Okay, I did my first ever Kilo June 6th at Northbrook. Many things went wrong so I left the track in frustration before all the riders had gone so I don’t know how I placed. I’m sure it wasn’t too high at 1.16:54. That time would have put me fifth at Frisco TX but I don’t think it made the cut at Northbrook.
Here are some things I learned and some things I did wrong,
#1 Get to the track early so you can do at least one warm up lap or bring rollers or a trainer. I didnt get in even a second of warm up.
Preparation preparation preparation. For a 1min and a bit event you will spend the whole day getting ready for your 70 or so seconds of hell. Last food 4 hours before - You need to warm up for a kilo extremely well. You will be exerting your body to extremems in a very short amount of time - heart beat will go to max, muscle lactate will go off the richter scale and you will experience oxygen debt like you never believed possible.....well you should if you ride one hard enough. Get to the track at least a couple of hours prior to your event. Have lots of warm gear - warm up on a small gear to start with to get the blood flowing and the body and muscles warm. Have a rest and hydrate etc. Check the bike, pump the tyres (not your best and not to race pressure yet) Up the gear and do another warm up - 10 -15 laps moderate pace - or hop on the rollers or similar, head phones on and pedal...get warm ... do a few spin outs (rev the legs like crazy and then settle into a moderate rythm for 10 mins. Have a rest, check the bike, put the race gear on and the race wheels or the second best. Tyre pressure to 90/95 % of race pressure. Warm up again - if you get track time do a few laps getting comfy and then do a couple of flying half laps at 90% and One final one at max. You will know now how everything is feeling - if the gear is right etc. You should be breathing hard but not for long. Keep warm ... leg warmers etc and keep ticking over on the rollers every now and then prior to your ride. Check the bike - check the gear - check the rear wheel is mega tightened up - no second chance for a pulled wheel. Close to race time pump tyres to max pressure (good silks 200psi)
#2 Make sure you breath properly so your blood pressure doesn’t sky rocket and cause a severe exercise induced headache. I thought to myself a couple of times that I was holding my breath and knew I was when I finished. My head was POUNDING before I finished my first slow down lap.
YOur head should pound after a kilo, your lungs should feel like they are going to collapse, you should want to collapse off your bike and not be able to stand, you should hurt! The good news is that it all goes away and means you have given your all in a kilo. Its the most painful event in track cycling!
#3 Get familiar with the pedals you will use. I think I’m going with Speedplay’s next time instead of Toe Clips and Double Straps.
You should know this well ahead of the day - and have spares. Many a kilo rider has snapped a toe strap on the line doing that last tighten up! Foot security is vital - ask Shane Kelly about that one. Your cycling shoes should be very tight - don't wear sox - its a power thing!
#4 Listen when someone that knows he tells you the gear your running is too big. I run a 50X14
Yep - 96 is a bit beasty for a kilo unless you plan on riding a 1m4 or so. I used to ride an 88 or 89 when I first started but you want to get up into the early 90's. My fav was 93.5 If I had kept riding that would have gone up to 94 or 95 as I got stronger
#5 Even if it’s your first lap around the drome, if it’s for time don’t hold back in the corners. Don’t worry, the bike will stick. My first lap of the TT was my first time on their Velodrome. Didn’t account for Chicago traffic in my plans and got there late. For the first lap I was holding back just a little in the corners and hammering it on the straights.
Go as hard as you possibly can - but with some finnesse. You should explode from the start - get to maximum speed as quick as possible and then sit down and pedal as fast as you possibly can - driving up the straight and kicking round the banking. Keep under the black line - relax the arms once your are at top speed - it'll help the breathing. When the lactate kicks in - and it will - don't worry if you feel like you are peddalling squares - this is where the kilo is won, lost or slaughtered. Those that survive the pain barrier here determine the final result.
#6 Be more than mentally prepared when its your time to go. I felt really rushed which made me nervous before the start.
Preparation and time - give yourself plenty. Don't feel rushed - feel ready and calm. Give yourself 10 seconds or so once you get on your bike on the line for that final physche - 2 0r 3 DEEP breaths - last chance to stretch those lungs with oxygen thats not saturated in lactate - last few power words in your mind - last look at that curve ahead of you and then focus on the count down, gripping the bars tight and exploding out of the start when the gun goes.
#7 I’ll use aerobars next time.
Practice with them and commit to your choice before the event. Race day is not the time to be doubting your equipment. Use evey advantage you can - if it makes you feel good then do it. The only guess work is for front discs on an outdoor track (more trouble than they're worth)
These are just a few of the things I wrote down before I pulled out of the parking lot. I know they don’t sound like big problems but the Kilo seems to be a very unforgiving sort of TT. I feel a whole lot better about my next one having done this one. I’ll do better in Indy in a few weeks.
The kilo does not forgive at all. It punishes and punishes. But its a great event and a real test of your strength - both body and in the head.
You did good - to ride 1m 16 with no warm up under those conditions - respect! I cringe at how painful your legs and lungs would have been! And to be critique yourself as you have is the mark of a rider who will learn and who will improve a great deal if you apply yourself and learn from this first kilo.
I wish you well for your future kilo's!
Here’s a video clip of it.
http://161.58.97.26/firstkilo.wmv
