next we talked about all different events that happen in an Omnuim, as well as what to expect at RAW (Race All Winter). Then we tried out of the the races at RAW called the "1 Lap Screamer". This is a 3 up sprint event which is only 1 lap long. There were some interesting results. Dayna blew her group away, demonstrating her sprinting prowess and Sinead showed her skills by making a comeback after a slow start and pipped Linda right on the line.
Well, that's it for now. We will be having a women's only practise Omnuim on Saturday the 25th of June. I hope you can all make it. We will starting at
1pm, so be there and be ready. There will also be a general club Omnium starting afterwards at 4pm. This is called the International Omnium where people will be riding for a specific country and will be bringing a plate of food from this country. if you would like to come along, watch/ ride (if you have a race license), you are welcome to join us. Also bring a plate and join in on the feast!!!!!
I am planning to run another beginners track program after RAW/ after winter, i hope you can all come along and show off your skills and help the new group too.
Also I hope you all think about coming along to mid-week training. My favourite nights are Wednesdays and Thursdays. On Wednesdays there are more newer riders practising drills such as starts and if we're lucky we may even get to do pace-lines behind the motorbike too! Wednesdays are from 6:30 till 8:30pm and on Thursdays it's rollermania, with Lindsays expert training regime. I call it the get-fit-fast session. Here you can also get some practise in on the rollers and learn more about pedal-stroke etc.
Don't forget about RAW - if you get a race license then come along and join your fellow club members and try out the Dunc Gray Velodrome! See what it's like riding on polished floorboards on 42 degree banking. Don't forget there is a fabulous grade called Novice, which is designed for new track riders.
Stay in contact and I hope to see you all continuing to whirl around the Velodrome.
A big thanks to Simon, Lindsay, Christian, Colin, Kevin, Ian, Francis
Lizanne and to anyone else who I've missed who helped out, and a big thanks for the pressies
Rainbow