Weekly TT Update

[SheFly]

OK. I do our club TT almost weekly, so am starting this thread to post results and progress through the season (unless you all get bored, in which case I will stop ).

Last night was my second ride of the season. On the warmup, I noted that the whole ride out was into a pretty stiff head/cross wind. My legs also didn't feel great. This wasn't going to be fun.

I started 5th, behind a friend I knew I would not be able to catch (although he tried to convince me that I would). Given the wind, I was trying to keep an even pace hoping that I could save some legs for the hills on the way back. I was frustrated by the wind, and looked down to see numbers well below 20 mph - not a good indicator!

I reached the Carlisle rotary and turned away from the wind (thankfully). Unfortunately, as I was trying to adjust my shifting I ran through some bumps in the road, and my computer flew off into the road (shifting, bumps, doing 35 mph - didn't think I should stop to pick it up!). Now I was flying blind (except for my HRM and RPE).

I continued on, figuring that I was going to put in my slowest time in two years. I did have a bright spark as I actually passed someone going up the final climb, and pushed it as hard as I could coming into the finish.

The end result (despite wind, a lost computer and an 8-speed casette with 9-speed shifters ) - 26:11 (22.34 mph) which is 30 seconds faster than last week - WHEW! Here's hoping that next week will see a further improvement.

SheFly

[RoadRaven]

Silly!
Of course we won't get bored!!!
With only one TT per series until the summer series, I intend to live vicariously through this thread of yours, SheFly

Soooo... 35.7kph average? Yes?
Well impressed, SheFly.

Our roads are very slow over here (roads are coarse chip) so that speed, given my age, is probably something I will never achieve in a TT (unless its a tail wind the whole way ).

What a bugger about your comp deciding to travel solo, good on you for staying focused and completing in such good time regardless.

you rock, SheFly

[SheFly]

The weather tonight was ALMOST perfect for a TT - still a little too dry, and not quite warm enough, but temps were in the low 80s, and the wind was much more manageable.

Before my warmup, as I was heading out of the parking lot, I heard someone call my name, and was glad to see that Robyn had made it over to introduce herself! It was a pleasure to meet you finally.

My warmup ride wasn't great. My legs felt pretty tired from last night's NEBC women's ride, and I didn't think I would be able to do well.

I lined up starting 30 seconds before DH, who was doing his first TT after arthroscopic surgery on his knee to repair a torn meniscus. He SAID he was going easy, so my goal was not to get passed by him. Needless to say, he DIDN'T go easy, and he DID pass me, but it took him longer than normal .

I ended up feeling great once I got underway, and made it into Carlisle in 11 mins ! I was on pace for a great ride, so just tried to stay focused. The hills on the backside got a bit of the better of me (I went a little too hard on the front), but I managed to finish in 25:17 - 56 seconds FASTER than last week! Average speed - 23 mph (Raven - that's 37.01 kph). I'm still 45 seconds off my PR, but think I may actually be able to beat that this season...

p.s.
Had a new computer this week, and the shifting was flawless. MUCH better than the issues I had last week

[Crankin]

Great job, Cathy. When I rode home, as soon as I crossed the intersection, I heard someone whizzing up behind me, going super fast. I assumed it was someone warming up from the TT, but no, it was a commuter with a super heavy/giant backpack on. I was going 21 and he flew by me so fast, I thought I was seeing things . He shot down by the rotary when I turned onto College Rd to my neighborhood.
I am glad racers have days where their legs feel like s***. Mine really hurt yesterdaywhen I came up to see you, but I did ride in to work today.

PS I read your post from last week. I have also lost things off of my bike on those bumps in that spot on 225. I guess they will never be fixed!

[RoadRaven]

Sounds like an awesome ride
Glad you have the new 'puter
Sometimes a tough ride the day before can work in your favour - just think of it as if you were in a Tour!

[mukluk]

Sounds like you did well. Sorry about your computer. I would feel lost without mine but I would have kept going just like you did. I stupidly lost or misplaced my computer after my time trial last night. I'm thinking I probably won't find it because I feel like I looked everywhere. Oh poop. Anyway you did awesome, looking forward to hearing about more races.

[SheFly]

For the past couple of weeks, DH and I haven't participated in the TT here - the weather has been cold and windy - not really conducive to good TT performances.

Last night, despite the threat of thunderstorms and an earlier rain shower, we headed over for another shot at the tandem TT, hoping not to have any near death experiences like we did last time .

Since our regular volunteers are off to the Masters National Championships in Kentucky, we helped out with a few other club members to get racers registered before the start. That's actually a fun job because you get to see everyone! Fits right into my social butterfly personality .

We started in 15th place, and quickly got up to speed and into a rhythm. The traffic didn't interfere tonight, and the weather wasn't TOO bad (although there was a head wind on the way out). We ended up passing about 6 other racers (set off at 30 second intervals) on the course.

The whole ride last night hurt - I had a really hard time breathing. About half way through, I really felt like I was going to throw up - that's when you know you're putting in an all out effort !

We finished with a time of 21:24 (just under 27 mph) - only 41 seconds off of our best time last season, and this was only our second try this year!

SheFly

[RoadRaven]

Good girl... not being able to breath... wanting to throw up...

And you caned your last time!!!

Way to go SheFly!!! 41 seconds is significantly impressive!

I take it you were on your tandem!!! You guys rock

[Crankin]

I know that speeds on tandems are different, but an average of 27 mph rocks!

I feel like I'm going to throw up on Monument Street, too, sometimes on that little roller... won't tell you what the speed is, but I when it gets above a certain point there and I'm trying to stay behind my husband, there is something about that spot that induces the nausea that doesn't happen elsewhere.

[SheFly]

Well, it seems as though last week's training camp has paid off for me. In last night's TT, I managed to set a PR by 36 seconds - breaking below the 24 minute mark with a time of 23:56! That translates to an average speed of approx. 24.5 mph - woohoo!

DH had a good night as well, tying his PR time of 22:09. He started 1 minute behind me last night, and my goal was to be to Carlisle center before he managed to pass me. I got to Carlisle and still hadn't seen him, or the person who started 30 seconds behind me. I looked at my average speed there, and saw that it was 25.5 mph - faster than I have ever ridden the front part of the course! I thought that my readings must be off...

DH finally passed me as we turned onto River Rd and onto the "hilly" part of the course. Later both he and my 30 second person told me they were surprised at how long it took them to catch me - goal achieved! Once I got to the top of Punkatasset hill, I looked at my time and knew that I was on target for a PR, and HOPED that I could break the 24 minute mark. I put on the gas the whole rest of the way to achieve that goal as well (my overall goal for the TT for the season).

BTW - I think this puts me in select company - only 3-4 other women have broken the 24 minute barrier!

All in all, a very successful night! Now we need to work on that tandem record .

[Crankin]

Congrats on that super time! Your training camp sounds grueling, but it did pay off. I clicked on your blog and was amazed to see all of your pictures of all of my familiar riding places! You are right; we take this beautiful area for granted and at times I even get bored with some of my local routes. But then I go ride somewhere else and I always come back and say how jaded we are.

I took my first road bike ride with a group (a very small group) to that spot at the top of Prospect Hill Rd. by the Fruitlands. This was only 7 miles from my old house, but I managed to drop my chain twice and fall over at the base of Madigan Rd. because I freaked out when i started climbing up the hill and I didn't shift. But after a lot of crying and some not so gentle encouragement from my husband, I made it up. Looking at your picture reminded me of how that was only 5 years ago!

[RoadRaven]

What was the distance, SheFly? This is still the 10mile course?

You rock, girl. You truly do. Just under 40kph... something I will never achieve now...

I have mentioned our road surfaces before - NZ roads are notoriously slow because mostly they are covered in a coarse chip.

What kind of surface do your roads (or more specifically does THIS TT course) have? Just that will help me relate your effort to what I know/see over here.

Wow... another 36 secs... on a less than ideal night... can you go any faster???