Well my Phillip Island campain lasted 4 laps and out i went.

The track seems different on a pushbike for some reason? For the many times i rode it, i never noticed that ther was basically 2 hills, and the leg sapping up and down nature of the course takes every ounce of strength and courage to get around it. Still for my first time riding it and doing it in D Grade was alot of fun.

This only means that my track riding will get better and better as time goes on. My legs are getting stronger, and i am getting fitter with each ride. I am not far from starting to get back into some intensity work so my apperances at DISC will gain in occurance soon.

Looking forward to C Grade, i think some of the longer races might give me some trouble, but for my pet events like the Keirin, Motor Pace, and sprints i will be up near the pointy end.

So remember kids "Im coming to get ya".

Well i have finally started my prep for the comeing season at BBN Track and a few of the opens. Training and working is alot of pressure at the moment so time is of the essence and something of a comodity as well.

As i start this prep i have clearly defined goals, and now where i want to be before i tackle a few of the bigger races.

So we will start with Phillip Island on May 12. This will be more for the training and experiance. then all i have to do is train like made, ride DISC occasionaly over winter, the i will be ready for the Sheparton New Years Day Carnival and a few others i haven't decided on yet.

As i find some time i will chart my progress as best as i can.

It's a new season comeing up, and i have BIG plans.

Well i sit here now at 2.35 pm on a Sunday afternoon replaceing carbs lost from a massive days riding. When i talk massive i mean MASSIVE.

I have had a huge weekned riding at Blackburn Velo and Glenvale and all i can think is " So that's what is's like".

Now let me take you all back a little ways so you can understand why this is such an important day for me and a huge step in my life.

On the 18th of May in 2005 at 5.05 pm a lovely lady in a Commodore full of kids decided to cut me off on the Monash Fwy while i was riding my Motorcycle home from work. After i had some great guys drag me off the road; and i thanked the driver in the middle lane for not running me over; i was taken to hospital. After X-Rays i found out i had a Plateau Fracture of the Tibia and may need a couple of operations to correct this. After the operation i was told it was quite successful and i should walk OK but will more than likely limp for the rest of my life.

All i wanted to do was crawl into a ball a not exist after this news. I was so depressed i realy needed something to take my mind off it all.

Then i woke up to my self and thought "This is your last chance fat man. You need to get out there and do it" so thats exactly what i did.

I was a reasonable juiour rider when i was young, but found the allure of the "Dark Side" to tempting and gave it all up. I think that it dissapointed my family as much as it did me over time. After the accident, and when i was able to start to walk again i decided then i was going to ride again. Now not just ride, but really go for a big shake at the thing. So grossly over weight i started to do spin class's with Carl. I found not only how un fit i was but how hard this was going to be.

So lets fast forward all the boring bits of me not even being able to finnish and E Garde Scratch race and being lapped by the E grade bunch at Glenvale as that would just bore you all stupid.

So now i am 30kg lighter (yes thats 30kg!) and think i have jumped a bridge in not only my racing but life in general. I have learned that you only get there from hard work and persistance, and if you don't try you will never know. I have tried on many occasions and failed, but those failures are only the stepping stones to winning.  

Every time i win i do think "So that's what it's like" and reflect on how hard i have worked to get there. It makes the winning so much sweeter.

So now i prepare for the 2007-2008 Track season as a C Grade rider and D Grade as a road rider. This will bring new challanges forward but the key points are still the same: Listen to you coach and body, Work at getting fitter and understanding the races you ride, and most importantly Have Fun because riding should not be a chore it should be enjoyed.

I know it has been a while since i have put anything in here but i have been very busy with things at home; work; training; and racing. Things have been hectic and i have that time a quite a precious commodity.

Lets talk Track racing first.

My apperances at the BBN Velo have been numerous and prostigous at times. I have tasted the highs of being the  winner and the stinging heart ache of defeat. But over all i don't suck any more and think the C Grade riders better start looking over there shoulders. I have managed to find that i am now kinda inbetween the D Grade and C Grade riders at the moment so thats a big push from not even being able to finnish an E Grade race. My dreams of knocking on the B Grade door next year are looking quite good.

My performance at the Club Champs was nothing but surpriseing not only to me, but Carl and the other on lookers probably never thought i was able to do what i did. I managed 4th fastest in the flying 200. at a 14.44 that is the fastest i have ever gone and this PB will stand for a while. If i can get it down to a 14 flat for next season i will be very happy. My race for third against Carl was something i think we will both remember. He was better than me on the day, but i made sure i kept him honest! As for the other races i managed to do the best i can and thats all i can do. It was great to think that if i was on slightly bigger gear i might have been able to stay with them a little better in the scratch race.

Now i get ready for the 2007/2008 season and i am looking forward to the New Years carnival at Shepparton. That's My Goal Now.

Now it's all other riding stuff.

I have been riding to Glenvale and racing then taking a quick training ride after. This has been something i thought i would never be able to do, and now i am doing 60-80 k on a Sunday! Glenvale is a kind of race that i think i could do better at over time, and time is something i have on my side. I look forward to riding there every Sunday morning now and cant wait to get going. I try and creep up the K's every week to increase the time and distance i do.

With the way i am riding at the moment i will be doing the Philip Island Road Race! I will go and throw my hat in the ring and ride the dam thing as fast and smart as i can. Working for the other ABOC'ers or riding for my self. It will be the biggest and best test of my Race Skills and abillity, and when i complete it i will smile slightly and think to myself "Now Your A Cyclist".

Well Saturday and Sunday were both HUGE days for me in my short cycling carer. I have fond a niech as a sprinter, a "Pure" sprinter. But as I progress, I seem to be getting better at the longer races.

Saturday was a hot dry afternoon of about 30 odd degrees and the track was most definately hotter. I was warming up and could only think "It's a tough day today" and couldn't shake my doubts. We started the scratch race with only 4 of us in D Grade. The pace was a little on and off for the 12 laps. On of the girls kept surging as she hit the front to hurt us and the other girl held up the pace so everyone slowed and got there breath back. I was making sure I had my position right in the line with 2 to go. I was on the back knowing that as we we crossed I would be in 3rd wheel and primed ready. Now what happened next was the most damnedest thing. We get the bell and I'm in thrid wheel thinking "I have to make some room now" and then it happened. The girl on the front pulled up so I was second wheel and knew I could roll over the top and win. Then as we hit the 200 mark, the girl in front of me pulled out of the sprinters lane leaving me clear to put the foot down and leave them behind. I couldn't beleive my luck. A 100 mtr lead out for the win from two riders.

The Sprint Derby was next and you know what happened there. I left'em for dead in the heat, and blasted away in the final. I knew they were never going to catch me and it was a "safe as houses" bet I was going to win. I love sprinting. It's something I am good at, and have fairly good understanding of how to win. The sprint is something where my 2 strenghts come into play. That's Patience, and Strength. You must be Patient in a sprint. Go to early and your done, and to late you wont make the front in time. Strength to get on top of the gear and spin it right out. The rest is learing and time but if you have Patience and Strength give Sprinting a go.

I was never going to win the Points Race but gave it a shake anyway. Took third in the first sprint and second in the second. After the second sprint I was done. I knew I was never going to be able to contest the last sprint as my legs started to turn off and I could barely pedal.

So Overall Winner D Grade for me!

Now after admitting to Carl that Glenvale is about 5k from my home and I drive because there is 2 hills (now stop the "Boo Hoo Trakie") he said if I keep driving he will make sure that I ride there. Now I don't know what he was going to do, but I didn't want to risk it.

So this morning I got up, showered and fed, grabbed the bike and was determined to ride to Glenvale. As usuall I blew up on the first hill out the front door from my place and had that "No not me. Where's the car" thought but shook it away and kept going. When I got to the next hill, I found that it was much easier and made it up no problems and much easier than the first hill.

Yep that's right. I rode to Glenvale and raced E Grade. After the race I caught up with Mick T, Matt D, and Rob C, and had a chat about the racing and then I rode home. Yep RODE HOME!! I am amased at how far I have come and have found that I am more confident in my abilitys. I will now do a bit more road riding (even though it scares the begebus out of me) and that will intern improve my track rideing.

It has been a big weekend for me. First overall Saturday and first rode, raced, rode on Sunday.

Most of the ABOC crew took to the Leongatha track to turn pedals in anger. I on the other hand was "Wrech Monkey" and taking a good look at the compition i will be facing in December.

Watching the likes of Dino, Rich and Carl ride in the top parts of most of the field in there races made me realize how far i have come, and still how far i need to go. I know there was no way i was ever going to be competative if i had of ridden, but i might have not come last at least.

My next goal is to start racing at DISC on Thursdays (Yes Dino i am waiting for you to coem bac). This will add not only to my skills, but i will be able to keep an eye on most of the competition!

Look out kids here i come! 

Well Saturday turned out kinda nice for the weather but the track felt kinda weired. I don't quite know what it was, but the gear i was riding (86) felt a little to big and i wasn't feeling real comfortable. I had a few laps on the warm up and was tossing up if i should change down a gear or not and the racing had already started.

As the given rule is we had the Scratch race first. I pulled out a few earlie peels and found my self in about 4th wheel coming up to a lap to go. When the jumped i went as well with a pretty good stamp of authority and managed to take the long way round for second. I wasn't that far from first, but the traffic and having to take the blue line around them all soaked up some time.

Next was the Handicap. I am starting to considermyself not a bad mid-marker now off 90 mtrs and being able to wind up enough to take second. I almost had third as i eased up a bit before the line because i was buggered doing so much work to gwet around everyone, but put in a little bit more sprint to keep them at bay. It was a pretty good race for me as i was shouting instructions to the juniors and the responded as i had hoped. They answered my calls of "fill the gap" with "No" or "In" when they were able to. It was great that everyone worked together and tried to catch the front markers.

We had a Motor Pace next and i really struggled to just keep going at this race. I took the bike from the start and really should have done 2 laps on the front to recover from the effort just getting on the bike, but peeled after the first and found my self dropping off the back and not able to hold them. I didn't come last, but still could have put in a better effort from hindsight.

So another Saturday of racing and another week of getting closer to the top of D Grade. I have given myself until the end of this year to make C Grade and think if my results keep going the way they are, i will start the 07/08 season in C Grade.

Well i have made a very hard decission and decided to leave my current job at Corporate Express and start learning the family business.

The "Family Business" you ponder? No it has nothing to do with the Mafia, it's Bicycles. My father is the owner of Rays Bicycle Centre and i will be joining him to learn all about the business and hopefully taking it over at a later date. This is something that couldn't have happened at a better time. I have been looking for a new place to work for a while now, but having my dad ask me to join him was not only out of the blue but something i have wished for a long time.

How does this relate to riding and trainng in my quest for Maters Track Success in the futer? Well i will be able to commute most of the way every morning witch will help with my traing and dropping a little mor weight. It will also give the oppurtunity to get some extra K's in the legs.

I am so exited!! 

Well i had my first ride on DISC and i can say that for the first time in a while, i have never been that scared and excited at the same time.

I havn't had those kinda feelings rideing a bike for many years. The last time would have been when i was about 13 and first rode at the old (if i remember correctly) board track in Tassie. The steep banking, the smell of the timber, the sound of tires "sequelching" as you slow down that little to much on the banked corners. You can't explain how wonderful and free it feels riding on that kind of surface and at the same time how terrifying the banked corners look as you enter them.

I know there will be a time of adjustment for me as it has been many years since i have ridden such a beast, but i really look forward to this challange.