Race #2 QCW 40k time trial

Saturday was QCW's 40k TT in Alexandria Kentucky. Was billed as a fast downhill start, one major climb mid way through and you don't have to climb back up the starting downhill (at least until after the race was over). It lived up to the billing. 10 minutes into the tt and my average speed was 32mph.

It was chilly at the start so I wore gloves. Other than that, it was my usual gear for a time trial. Well not really. Since it was a new course for me, I chose to wear my Rx Oakleys so I could see. I typically don't wear glasses in time trials if I know the course.

So anyway, this race is just more training. I had no intention of being competitive but I need race efforts and what better to get that sort of effort but in a race? After the smoking start the course was rolling with an uphill trend and by the time I hit the hill I still had a decent speed. Certainly I was setting no wattage records though. I hit the hill (roughly 1.5 miles at 5% or so I was told) and my bike would not shift to the small ring. I had NEVER used my small ring in any race and maybe only once or twice on a ride. I should have checked that out before hand. I almost came to a standstill trying to shift, but I stayed upright, lost tons of time, and stood almost the entire climb. By the top, I was done. Done. Done. Luckily, it was big downhill the next 1.5 miles. I topped out at 46.2mph and ran out of gears. Struggling with lack of oxygen (no lungs) and lactate (no legs), I gutted out the last several miles on will power alone. The finish came none too quick and I rested for 5 minutes before hitting the climb to get back to the parking lot. I hand shifted to the small ring before going up though. 22.8mph average. Sad wattage at 220 (average).

If I hadn't been riding in West Chester the last month, the hill would have completely destroyed me. Luckily (?) it's all hilly riding down here so I'm getting used to climbing.