2008 TT Goals and Results

[SheFly]

This week was our first TT of the season. For April, the weather was quite pleasant, although a bit windy. I went out on the course to get a benchmark for the season, simply hoping not to embarass myself in the process ;).

I managed to finish the 9.75 mile loop in 25:42 - a minute faster than my first time last season! At times, I saw SLOW speeds on the loop in places where I KNOW I can go faster, so that will improve over time. I was pretty excited about the result.

As for goals? Last year I set a PR on the course - 23:56 (24.43 mph), becoming one of only 5 women to break 24 minutes. This year, I want to narrow that field by at least one, and see if I can get to 23:30 (the overall course record for women is 22:58 or 25.46 mph held by an Ironman winner). Here's hoping that the training/coaching and equipment improvements all pay off over the season!

SheFly

[SheFly]

Yesterday, the weather in New Enlgand was gorgeous - sunny, warm (temps here were in the 80s during the day :eek:), and only a bit of wind (about 13 mph)- almost perfect TT conditions.

Unfortunately, after the racing I did on Sunday, my legs are still a little tired... I SHOULD have had a fast night, but the legs just felt like lead. I went out and had to do the whole loop based on RPE - my computer died on the way over, so I had no idea how fast I was riding. I just know how much it hurt :D.

I was surprised to discover that I finished 12 seconds faster than last week - 25:30. I know that I COULD have gone quite a lot fast with better legs, and I also had some saddle issues that caused me to have to shift more than once. It's still a good result for only the second race of the season though, and the trend is in the right direction!

SheFly

[LBTC]

Wow! SheFly, you are FAST!! I did my first ever time trial race last week - 13km (8 miles) in 28:10. There were about 16 racers. DH and I are the only ones not on TT or Tri bikes. I was last, but there was only one other girl, and she was about 2 minutes ahead of me.

This week it was cold and WINDY. Nearly everyone's time was slower than last week by around a minute. I did the course in 28:48, so I know I've gotten faster. 38 second penalty compared to everyone else is pretty good. :D

How long have you been doing TT? Do yu have a TT bike and gear? Do you always do the same course? How long is your series?

Our series started April 15 and runs through June 3. All of the races are on the same course which is an out and back, except May 6 and June 3 which are hill climbs. So far, I'm liking it, but have no intention of buying more equipment. (well, we did splurge on toe covers and that really helped!! :p ) I can make my bike better suited to time trialing easily by flipping the seat post around. I'm considering doing that for next week.

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[SheFly]

Wow! SheFly, you are FAST!! I did my first ever time trial race last week - 13km (8 miles) in 28:10. There were about 16 racers. DH and I are the only ones not on TT or Tri bikes. I was last, but there was only one other girl, and she was about 2 minutes ahead of me.

This week it was cold and WINDY. Nearly everyone's time was slower than last week by around a minute. I did the course in 28:48, so I know I've gotten faster. 38 second penalty compared to everyone else is pretty good. :D

That's awesome! If everyone else was a minute slower and you were only 38 seconds, you are definitely improving!


How long have you been doing TT? Do yu have a TT bike and gear? Do you always do the same course? How long is your series?

I have been doing this TT series for the past 4 years. It is always on the same course, which is a 9.75 mile loop, with one good hill climb on the backside. I know this course and every bump on it like tha back of my hand ;).

Our series started last week, and runs through the first Weds of Sept. I typically do about 14 races during the season, either on my own bike or with DH on our tandem. I do have a TT-specific bike - aero bars, fancy Zipp wheels, helmet, skinsuit, shoe covers... But when I started, I just raced on my regular bike. As you get into this type of racing more and more, you will find the things that "buy" you time. The best aero investment is bars and a helmet.

This is my specialty, and it really helps for 'cross season too! i'm glad to hear that you are enjoying it - be sure to post your progress either in this thread or another!

SheFly

[Crankin]

Glad to see that you call the climb on Monument St. a "good hill...." I've been doing the loop backwards, the same direction as the TT. I find that I can climb that hill faster after warming up on Lowell Rd first. Not that I'm going to be doing any time trials soon.
What a great day for the TT! I thought about going to watch, but decided to go out to dinner and have a big glass of wine to get over my trauma of my 45 mile ride in the 85 degree heat that I really didn't expect. My speed is still slow, even for me, except when I'm drafting my husband. But I think I am a little jaded from hills around here. Went for a recovery ride this morning that involved Strawberry Hill, West St, 225, and up the steep side of my street. I guess most people would not call that recovery.

[RoadRaven]

39kph+ ????

You rock, girl

I've managed to climb up to 34kph for only one TT this year... and that is soooo much effort.

I'm kind've envious that your TTs are always on the same course. We have 8 courses that the club uses throughout the year... if we are lucky we might get to do the smae course twice in a year on the Saturday racing schedules...

Way to go, SheFly - ever a source of inspiration

[LBTC]

Me, again!
Week 3 of time trial racing was FUN! We had lots of rain the night before and early in the day, but the weather was clear and almost warmish for the race. I remembered one area to lay on the pedals hard where I had kind of coasted before, and I was closer to DH when he got to the turnaround, but I had trouble at the start after back pedaling I sort of couldn't get going, so I lost some advantage there. Also, for some reason, because I had another girl ahead of me that I was gaining on as I pushed hard at the finish, I just couldn't bring myself to downshift to bring my cadence up a bit. We were probably a second apart and she started 1:30 ahead of me. All in all, it was great! I wasn't Last this time! :p I improved my previous best time by 1 minute 7 seconds! :D I called on my TE ladies and the butterflies on the way and that always helps me keep my heart in it.
Oh, and I think my heartrate is recovering better after big efforts than earlier this year.
Too much fun!!
Next week is a hill climb. I think they'll all be waiting for me at the top for a very long time!! heehee
Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[RoadRaven]

Week 3 of time trials?

Me... very... envious...

But still very pleased for you, LB!

And LOL... if I was doing the hill climb next week, I think you would find YOU would be waiting for ME!!! Have fun

[SheFly]

All in all, it was great! I wasn't Last this time! :p I improved my previous best time by 1 minute 7 seconds! :D I called on my TE ladies and the butterflies on the way and that always helps me keep my heart in it.

That is AWESOME! How long is your course? A 1:07 improvement is HUGE - you should be very proud of your accomplishment.

We had week 3 or our series last night as well. The weather was not great - windy and cool (I was shivering before AND after the race). Since neither DH nor I were really motivated, we decided to go out and give he rocketship (aka tandem) a go (I don't really understand this logic though, since this is MUCH harder for me than on my own bike ...).

I have had a tough 3 weeks of intensity training, and from my MTB race last weekend, my legs are pretty well junk. I really wasn't sure what I would be able to do, and I THOUGHT that I communicated that to DH.

We started out hard, like always, and were pushing bigger gears than I really was comfortable with. About 3 miles in, DH decided that I wasn't working hard enough, and sat up :eek:. I told him that I was going AS FAST AS I COULD (with HR at 175). So, we got back into a rhythm, and I did my darndest to put out as MUCH effort as I could, pushing hard on every rise, and trying to push just as hard on every downhill.

I thought I was going to DIE! My legs were screaming, and my lungs were searing from the effort and the cool temps. But, I pushed on to the finish. We crossed the line in 22:11 - 1:30 short of our best time, but still respectable for our first run of the season, and given how tired I was. I started with my "biker's cough" immediately after the race, and STILL have it this morning! My lungs are FRIED!

For perspective, last week DH set a personal best on the course with a time of 21:47. He is riding/racing stronger than I have EVER seen him, and me trying to keep up is really hard.

So, LBTC - keep at it, and good job for sure.

SheFly

[LBTC]

Hey, everyone!

Yup, finally did another time trial!! We had no idea they were still racing and found out by coincidence last week....

I did do one of the hill climbs and was slower than their slowest time ever....but I did take a wrong turn and probably went 1/2 km further than I should have! heh.

And last week I missed a killer hill climb because the night before I accidentally ate some sour cream and I was sick during the night and most of that day.

Today was a good day. We rode hard on Sunday, last night I did acupuncture, so tonight I was ready. It was hot and windy, so difficult, but still so much nicer than the icicle toes we were getting at the start of the year!

I've been practicing riding in my big ring more, and went in hoping I could stay in it for the whole race, hills and all.....and I DID IT!!! YAY!! My time of 26:51 was only an improvement of 12 seconds over my PB, but DH was just telling me that with the wind, his time was about a minute slower than previous, so, that 12 second improvement is pretty big! Yahoo!!!

Have you all been racing still? It sure is a cool way to increase power and improve mental stamina - even on our short 13km course. :) OH, yeah, and my average heart rate today was 170bpm; 20 bpm above my lactic balance point. I feel like I accomplished something. :)

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[SheFly]

Congrats, LBTC, on another fine finish! Sounds to me like you are hooked on the TT :D.

Yes, we are still racing here as well. A couple of weeks ago, on my "rest week" (I failed and was held back :D), I set my fastest time of the season - 24:27 - just 30 seconds off of my PR of 23:57. So close, but oh so far! Good thing there are still a couple of months left to get there...

Last night, however, was a GLORIOUS night at the TT. In 2006, DH and I set a tandem record on our TT course - 20:43.2. One week later, that record was beaten with a time of 20:41. Since then, we have been chasing our time, and the record, albeit unsuccessfully, and on occasion, almost to the point of tears.

We started the evening warming up on the trainer (which in and of itself is a sight - how often have you seen a tandem on a trainer?) until the rain and thunder started. We weren't sure we would even race given the weather, but most of us are die hards (aka not smart enough to go home), and raced anyway. Of course, as we got to the line, the rain was falling as hard as possible! I figured that with the weather, we were sure to have an off night.

Off we went. I felt great (we had just done our yearly "training camp" the week prior), but was still working pretty hard, with my HR in the high 170s/low 180s the entire time. We lost some momentum on one turn as we came upong non-racing cyclists who were also turning, but didn't signal.

I tried really hard to make sure that I had something left for the final part of the race - there is a significant climb on the backside of our course, and I usually lose time on that section. Apparently that worked, and the rain (which had stopped at some point in the race) didn't hurt us either. We reclaimed the tandem record last night with a time of 20:37 (28.3 mph/45.5kph). Woohoo!

Now I think we can hang up the TT tandem for awhile (I was offering it for sale last night :D). Hopefully I'll have a few more good performances left this season.

SheFly

[Crankin]

I can't believe you rode and WON in that rain. And curses to those cyclists who didn't signal. Maybe they don't know there's a TT going on every Wednesday? I never plan a ride at that time!

PM me so we can meet for that coffee and goodies. Any excuse for coffee.

Robyn

[RoadRaven]

Rockin Shefly does it again!
You and your partner did so well ... 4 seconds... thats a virtual spanking, especially when the record has stood for nigh on 2 years!! lets hope your new record stands for at least that long again - unless you are challenging it... although that might be tricky if you are selling the tandem!

Selling the tandem... wow! What brought this on? Just you've tried it, succeeded and both would rather work on ITTs and cyclocross now?

And I'm still so envious, every Wednesday night TT... I wish...

Can you believe there are no ITTs in our winter series (thats every Saturday club races) There is one team TT, but no ITTs. I am in serious withdrawal. Please keep posting TT "encounters"

[SheFly]

Don't worry, Raven, the tandem isn't REALLY for sale! It's just how I felt after we have been trying so hard for so long to take the record back. It was a great accomplishment for us. Now if I can just go out and beat my own PR from last season...

We are very lucky with our series. It starts the first week of April, and runs through the first week of September. The only thing that cancels are blinding thunderstorms or snow (which we have had happen in April). It does take a lot of effort from volunteers though, so I would never claim it is an easy event to put on.

Looking forward to reading about your series when it starts again!

SheFly

[LBTC]

Wahooooooooooooooo! :D:D:D

Okay, well, I still hurt, but, hey, I have a new PB of 25:49. For those of you counting, that's 1:02 faster than last week!!

Just before we went, DH and I got the borrowed aero bars on for me. They were quite well adjusted, but not perfect. Perfect adjustment might just mean a few more seconds I can shave off.

I'm hoping that I don't repeat last week though. After my smokin' good time on TT last week, I felt like I had a bug and didn't ride again until yesterday. :eek: I'm really hoping it was a bug, because I'd hate to think it takes 7 days to recover from a hard ride that's less than a half hour!!!

Still improving, so still elated!

SheFly - I cannot imagine doing TT on a tandem! The thought boggles me mind. And shattering the old record? You absolutely rock!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[LBTC]

Another week, another Time Trial. Yahoo! Only 2 more this summer, only one more on the same track - the last one is a hill climb.

This week was GREAT! 5 women! Yahoo! And I was right in the middle!! Another personal best - 25:16; 33 seconds faster than last week - same bike set up, arguably a bit less head wind, but not much. :D I had more improvement than DH, even. lalalala And this week, it was FUN.

Are you all still racing??

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[SheFly]

Well, last night was my last TT of the season (there is one more, but I have to travel to CA next week for work, so will miss the final week).

I didn't do as many TTs this year as last, finishing the season with just 12 vs the 16 I did last year. I was more selective about my attempts, deciding not to go out if the weather was questionable in any way (i.e., too windy, not hot/humid enough, etc.).

Here is what I wrote at the beginning of the season about my goals:


As for goals? Last year I set a PR on the course - 23:56 (24.43 mph), becoming one of only 5 women to break 24 minutes. This year, I want to narrow that field by at least one, and see if I can get to 23:30 (the overall course record for women is 22:58 or 25.46 mph held by an Ironman winner). Here's hoping that the training/coaching and equipment improvements all pay off over the season!

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to achieve my goal. The best time for me all season was last night. I managed to ride the course in 24:10 - still an average speed of 24.2 mph (38.95 kph), but disappointing. DH had even marked target average speed for different locations on my stem - I met the first one, but was stopped by some traffic shortly thereafter, and missed on the second.

On a brighter note, we did manage to reclaim the course tandem record this season, so all was not lost. At this point, I am happy to hang up the TT bike for the season, and to transition to 'cross!

Thanks for all of the support, and for reading!

SheFly

[Crankin]

Nice work, Cathy! I don't blame you for being more selective with the weather we had this summer. And all of those thunderstorms seemed to happen right around the time of the TT every week.
Have fun in California!