End of 2 Weeks at Track Camp with Team Canada

"Okay Lex, now touch the black line.  BLACK line.  BLACK LINE, Lex."  That was my first lap around the track as I rode on the flat apron, the evening that I arrived in LA.  Everyone else had flown in earlier, and were done for they day.  Rob Good (from the Forest City Vélodrome) coached me to ride up high in the bankings, one step at a time.  He's good at that one-step-at-a-time thing.

By day two, I was sitting on the back of the team (rode behind them) doing pursuit efforts.  And day three I was IN there doing the pursuit.  Then, I learned to do a standing start and flying laps.  Day four: heck, why not, my first ever track race: the team pursuit.  (It's a 16-lap or 4 km 4-person team time trial on the track).

Waiting for our start at the Los Angeles Grand Prix UCI track race.  We raced the team pursuit.

By week two I didn't get all panicky every time I started off on the track.  That was a welcome change.  Well earned too.

As the days went on we gradually hit higher and higher speeds for our 16 lap team pursuit.  The coaches tracked our pace on each lap, and I got used to their system of communicating the information with us.  If we were 1/10s slower than our target lap time, they would stand one step in front of the start line as we passed. - PICK IT UP! - If we were 7/10s faster than our target, they would stand 7 paces behind the start line. - STEADY - With 1 lap to go, the bell would ring, and we'd drill it to the finish.
By the end of the project, it felt like we were nailing our pursuit more often than not.  Super feeling. 

I had a great time during this project, and gained some really valuable experience.   Thank you to everyone who helped get me to L.A..  I would like to be back on the track again soon.

The track is for everyone.  You don't even have to consider yourself a cyclist to give it a whirl.  Most places rent bikes and have intro sessions.  Forget going out to a restaurant, the movies, or BOWLING.  Go try the track. 
London, Ontario - Forest City Vélodrome
Burnaby, British Colombia - Burnaby Vélodrome
Los Angeles, California - Velo Sports Center LAVRA