OdaNelli
06-13-2005, 12:57 PM
Hey all. Warning it's a roadie report:
After being snowed out from an XC race last weekend, this weekend brought on a Road race of sorts. Actually it was a Time Trial Race.
Race Stats: 38km approx 32.5 miles on a moderatelly hilly course near the airport.
My Time: 1:05
Place: 3rd.......From Last 36 of 38. Hey it's better than my first TT race.
Road Time Trials are definatelly interesting. Also known as "The Race of Truth." As a mountain biker, I think Road TT's are the cloest Road type race to an XC MTB race. Unlike Crits and Road Races, you don't have to worry about peleton dynamics(shoulder bumping on asphalt at 30 mph, etc...) or strategy. TT's are almost all about yourself and the clock. Like XC races in the fact that, if someone's ahead of you, you want to catch them, and hopefully not be caught by the guy behind.
In any case, the start is typical with the guy holding the saddle. 3,2,1 I'm off. First 2 miles were flat and allowed time for gaining max speed. I settle in after 45 seconds of all out hammering, and start cruising at 24mph approaching the first hard left and climb. Up the climb and through the rolling section for about 5 miles with an avg speed of around 30 mph. Wow I was moving, and thankfully not being caught. After the turnaround point, it was back the way I came. Remember for the 5 mile section I was averaging 30+, now I was averaging 21.2mph. Why?.... That slight downhill was now a long climb into a good headwind. Oh well, time to dig in and suffer. While suffering, I was caught nad passed by 3 guys behind me. I didn't feel so bad, as they were on Beautifu $3000 FELT TT Bikes with either MAvic Carbon or ZIPP wheels. I'll add a comment to this in just a second. Back to the tight turn, reapproach start and then a tight right for the next 11 miles of the course. This was similar to the first turnoff with a short climb, to a fast/long downhill. It's right about here that I am hurting and am caught by a few more guys. Oh well, again those guys are also on dedicated TT bikes. From the turn around, it was to the finish line, which ended in a long .9 mile climb with into the wind. Oh well, suffer, suffer, suffer, and I was done. Not bad, 23.6 miles in under 1hr5 minutes. The winning time was around 55 minutes.
I came into it, knowing I would get beat, but I was thoroughly amazed that almost everyone in Cat4's had dedicated $2000-3000 Time Trial Bikes. Now, I'm a firm believer in "it's not the bike, it's the motor..." but in TT's I think the bike obviously make a huge difference. Then again, I did come in ahead of 1 guy with a TT bike.
So what gives, I understand it is a Time Trial Championship, and the bulk of the people that showed up specialize in TT's, but what in the world do these guys do that they can afford $3000 TT bikes as well as $3000 race bikes. I'm clearly in the wrong business.
Oh well, I did the race because I enjoy the one on one suffering of self and clock. This TT did not dissappoint, and I look forward to doing more. More than anything else, it's great training for the MTB.
Oh yeah, the injury... I'm not sure what I did. I felt great (relative to suffering) throughout the entire race. Almost immediately after I sat up after the finish sprint, I developed this real tightness in my left glut/hamstring. The 1 hour drive home was less than comfortable. In any case, I rested all day yesterday, and felt good. I decided to do a local MTB climb near my office. Almost instantly, I could feel a "discomfort" right where my Hamstring meets my glut. After 20 minutes, I decided it wasn't worth it, and rode back down to the car. Of course now I feel ok, but I'm guessing I have a pulled or majorly stressed hammi. I'm scheduled to meet with the masseuse this afternoon, so hopefully we can diagnose the problem. this has me a bit depressed because I was planning on racing the normal Tues Crit, Wed Short Track, and the makeup race at Winterpark. Looks like all this might be in jeapordy, and I might have another setback to the season. First it was that darn 100 day flu, now it's this. Such is life I guess.
I guess cycling truly is just another way to pass the time, and maybe this is my time to continue to work my way back up to the top.
Catch ya later,
Ocky
After being snowed out from an XC race last weekend, this weekend brought on a Road race of sorts. Actually it was a Time Trial Race.
Race Stats: 38km approx 32.5 miles on a moderatelly hilly course near the airport.
My Time: 1:05
Place: 3rd.......From Last 36 of 38. Hey it's better than my first TT race.
Road Time Trials are definatelly interesting. Also known as "The Race of Truth." As a mountain biker, I think Road TT's are the cloest Road type race to an XC MTB race. Unlike Crits and Road Races, you don't have to worry about peleton dynamics(shoulder bumping on asphalt at 30 mph, etc...) or strategy. TT's are almost all about yourself and the clock. Like XC races in the fact that, if someone's ahead of you, you want to catch them, and hopefully not be caught by the guy behind.
In any case, the start is typical with the guy holding the saddle. 3,2,1 I'm off. First 2 miles were flat and allowed time for gaining max speed. I settle in after 45 seconds of all out hammering, and start cruising at 24mph approaching the first hard left and climb. Up the climb and through the rolling section for about 5 miles with an avg speed of around 30 mph. Wow I was moving, and thankfully not being caught. After the turnaround point, it was back the way I came. Remember for the 5 mile section I was averaging 30+, now I was averaging 21.2mph. Why?.... That slight downhill was now a long climb into a good headwind. Oh well, time to dig in and suffer. While suffering, I was caught nad passed by 3 guys behind me. I didn't feel so bad, as they were on Beautifu $3000 FELT TT Bikes with either MAvic Carbon or ZIPP wheels. I'll add a comment to this in just a second. Back to the tight turn, reapproach start and then a tight right for the next 11 miles of the course. This was similar to the first turnoff with a short climb, to a fast/long downhill. It's right about here that I am hurting and am caught by a few more guys. Oh well, again those guys are also on dedicated TT bikes. From the turn around, it was to the finish line, which ended in a long .9 mile climb with into the wind. Oh well, suffer, suffer, suffer, and I was done. Not bad, 23.6 miles in under 1hr5 minutes. The winning time was around 55 minutes.
I came into it, knowing I would get beat, but I was thoroughly amazed that almost everyone in Cat4's had dedicated $2000-3000 Time Trial Bikes. Now, I'm a firm believer in "it's not the bike, it's the motor..." but in TT's I think the bike obviously make a huge difference. Then again, I did come in ahead of 1 guy with a TT bike.
So what gives, I understand it is a Time Trial Championship, and the bulk of the people that showed up specialize in TT's, but what in the world do these guys do that they can afford $3000 TT bikes as well as $3000 race bikes. I'm clearly in the wrong business.
Oh well, I did the race because I enjoy the one on one suffering of self and clock. This TT did not dissappoint, and I look forward to doing more. More than anything else, it's great training for the MTB.
Oh yeah, the injury... I'm not sure what I did. I felt great (relative to suffering) throughout the entire race. Almost immediately after I sat up after the finish sprint, I developed this real tightness in my left glut/hamstring. The 1 hour drive home was less than comfortable. In any case, I rested all day yesterday, and felt good. I decided to do a local MTB climb near my office. Almost instantly, I could feel a "discomfort" right where my Hamstring meets my glut. After 20 minutes, I decided it wasn't worth it, and rode back down to the car. Of course now I feel ok, but I'm guessing I have a pulled or majorly stressed hammi. I'm scheduled to meet with the masseuse this afternoon, so hopefully we can diagnose the problem. this has me a bit depressed because I was planning on racing the normal Tues Crit, Wed Short Track, and the makeup race at Winterpark. Looks like all this might be in jeapordy, and I might have another setback to the season. First it was that darn 100 day flu, now it's this. Such is life I guess.
I guess cycling truly is just another way to pass the time, and maybe this is my time to continue to work my way back up to the top.
Catch ya later,
Ocky