AuntieK and yellow's TT adventure

[yellow]

Yesterday evening AuntieK and I indulged in the pleasure of doing a time trial here next to the big salty lake. This TT was part of a summer-long series, with a TT every 2 weeks.

It's a very short on--10k, on an out-and-back--but still long enough to make your quads scream. And given the air temperature, it did a number on my lungs as well. In the daily ride thread, AK called it "95 degree temperature". According to my car thermometer, it was 98 degrees F, which means that if we're rounding to the nearest 5, it was closer to 100 degree temperature! And the humidity was even high for Salt Lake: 23%. I must be getting acclimated to the heat, though, as physically I didn't even notice it during the TT. It's when I was standing still that I remembered that it was hot. And afterwards my lungs were a tad fried from all the heavy breathing of hot air.

We weren't the slowest ones out there, though we were most definitely in the bottom 5. BUT, we also were among the few that didn't have disc wheels, full bug suits, and super aero helmets. And AK didn't use aero bars and apparently had brake rub. I think we both did pretty well, given the circumstances. We had a little bit of a headwind on the return, but it wasn't as bad as I've experienced at other times out in the same general vicinity.

I did a couple of TTs last year in California with SadieKate. Those were 10 mile courses, so a little longer. My average speed on this one was a full mph slower than my fastest in Cali. Since I'm a year older, does that balance out? Goes to show that new fancy wheels will not necessarily make up for physical deficiencies!

Afterwards I asked AK if she's do it again. She thought for a second and said, "Well, it's like childbirth. Right afterwards you say 'no way!' But I'll probably be talking about the next time on the drive home." I get the feeling she'll be out there again!

Even though this was a super-fancy racer-boy type event, I didn't feel too out of place. The folks running the event were really nice, let me know that I was breaking the racing rules by wearing a sleeveless jersey ( I didn't know you have to wear sleeves!), and coached me on how to start whilst being held up (at the other TT series in Cali you start on your own).

I'll probably do it again. If anything, it's great training for my brain. And next time I'll wear a sleeved jersey!

[AuntieK]

Great report, Yellow!
Yes, five minutes down the road I was already talking about "next time."
But, I think next time will be when the weather cools down. That heat was brutal! My face was beet red for at least an hour after we finished (sort of like this: only with this expression: )

[Veronica]

Why do you have to have sleeves? Are short sleeves okay or does it have to be long sleeves?

V.

[yellow]

Why do you have to have sleeves? Are short sleeves okay or does it have to be long sleeves?

Short sleeves are OK. Not sure why sleeves are required (seems to be a USCF rule). Maybe some racing veteran can explain the logic. They let me ride anyway, since I am a citizen poseur!

[SadieKate]

Yellow, ask your short sleeve question on the BJ time trial thread. Wonder if other parts of the country have the same rule or if it is just because Davis is so liberal. Hmm, wonder if I can get SPD-compatible Birkies.

Off to ride Phil's and talk Bubba into a Storm King cruise.

[skibum]

Yes, it's a USCF rule. No explanation why in the rulebook but it does explicitly state: "Sleeveless jerseys shall be forbidden".

[yellow]

Hmmmm...I wonder what the logic behind this is. Less space for advertising on the jersey (which could affect the sponsors)? Less exposed skin that could be subject to road rash in your local crit crash fest (less to "clean up")? Tattoo coverage? Better masking of BO whilst in the peloton?

Edit: where's spazz when you need her? I'm sure she can come up with some good reasons.