Melinda Balchan is a Little Five rider here at IU. She is such a dedicated rider that she was heading to Kentucky to race with the IU club cycling team the day I interviewed her.
Can you give us some background info about the race and training you do for it?
The race is 100 laps around a cinder track, which makes it more than 25 miles. It’s run like a relay race with four riders all sharing one or two bikes. Only one rider is allowed on the track at a time so we ride the race in sets of 6-15 laps. After a set we ride to our pit area where the rest of our team is waiting and do a bike exchange where we pass off the bike to the next rider without letting the bike stop.
How does the race work? Do you have a lot of time trials leading up to the race?
To get into the race you have to qualify. All four members of a team ride one lap as fast as they can, in succession, and the fastest 33 teams get to ride in the race.
After qualifications (a.k.a. “quals”) there are three other series events, like individual and team time trials, in the spring, which help us get used to competing. As a team we also go out on the road and do timed sets about once a week to keep track of our fitness levels.
What made you want to race in little five?
The women on my bike team made me want to race in Little 5. I’m in a sorority, and I ride for my sorority’s team. After I first pledged they started trying to talk me into trying it out. After about a year of convincing I finally gave in and decided to give it a go. It worked out well because I really liked everyone that was riding so I enjoyed spending time with them, and I eventually realized that I really liked riding as well.
What is your favorite place to train for the race? And what are the best training trips you’ve received for the race?
My favorite place to train for the race is probably the L5 track. It’s only open for a few months a year and when its open there are always a lot of women’s teams out there training so we can get some really strong workouts in and scout out the competition. It just opened for the season last week, and it feels so good to be on the track. We use special single gear bikes, and the cinders add an interesting element of resistance so it’s a feeling you just can’t get anywhere else.
Last spring break we went to Captiva Island as a team, and it was tons of fun. The roads out there were really flat so we got lots of miles in. We did two-a-day workouts and got to hang out on the beach or in the hot tub between workouts so it was awesome. We drove down there too so there was plenty of time for team bonding.
Do you have a cheer or pep talk or a special routine that you always have when you ride?
Before races and series events we like to have a little huddle in our workout room where we all visualize what we’re going to do well that day. We then will blast “Black Betty” and dance around. I personally don’t have any specific routines except that I always eat a hummus wrap before the race and wear my hair in a braid for the L5 race.
What is your favorite memory as a Little Five rider?
My favorite L5 memory is getting second place in the race last year. The first place team had gapped everyone else so there was a sprint between places two through five. I was on the bike and I just went for it. The feeling was unbelievable when I crossed the line and knew I had done everything I had to, to get the result.
What advice would you give someone considering becoming a Little Five rider?
My best advice to anyone wanting to ride L5 is just to go for it. Anyone who is willing to put in the time and effort will get good enough. My other bit of advice would be to eat. Eat a lot, all the time, every day. Don’t worry about trying to lose weight while training for L5 because you need all the energy you can get, and you don’t want to regret sabotaging yourself by not doing something so basic.
What is your favorite event as a Little Five rider besides the actual race?
My favorite Little 5 event besides the race is the team time trial, called “team pursuit.” All four team members are on the track at once, and we ride 12 laps together in a paceline, taking turns breaking wind for the rest of the team. It’s the only time our whole team really gets to ride on the track together, so it’s a cool dynamic.
What is the best part about being a Little Five rider? Are there any special privileges you are granted for being a little five rider?
The best part of riding in Little 5 is, well, riding. I love being active and working out so riding has just become part of my daily routine. It’s almost therapeutic in a way. Bloomington has so many people that ride and all kinds of great routes, so it’s really the perfect place to be if you want to ride your bike.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at IU chapter.