Master's Track Nationals, Day 1, 2

By James Tainter, NSC Systems Programmer/Masters Track Cyclist

The racing has begun here in Colorado and it's been hard to keep up on how every one is doing, which is a good thing!  I believe we have EIGHT people representing the NSC/Blaine Velodrome.  Kevin Schaeffer and Dan Casper survived their point races tonight.  Both of which were scorching fast!  After watching the 40-44 age point race, Dan and I both came to the conclusion there are going to be some FAST pursuiters in our age group on Friday.  Greg Mcrae mixed it up in the 2K pursuit today after posting a personal best time in the 500m time trial the previous day.  Linda Sone-Casper just missed the podium in her 2K effort and Pat Whalen posted a best time as well in his 500, though when I asked Pat he admitted he didn't really have a 'best time' since its an event he just stepped in to do - but you have to start somewhere, so nice job Pat!  I had today off after racing the kilo time trial last night.  I admit, even after shifting focus from this event to the pursuit this year, the kilo still means a lot to me.  After seeing who showed up to race and who stayed home, I figured I had a pretty good chance to actually take a shot at winning this year.  I couldn't have asked for a better stage:  I was paired up against Kenny Williams in the last heat of the night.  Kenny is the 'iron man' of track racing and is just getting back into master's racing after having to have sat out for 2 years due to participating at the Pan Am games in '07 and I believe a UCI World Cup (masters loose their 'masters eligibility' if they participate in UCI elite sanctioned events).  He's a multiple national champion as well as elite champion and master's world champion.  So to be paired up to face him in the last heat of the night was the best scenerio I could have.  The best time of the night in our age group was a 1:08.8.  I figured I could eclipse that, but just wasn't sure if I could eclipse whatever it was that Kenny was capable of this night.  But training had been going well and my fitness was better than in years past, and unfortunantly, Kenny had crashed earlier in the season and was coming coming back from surgery to repair a broken collar bone.  Maybe there was a chink in his armor...

I'll spare you the blow-by-blow of the actual ride, but I had that national championship jersey on my back up until the last 170 meters of the 1,000 we had to cover.  Kenny put in a monumental 'push' over those last meters.  That, coupled with me fading a bit was enough for him to catch me and take the championship.  Kenny finished with a 1:07.6, and I was .5 seconds back at 1:08.1 - a personal best time for myself, but somehow the sting of losing overshadowned that for me.  Hats off to Kenny, he's a true hard-man of the sport and a great competitor. 

As mentioned, today was an 'off' day for me.  So, to shake out the legs we got out on a nice road ride that took us up to the Garden of the Gods.  The rock formations up there are fantastic and it was a great diversion from the stress of racinig.  I think everyone here has tomorrow off, but I'm not sure.  Keeping track of everyone's schedule is tough.  I do know that Friday is a big day for Dan and myself - we will be competing in the 3K individual time trial.  With all the big guns here, its going to be a knock-down-drag-out brawl.  We will both need to ride personal bests just to even have a chance of getting on the podium.  

I have pictures to post as well, I just need to get them uploaded.  

Thanks to everyone who has offered encouragement and support - it all helps.

Comments

[Angie Bertrand, NSC Staff]

Thanks for the update, James. We are cheering for you here at the NSC!