Tuesday, 12 July 2011, saw my return to the track after the winter break. My winter training included easy 2 hour weekend rides and some shorter sessions during the weeks. I knew it was going to be hard to stomach race pace, but was pleasently surprised on how good I felt in the keirin and 5km scratch races.
However in track cycling one must not be fooled by the distance. I had to dig deep for a podium finish in the 1500m B-category race. I had to use all my of my experience with the bit of early season fitness that I have to claim 3rd. The cost? A pair of legs filled with lactic acid that forced me to rest for 20 minutes. One can only really understand this feeling if you pedal a fixed gear bike at 100% effort for at least 500m. Now I'm looking to rack up more miles on the road since an improvement in aerobic capacity can only help for the future.
Overall the night of racing was very enjoyable and I'm looking forward to more. Click here to view the standings of the Western Province track league that was held at the Bellville velodrome.
Track cycling at Bellville velodrome, South Africa
Track cycling at Bellville velodrome, South Africa
