2008 TT Goals and Results

[SheFly]

All in all, it was great! I wasn't Last this time! I improved my previous best time by 1 minute 7 seconds! 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 . 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 .

Yes, we are still racing here as well. A couple of weeks ago, on my "rest week" (I failed and was held back ), 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 ). 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!

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. 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~