It’s that time of year: the gym is packed, tanning booths are crowded, and diets are in full-force. This can only mean one thing; Spring break is right around the corner. While most of my friends can’t stop talking about their destinations in Florida and which swim suit to order, I am contemplating how many bike shorts to pack and whether I’m going to need my lobster gloves or not. Yes this means I will be spending March 11th through March 20th at Bill Armstrong Stadium for my third round of Spring Break Bloomington.
Although I may not come back to class with a perfectly bronzed bod, I will have an added confidence in my exchanges and my teams ability just in time for Qualifications the following Saturday. In my opinion staying in Bloomington for Spring Break has many added benefits and usually turns out to be a fun week.
The five weekdays of Spring Break the track will be open and available to all riders 11am-7pm each day. During this time each team may have as many riders on the track as they would like, no more of the two at a time rule. This makes for an excellent time to practice a few Team Pursuit runs or practice Quals runs as many times as you would like. It’s the perfect time for teams to work on pace-lineing and doing long sets together. In the past is has also been the perfect opportunity to pack ride with other teams on the track. I know women’s practices tend to lack a solid pack but spring break is a great times for teams to come together. Additionally, allowing multiple riders on the track at a time is especially helpful for larger teams who normally have to budget out track time amongst riders. During spring break everyone can get their workout in without worrying about the time constraint.
It may sound overwhelming to allow all men’s and women’s riders on the track simultaneously, but my rookie year spring break I appreciated the men on the track at the same time. The men tend to be more aggressive than women’s riders and helped me to be even more aware of my surroundings and pay attention to everything you do on the track at all times. I was scared enough of being yelled at by a female rider, the thought of being hounded by a male rider was horrifying. Therefore, looking back on it spring break is a great time for rookie riders to gain that extra time and experience on the track. With the extra track time, it helped me become more confident and allowed me the additional time to perfect the new skills I was learning.
Stepping back from the Bike, Spring Break Bloomington is a great opportunity to get to know other teams a little better. Let’s face it, the only people in town during Spring Break are riders so you’re forced to hang out with each other whether you like it or not. It’s a fun time to get to know other teams on and off the track. We’re all missing out on the beaches so why not come together and bond over our bikes and pale skin together.
If you’re new to Spring Break Bloomington, don’t worry it turns out better than you think and you’ll come out of the week feeling more confident on the track than ever before!
Good Luck & don’t forget the baby oil,
Katie Sauter
No comments:
Post a Comment