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#1
05-03-2016, 01:06 PM
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I went to the track and got schooled
Actually, I went to the national velodrome, the Valley Preferred Cycling Center, in T'town (Trexlertown, PA) for a "introduction to the track" day. So, the whole point was learn stuff.
The day was "sponsored" by the cyclocross club I belong to, the Delaware Cyclocross Coalition of Delaware. We each paid $50 which bought us the track and an instructor for 5 hours, including a bike if you didn't have your own gearless and brakeless steed.  My buddy Chris (ColumbusSLX on here) and I arrived early, hoping to get in some laps before things got started. We'd raced here a couple of times for their "Rookies and Masters" Saturday events a couple of years ago but had done nothing with the track bikes since. We unpacked his Guerciotti and my Level from the trunk of my Viggen and got setup in the infield. A few of our friends were there early too so we went out and ride around for a while while some kids were finishing up their practice standing starts.  That's me up high talking with my friend Lisa Vible. Eventually, it was time to get started. We gathered at the start line and were introduced to our instructor for the day...  OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST MARTY NOTHSTEIN  So, a little while later, I find myself following Marty's wheel around the velodrome while we run a training exercise he called "island hopper". I had a hard time breathing because my face was so full of smile!  He was a great teacher. Funny, while making clear the important points. He was humble and got along with everyone well, joining in easily with our club's good natured ribbing and jokes. He answered all our stupid questions and offered up many gems of advice from years of experience and success. I'm sure it would have been a great day without him, but it was a day I'll never forget because of him. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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-STEFAN BUY FROM YOUR LBS or from Paceline members Last edited by Formulasaab; 05-03-2016 at 01:08 PM. 
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#2
05-03-2016, 01:12 PM
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Bleh... I did one season at Alpenrose, and "schooled" doesn't even begin to describe my short-bus performance. Those dudes with their watermelon quads can have the track - I'll stick with road.
 It WAS a lot of fun... but also so humiliating. I guess it was the most fun being humiliated I've ever had..
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where are we going, and why am i in this handbasket?
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#5
05-03-2016, 01:25 PM
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4 hours to Kissena from Boston, another 2-3 to T-Town. 
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#6
05-03-2016, 01:34 PM
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Or about 9 to milton for indoor fun. I've spent monday nights all winter thete in a fitness oriented class. It has been fun. Everyone should try it.
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#7
05-03-2016, 01:47 PM
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T'town is about an 1:15 from us here in northern Delaware.
Garden State Velodrome is about 1:30. Kissena is about 2:30. Lucky us, Trexlertown is the nicest by far. It is a first class facility.
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-STEFAN BUY FROM YOUR LBS or from Paceline members
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#8
05-03-2016, 01:51 PM
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That's awesome!
I went up to the short lived New England Velodrome (or was it Northeast Velodrome?). It was a kart track so 1/2 the banking as T-Town (14 deg for 318 meter track). The challenge wasn't just staying down low when going fast, it was literally staying on the track. There were some close calls as riders skirted with going over the top of the banking. Wed night racing, about 3+ hours of driving, plus starving after the races = home at 2 AM. I only made it to T-Town 2x for the Tues? races, whatever the beginner ones were, plus one day after watching the Tour Du Pont, we rode around on our road bikes and watched some foreign accent guy with a dual disk bike and shoes that laced up the heel do some stupefying laps around the track (I want to say 16 or 18 seconds flying, and 20 or 21 seconds standing start). He had a coach, another rider to lead him out for the flying laps. Seemed really serious.
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#9
05-03-2016, 01:53 PM
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Even sucking at it though, it is an immensely fun day on the bike. You get 4 races (5 if you qualify for one of the feature races) for an entry of something like $15. If you screw up one race, you get another chance to screw it up again just scant minutes later.
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-STEFAN BUY FROM YOUR LBS or from Paceline members
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#10
05-03-2016, 01:55 PM
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This is the one that is closest to me:
http://www.cityofrockhill.com/depart...dana-velodrome Pretty cool that the city built this and is part of the Parks and Recreation department. No idea how they pulled that one off
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#11
05-03-2016, 02:01 PM
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I knew who Marty was to begin with, but when I got home from the track I immediately went to the internet for some video fix...
https://youtu.be/_soTHDAGn-Q
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-STEFAN BUY FROM YOUR LBS or from Paceline members
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#12
05-03-2016, 02:02 PM
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Did it twice! SO fun!
I'm MILES from being competitive but lucky enough to have 3 velos within 2 hours of me.
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#13
05-03-2016, 02:11 PM
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also, what in the world.... 
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#14
05-03-2016, 03:36 PM
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Linear Mode
