August, 2014, Masters Track Nationals age 60-64
Redmond WA
Report from Lionel Space, Phoenix AZ

My main goal for the season was the Masters Track Nationals. I have never won an Individual medal and this would be my first year in the 60-64 age group. Many of the stronger riders were still back in the 55-59 age group, so I should be on top of the heap this year. I had been producing times very close or better than previous National champions, so if I could do my best, I'd take the timed events. The massed start events contained riders I had not previously competed against, but I hoped that my criterium and track successes earlier in the year might get me wins there too. I had the possibility to win all 4 individual events if luck was with me.

Scratch race 8/19/2014, evening
The biggest threat would be Michael Birditt in the case of a sprint and Steve Worley, a pursuiter, if he took off solo. Each had team mates in the field that could assist them tactically. So I started off on Steve's wheel and sure enough, on lap 2 he took a dive on the inside from the end of turn 2 and I immediately went with him. Seeing me there, he pulled up and slowed as we hit turn 3 and the attack was short lived. Immediately, Meersman attacked, and I went with him. I worked with him for a turn, but then he eased up and just as the pack caught up to us, he took off again. I took the risk to let him go and he gained just a bit of a gap. With only 13 laps in the race, it can be over before you know it and I was surprised to see Birditt lead the chase, with Worely on his wheel. After bringing Meersman back in, we had several laps of inactivity. My original plan from months ago was to attack with 1.7 laps remaining. However as we got to about 4 laps to go, Meersman got anxious and crept off the front and nobody wanted to chase him down. He quickly got a quarter of a lap lead. Birditt quickly picked up the pace out of turn 4 and we crossed the 3 to go board at the line. When he pulled up in turn 2 and Worely also pulled up, I feared that Meersman would be given the win and I did my attack a lap earlier than planned. I quickly reeled in Meersman, but I had a total of a kilometer to do to hold off the pack. They timed their efforts well and a pack of 5 came around me with 150 meters to go, leaving me out of the medals as Birditt took the win.

2000 8/21/2014, morning
Worely was the previous champion and would be the man to beat. I had done a 2:36.7 a month ago and a good time of 2:33.9 at last year's state championships. If I could pull off a top ride, I had a chance to take the win. We started early in the morning and the 65 degrees was 40 degrees colder than what I normally train in. I had a good start and after finishing turn 2, eased my efforts back so as to have plenty in the tank for the second kilo. Still I had the fastest first Kilo 2 seconds faster than Worely, but didn't maintain enough speed in the second half, giving up 4 seconds to Worely and falling to second overall by 2.193 seconds.


500 8/22/2014, morning
Last month I did a 37.0 at the State Championships and hoped I could pull off another splendid ride. Bill Ziegler had done a 37.5 on the same day at a faster track, so I had a chance to beat him. Last year's winner, Keith Macbeth had won last year with a 37.685. I started 7th in the field of 21. I had a good start, although maybe too conservative in avoiding a false start. I felt a bit of a struggle coming into the final 100 meters and didn't feel like I was really flying. Finishing with a 37.5 was the fastest thus far, but I feared it would not be adequate to take home a National Champions jersey. Bill Ziegler started a few riders later and beat me with a 37.3, just .135 seconds faster. His 250 m time was .245 faster than mine, so it was his start that got him the win; it was much closer to a false start than mine so I lost before the race began. The next to last rider to race was Macbeth and he squeezed me out of second with the 5th fastest time in the first 250.



Points race 8/23/2014, evening
11 guys entered, 2 main guys to watch. I should have had the best chance of anyone to win this. Basically I just had to watch Birditt and Worley to not get away and make sure I got in there for enough points. First sprint I was too conservative and got zero points in 5th place. Second sprint I led from a lap to go and didn't give it my all and let a couple guys pass me, but at least I had 2 points. Screwed up the 3rd sprint, getting third again for only 2 points. Won the 4th sprint, while Birditt seemed to be tiring and Worley looked in control. I was then in the lead with 9 points to Birditt's 7. Then Birditt took off and nobody chased, including me as I sat on Worley's wheel expecting him to go after Birditt, which he never did. I don't know why my brain turned off and I just watched him ride away. I kept expecting Worley to go and never considered chasing by myself. Another rider took off from behind and I still just sat there. That other rider caught Birditt and they worked together. Birditt got half a lap, won the final sprint and thus the race, leaving me in second after I won the pack sprint. I made lots of stupid mistakes, rode too conservatively, so I didn't deserve the win, which would have been easily achievable if I rode more aggressively. I rode very stupidly and basically threw the race away at several opportunities, killing my last chance for an individual National Championship.


Team Pursuit race 8/24/2014, morning
Had a weak team pursuit team. 1st guy blasted off the start and wasted himself. 2nd guy had a 100" gear and got a 2 length gap right away. 1st guy blew up really soon and pulled out after his second turn at front. 2nd guy was really unstable, but still somewhat strong (not really fast). Ended up with a bronze for 3rd out of 4, where 4th was extremely slow. It didn't really want to waste myself as I had a better chance in the team sprint a couple hours later.

Team Sprint race 8/24/2014, morning
Team sprint: had a strong team, where I was the weakest link. The start went well, where we kept together and fell in line perfectly. Kurt picked it up right away when his turn came to pull for the second lap, as he had warned. He began gapping me right away and it only got worse. Half a lap later he was 2+ lengths away and kept pulling away. So I basically did the last 2 laps without any assistance (at 400m per lap). Out of First place by about 3 seconds, 2nd place by 0.3 seconds, finishing 3rd. I was definitely the weak link.

So the main goal of the year was not met. I did OK, but I did not win a National Championship. I didn't feel that the other riders were superior to me, but that I didn't put out my best and rode stupidly when tactics were at a premium. I had solid potential to win all 4 and I was very disappointed in what felt like failure, coming home with no wins.

No available racing for the next 5 months. That will be a long time to dwell on the mistakes I made on my last racing.

Racing page     Bike page