Where I am.....where I'm going.

I've decided to create this blog (my first try) to document my training as I attempt to get as close as possible to a sub 2min 30sec for the 2000m Individual Pursuit. Over the next little while, I'll fill you in with a bit of background so that you can see where I've come from in the Pursuit, where I'm aiming, and how I plan to go about getting there.

At this point in time, I could be described as fairly inexperienced in Pursuiting, having only ridden a total of 6 or 7 events. But this discipline has really captured my imagination.
For those who don't know what an Individual Pursuit is, well, it's one of the most straight forward of track events. Two riders line up on opposite sides of a track, and fastest to complete the distance, in my case 2000 metres (for Masters 6, aged 55-60) is the winner. If you are able to make up the half lap distance on your competitor and catch them, you automatically win. That's if you make a final. First there is a qualifying ride to determine the fastest four riders. First and second fastest ride off for the Gold and Silver, third and fourth fastest ride off for Bronze. Pretty simple, huh?

My first ride, at New South Wales State Championships in 2005 produced a 2min 52sec time.
At my second attempt, a year later at the 2006 Championships saw a 2min 42sec, then the following year, 2007, anotherPB of 2min 37.8sec.

In 2007, the Masters World Track Championships were held here in Sydney on our Olympic Velodrome. Having them so close, well, I had to have a ride. It turned out to be a frustrating, yet at the same time, encouraging experience. I pulled my left foot out of the pedal in the first 10m out of the start gate, somehow got it back in (a bit tricky on a fixed gear), and finished the ride, although my heart really wasn't in it after dropping so much time at the start. But my time turned out to be less then a second outside my PB! So, as I said, frustrating yet encouraging.

On to 2008, and at the State Championships in March, I rode a 2min 37.1sec effort to be fastest qualifier. Buggered up my pacing in the Gold/Silver ride-off to finish second.

We had the Australian Championships here in Sydney this year in April, and I again produced fastest qualifying ride with a new PB of 2min 34.02sec. This surprised the hell out of me, 'cos I thought I'd be just chipping away at my PB at this stage, picking up a tenth of a second here and there. Anyway, in the final I was beaten into the silver medal by .3sec.

After producing such a big PB, it got me to thinking that with a "bit of luck and a tail wind", the magic (for me at least) 2min 30sec barrier might be achievable.

So that's where I am right now. Gearing my training towards a fast time at this years World Masters in October. (Sydney has the Championships until 2009 I think)

I've had some advice and assistance from some extraordinarily astute and experienced people in analysing and planning my preparation. Don't know what the protocol is on Blogs, whether it's the right thing to mention names, but if it turns out to be ok, I'll sing their praises to the world later on.