Chuckwalla Clockwise
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 12:19 am
Just my track riding update! I got two more days in at Chuckwalla last weekend, clockwise. It was absolutely gorgeous out, no wind, lots of sun, 90 degrees... couldn't ask for more. I'm disappointed with myself, not gonna lie, but the end game was that I had a blast so that's really what matters most. I gained 10 seconds on my lap times, and I just couldn't shake it. I know where I was slower, but let my head games win. I will give myself a little caveat in that my old dude pug had to go to the ER just a couple hours before we packed up and left for the track, and I was hyperventilating about his health (his airway closed up), so I started this whole weekend in a near-panic state. That doesn't really help with the relaxing on the bike and going faster part. But, the little bugger held out all weekend and didn't have to go back in his oxygen tent until last night. He's a tough little dude. =)
The first day started out rough... I was SUPER slow and stiff and thinking about my dog. But, I loosened up and even though I was 10 seconds slower, I had a good time. It was still just frustrating to know that I was so much slower. This track day org doesn't allow music in your helmet, which I try to respect, but what they don't understand is that it keeps me singing and therefore breathing instead of panicking. Oh well. I started out only 7 seconds slower and just got worse. By the morning of Day 2, I was something like 14 seconds slower. I was hot, nauseated from the heat (in my mad dash out the door with an ailing dog, I forgot my cooling VnM Sport base layers... ack!) and just felt weak. I took an hour off and then I at least got down to about 9 seconds slower... at that point, I quit caring and quit looking and just focused on having fun. So, about 2pm I went out for maybe the 5th session of the day and on my 2nd turn on my warm-up lap after just entering the track, some a-hole hit my knee as I started to lean into the turn! I wasn't up to speed by my 2nd turn, so I'm sure he thought he could make his pass, but he had 30 feet between me and the edge of the track. I am pretty sure he went home after that, as most of the racers packed up and left, and I tried to hunt him down in the parking lot but never saw him on or off track again. I just HATE that squid mentality.
But, after that, I just quit caring and then really had a blast. With all the racers gone, I realized that I was keeping up with most everyone else and it felt like I had the whole track to myself. I pushed a little harder in a couple corners I'm nervous about, and it went much better. My lessons from this, however, were 1. I'm too slow and would gain more stability if I went faster in corners, 2. I don't get off the bike enough, 3. I have to trust the tires more, and 4. just quit worrying about speed and have fun. Wish I'd gotten to #4 a lot sooner!! Oh - and use the very edges of the track!! No one likes to get Top Gunned by Jason Pridmore and his student burning race gas. No one likes it. Protect one side at every straightaway. If you watch the video below, you'll see I'm always at least 2 feet from the edge on straights.... bad idea. I need to fix that.
Although I'm a little (a lot) insecure and frustrated about my slowness, I'm owning up to it and want to commit to overcoming this hurdle. So, here is a lap in my 10-seconds-slower glory.
https://youtu.be/cIfmUMNQ2ew
The first day started out rough... I was SUPER slow and stiff and thinking about my dog. But, I loosened up and even though I was 10 seconds slower, I had a good time. It was still just frustrating to know that I was so much slower. This track day org doesn't allow music in your helmet, which I try to respect, but what they don't understand is that it keeps me singing and therefore breathing instead of panicking. Oh well. I started out only 7 seconds slower and just got worse. By the morning of Day 2, I was something like 14 seconds slower. I was hot, nauseated from the heat (in my mad dash out the door with an ailing dog, I forgot my cooling VnM Sport base layers... ack!) and just felt weak. I took an hour off and then I at least got down to about 9 seconds slower... at that point, I quit caring and quit looking and just focused on having fun. So, about 2pm I went out for maybe the 5th session of the day and on my 2nd turn on my warm-up lap after just entering the track, some a-hole hit my knee as I started to lean into the turn! I wasn't up to speed by my 2nd turn, so I'm sure he thought he could make his pass, but he had 30 feet between me and the edge of the track. I am pretty sure he went home after that, as most of the racers packed up and left, and I tried to hunt him down in the parking lot but never saw him on or off track again. I just HATE that squid mentality.
But, after that, I just quit caring and then really had a blast. With all the racers gone, I realized that I was keeping up with most everyone else and it felt like I had the whole track to myself. I pushed a little harder in a couple corners I'm nervous about, and it went much better. My lessons from this, however, were 1. I'm too slow and would gain more stability if I went faster in corners, 2. I don't get off the bike enough, 3. I have to trust the tires more, and 4. just quit worrying about speed and have fun. Wish I'd gotten to #4 a lot sooner!! Oh - and use the very edges of the track!! No one likes to get Top Gunned by Jason Pridmore and his student burning race gas. No one likes it. Protect one side at every straightaway. If you watch the video below, you'll see I'm always at least 2 feet from the edge on straights.... bad idea. I need to fix that.
Although I'm a little (a lot) insecure and frustrated about my slowness, I'm owning up to it and want to commit to overcoming this hurdle. So, here is a lap in my 10-seconds-slower glory.
https://youtu.be/cIfmUMNQ2ew