Track day /School

mmeacham · 07-23-2003, 4:56 PM

Went to Thunder Hill Monday and Tuesday for my birthday present.

Monday: Track day, Hot 105 plus. Lowered lap time 2 sec *
Broke rear tire loose for first time in turn eleven and did not go down. * *I guess I did it right, I think I just stopped getting on the throttle and the bike just came up easy. Did not cut or chop, panic reaction. Any way my first.

Tuesday: School, Not so hot 100 breeze, I wanted to work on entry speed. I back off way too much in high speed turns. i.e. turn 1 and 8 at Thunder Hill. I then go through the turn and know I could go much faster, 10 mph more easy. I just can't seem to to get pass this psychology barrier. I have tried looking way up the road ect. Instead of braking, I then started to limit my speed to a target entry speed and increase it each lap.
Then my knees start to ache. I can't work on this and other things they give me cause I am in so much pain. Four laps and my knees are locked. I can walk and run and even ski with no problem. But second day on the bike and they are toast. So no progress all day.
Getting old sucks and is interfering with my fun!
Guess I'll go see a quack, pay a bunch, and hope for the best.

nedro · 07-23-2003, 5:11 PM

Great report! Don't get too crazy in turn 8, it has a dip in it near the inside of the turn that tends to send your bike sliding. I have the same problem in turn 1. I always come out knowing I could've gone faster.

abtech · 07-23-2003, 5:23 PM

Try a shot of cortisone in the knees. *That usually fixes me up for nearly 6 months. You may also want to do some sitting leg lift exercises to build up your quadraceps.

mmeacham · 07-23-2003, 5:25 PM

Thank nedro, I know about the bump in 8, the instructors say stay off about 1 to 2 feet and it is not a problem. I actualy got my exit speed to over 100 last track day ( I never look while in the turn ), The next lap I ran off, I was so pleased I didn't finish the turn, Stood the bike up early and ended up on the white burm which then went away. 90 mhp in the dirt. Sphiter factor 10++++. But I got it back on the track.

mmeacham · 07-23-2003, 5:30 PM

Quote:

abtech : Try a shot of cortisone in the knees. *That usually fixes me up for nearly 6 months. *You may also want to do some sitting leg lift exercises to build up your quadraceps.

Thanks for the advice.
Isn't cortisone for arthritus? I only have this pain/ache when riding. I can run for miles, I do 2-4 each day.

Do you mean sit and lift a weight on your ankle?

abtech · 07-23-2003, 10:26 PM

I got my first cortisone shot when I broke my scapula and after 2 months in an upper body cast my back went nuts. *It seems to work for any joint related injury or stiffness. *Most NFL linebackers (and aging roadracers) live on the stuff . . .

The exercise I do uses the dealy bob on the weight table that you put your feet under (while sitting) and lift with both legs (there are weights on the lever you are moving). I do 3 sets of 20 with around 95 pounds, but less weight and more reps are probably the ticket to build up the infrastructure around your knees.