A night at Rollapaluza
Discussion
Went to the first round of the National Rollapaluza series last night. My old work were sponsoring it, I only just remembered it was on at the last minute.
Can I suggest that you ALL go to this over the course of the year, It is absolutely brutal,torturous fun. A crowd getting progressively more lubricated, commentary and loud music makes it an excellent atmosphere.
Its a dead simple idea.
Two track bikes on rollers, connected to a big dial marked to 500metres, and a digital clock
Sign up, heats, then knockout quarters, semi, and finals, Men and Women.
There were a number of people stripping off their jeans to reveal their lycra strip underneath or suchlike, which reminded me a lot of -
"Mr Burgundy, please can you play us some Jazz Flute"
"Oh no, I couldnt possibly, I'm not prepared at all...Oh go on then"
I turned up to find out I'd been signed on to race. My heat came up, I prepared - jeans tucked into socks! A few last minute comedy lunges as some kind of supposed 'warm-up' and last minute trash talk to your competitor. You climb onto your bike, a lovely Condor track frame with a short top tubes and narrow looped drop bars. Fixed wheel, lowish gear, not much resistance on the rollers. Feet strapped in to the clips really tight and then you are asked if you've ever ridden fixed before. Do not stop pedalling at the end!
3-2-1-BAM, explode out the blocks. Full on sprinting, more than you've ever done before. Head down, bent over the narrow drops, spin spin spin. The highest cadence you can muster. It lasts for soooo long, theres bright lights in your face, the PA speakers are pumping, and a baying crowd going mental 3 feet in front of you, very noisy and intense. Absolute adrenaline hit.
I found it much like running the 400metres - That kind of horrendous distance where its actually quite a fair way, yet the pace is very much as full on as 100metre sprint.
Theres no indication of when the end comes up until the marshall signals you - cleverly the time-clock is behind you, out of sight.
Seems my half-arsed turbo training through the winter had some effect though - I posted a better time than expected, 23.7, enough to put me in 11th after the heats and through to the 1/4 finals. Its strange feeling of elation, "my heads going to explode" and then shortly afterwards, "Oh dear that means I have to go again"...!
I got off, barely walking, was handed another pint of bitter by my so called team-mates and promptly disposed of it (and my dinner from an hour previous) in the gents.
Shortly later after a lot of action my 1/4 final came, I was drawn against a lad who'd posted a really good <23s qualifier.
I felt much better this time, with an actual idea of how far 500metres was, and a dash of flat coke in my belly. By now the crowd were really hyping it up, I had a megaphone right in my face screaming purported encouragement ("dont fall off"!?).
I posted a 23.2 iirc, bettered my time which I was pleased about, but was beat my less than half a second. At least I didnt have to go again! A big part of posting a good time is down to being absolutely bloody-minded and just to keep going, there's no way any kind of pacing or tactics come into it, its 110% ALL the time.
One of our shop lads ended up winning, very well done to him as that means you total 2500 metres of sprinting on the night, which is barmy (The final is a full KM distance!).
Everyone put in a massive effort, it was very inclusive with some turning up in all their lycra, and others just having a go on their way home from the office. Great fun, and a very novel way of combining cycling with a night down the pub.
Having a go also highlighted just how much of a heroes sport that proper track cycling is - to put in that level of effort, at the same time as applying the tactics, balancing, steering, looking where your going etc is mightily impressive. Even though I'm a keen experienced cyclist, ill still watch track racing with new found respect.
I highly reccomend it, there touring the country now with the finals in London for the heat winners, and theres always prize money/donations for the winners.
http://www.rollapaluza.com/calendar/
I'll try get some photos or videos up tonight aswell.
(mods you can delete the other one with no title, my mistake)
Can I suggest that you ALL go to this over the course of the year, It is absolutely brutal,torturous fun. A crowd getting progressively more lubricated, commentary and loud music makes it an excellent atmosphere.
Its a dead simple idea.
Two track bikes on rollers, connected to a big dial marked to 500metres, and a digital clock
Sign up, heats, then knockout quarters, semi, and finals, Men and Women.
There were a number of people stripping off their jeans to reveal their lycra strip underneath or suchlike, which reminded me a lot of -
"Mr Burgundy, please can you play us some Jazz Flute"
"Oh no, I couldnt possibly, I'm not prepared at all...Oh go on then"
I turned up to find out I'd been signed on to race. My heat came up, I prepared - jeans tucked into socks! A few last minute comedy lunges as some kind of supposed 'warm-up' and last minute trash talk to your competitor. You climb onto your bike, a lovely Condor track frame with a short top tubes and narrow looped drop bars. Fixed wheel, lowish gear, not much resistance on the rollers. Feet strapped in to the clips really tight and then you are asked if you've ever ridden fixed before. Do not stop pedalling at the end!
3-2-1-BAM, explode out the blocks. Full on sprinting, more than you've ever done before. Head down, bent over the narrow drops, spin spin spin. The highest cadence you can muster. It lasts for soooo long, theres bright lights in your face, the PA speakers are pumping, and a baying crowd going mental 3 feet in front of you, very noisy and intense. Absolute adrenaline hit.
I found it much like running the 400metres - That kind of horrendous distance where its actually quite a fair way, yet the pace is very much as full on as 100metre sprint.
Theres no indication of when the end comes up until the marshall signals you - cleverly the time-clock is behind you, out of sight.
Seems my half-arsed turbo training through the winter had some effect though - I posted a better time than expected, 23.7, enough to put me in 11th after the heats and through to the 1/4 finals. Its strange feeling of elation, "my heads going to explode" and then shortly afterwards, "Oh dear that means I have to go again"...!
I got off, barely walking, was handed another pint of bitter by my so called team-mates and promptly disposed of it (and my dinner from an hour previous) in the gents.
Shortly later after a lot of action my 1/4 final came, I was drawn against a lad who'd posted a really good <23s qualifier.
I felt much better this time, with an actual idea of how far 500metres was, and a dash of flat coke in my belly. By now the crowd were really hyping it up, I had a megaphone right in my face screaming purported encouragement ("dont fall off"!?).
I posted a 23.2 iirc, bettered my time which I was pleased about, but was beat my less than half a second. At least I didnt have to go again! A big part of posting a good time is down to being absolutely bloody-minded and just to keep going, there's no way any kind of pacing or tactics come into it, its 110% ALL the time.
One of our shop lads ended up winning, very well done to him as that means you total 2500 metres of sprinting on the night, which is barmy (The final is a full KM distance!).
Everyone put in a massive effort, it was very inclusive with some turning up in all their lycra, and others just having a go on their way home from the office. Great fun, and a very novel way of combining cycling with a night down the pub.
Having a go also highlighted just how much of a heroes sport that proper track cycling is - to put in that level of effort, at the same time as applying the tactics, balancing, steering, looking where your going etc is mightily impressive. Even though I'm a keen experienced cyclist, ill still watch track racing with new found respect.
I highly reccomend it, there touring the country now with the finals in London for the heat winners, and theres always prize money/donations for the winners.
http://www.rollapaluza.com/calendar/
I'll try get some photos or videos up tonight aswell.
(mods you can delete the other one with no title, my mistake)
Rollapaluza + beer + fat mate = 
2009-06-06 (11) by Ally Mitchell, on Flickr
2009-06-06 (12) by Ally Mitchell, on Flickr
2009-06-06 (11) by Ally Mitchell, on Flickr
2009-06-06 (12) by Ally Mitchell, on Flickr
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