Back on track: The Marion Clignet Journal 2004

French track legend Marion Clignet retired from racing in 2000, intending to become active as an advocate for women's sport. But after two years off the bike, and perhaps inspired by the other female champions she's encountered while working as a presenter for French TV, Clignet returned to the velodrome in 2003 to the velodrome in a determined comeback. After a solid year building a foundation, Marion's back competing at thehighest level in 2004.

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February in Moscow

February 13-15, 2004

Minus 20 this morning and thank god we weren't riding outside. My hands were cold just walking to the bus. We weren't allowed to bring road bikes due to expenses so it was either get up really early, spend two hours on the bus riding to the track, ride some and hang at the track until this evening's points race, or just ride the bus in this afternoon and get a warm-up on the rollers. I opted for the latter and hung watching movies on the laptop all day. After Blue Crush, Minority Report and a late lunch, I headed off to the velodrome around 3pm. Our race was at seven so I had plenty of time to warm up. Seven it was and off we went.

Everyone seemed to be anticipating Olga Slioussareva's form or just keen to let her and her three teammates work the race. It was for sprinters: sprint, ride up the boards, sprint, ride up the boards... A few attacks not hard enough really and honestly I'm not fit enough yet to sprint at the front. 'First race of the year' excuse and above all first time I've done a world cup before having done at least ten road races. Oh well, with 20 laps to go I took off, managing to stay away for enough laps to earn five points and praying someone would bridge up so I could stay away long enough to earn 10 more. With one of Olga's teammates chasing down and the other leading her out, life was a breeze for her as the pack closed in and ended my attempt to join in the medal count. Chalk it up to experience and maybe a warm up for tomorrow's pursuit.

By the time we got home, massaged, then to bed it was about midnight. I was wide awake, and pretty restless. I tried watching a movie, no doing... At about one or two I finally dozed off though I was wide awake again at 6:15. I stayed in bed until seven then scrambled out and downstairs to catch breakfast. Our heats were scheduled around two, after the men's team pursuits. And all of the sudden it happened. During breakfast, while talking with Des and Greg from the US team I started getting the little flash like signals I get before having an epileptic seizure. They sort of feel like there's a light bulb flashing on and off in your head and you feel a lack of ability to concentrate on what you're talking about.

I don't think the people you're with notice it really but for me it's just a struggle to concentrate. This type of signal usually comes on the morning of the day that I may have a seizure. It can happen up to four hours before, though if I take medication I can prevent the seizure from happening. I went up to my room, took another dose of my usual treatment, packed my bags and went off to the track. Once there I told the soigneur and our national team coach what was up and started my warm up on the rollers. Bummer about the rollers is there is no resistance and I couldn't get my heart rate over 110. With certain epilepsy treatments to boot, I guess you could say it's like riding a pursuit while on valium. Yee hah!

Needless to say I didn't go fast, at all. But no worries mates! It's only February in Moscow, right?

I won't bother going into detail on the scratch; same scenario as the points race.

Cheers, and see ya after we've got a few races in our legs eh?
Marion

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