Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Race #17 Cleves

The weather was quite perfect for the race, but I was having difficulties on the warm up getting whatever was in my legs out. Riding the course in reverse, every roller felt like my brakes were rubbing. Totally lethargic. When they called out the starting order, once again Dan was behind me by a minute so my goal was to not have him pass me. Hard goal.

The first half rolled along and my average hovered around 25.3. I knew I had to keep pushing because the ending hill knocks that average down a heap. My other goal for the last few weeks has been to break 25 minutes. Both goals accomplished as I finished in 24:42 and Dan didn't pass me. That was hard but satisfying.

Week 9: 25.0 average @ 259 watts = 24:42 (official)
Week 8: 24.5 average @ 255 watts = 25:10 (powertap) 25:18 (official)
Week 5: 24.7 average @ 257 watts = 25:00 (my time), 25:07 (official)
Week 4: 24.7 average @ 257 watts = 25:13 (official time)
Week 3: 24.4 average @ 271 watts (wrong) = 25:17
Week 2: 24.3 average @ 250 watts = 25:33
Week 1: 24.2 average @ 242 watts = 25:47

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Race #16 Cleves 10 miler

Back to Cleves after two weeks off due to work and weather. Weather was nice and hot and humid.

It was weird during the race that I felt like I was going really really fast but my powertap wasn't agreeing with me. Must have been the weather conditions. Anyway, I ended up with an okay time considering I just did a (bad) 40k two days ago.

Gear difference: Wore a standard jersey and bibs.

Next race won't be until next Tuesday. There are a bunch of crits this weekend but no time trials that I'm aware of.

Week 8 24.5 average @ 255 watts = 25:10 (powertap) 25:18 (official)
Week 5 24.7 average @ 257 watts = 25:00 (my time), 25:07 (official)
Week 4 24.7 average @ 257 watts = 25:13 (official time)
Week 3 24.4 average @ 271 watts (wrong) = 25:17
Week 2: 24.3 average @ 250 watts = 25:33
Week 1: 24.2 average @ 242 watts = 25:47

Monday, June 21, 2010

Race #15 Colavita Celina

40k around Lake St Mary's. Pretty much assured a flat course.

Registration took 5 seconds. Of course I was preregistered and I got there early, but whatever! It's nice to not have to stand in line.

Not really much to say about my race as it was as expected both speed and (low) power. I did have three separate incidents that lost a minute twenty by my power tap calculations.

Right from the get-go, turning on to the major road it was AWESOME to have all the cones giving us a lane. I can't say how awesome that is that we were allowed to have a dedicated lane. However, I passed a street crew worker at an intersection and knew I had to turn right soon. I kept going as I was still inside the coned lane. Then the cones tapered to the edge of the road and I thought I did in fact missed the turn. Stopped, turned, passed the intersection and saw that it dead ended into the lake. Oops. Turned around again and went on my way.

The only two other incidents were traffic related at stop signs as both times I was behind two cars at a complete stop. There was quite a bit of traffic out there and the cops can only do so much with the cars.

That discouraged me a little, but still the race was still great even though I was 6th out of 9. They put on a great race as usual and it was nice that the race was staged where there was a permanent tent set up as it was sunny and hot.

I guess the only thing I could wish for was that this race was held in a different time of year to potentially avoid some traffic. I don't know if all the traffic was normal, normal for this time of year, or abnormal because it was so nice out. Will do this race next year if they have it.

222 watts, 24.1mph, 1:01:30(or there about).

Monday, June 7, 2010

Race #14 State TT

Power failure.

That about sums it up.

3rd place out of 3 in my group. Worst time ever. Rough wind conditions.

In 2006 my average was 23.9
In 2007 my average was 24.19 (time of 58:31)
In 2008 my average was 24.53 (time of 57:57)
2009 57:13
2010 1:00:13

Friday, June 4, 2010

Race #13 Strawberry festival TT

As soon as I hit the parking lot rain and thunder rolled in and I thought I wasted a long drive. Luckily, it cleared up. Unluckily, it blew my warm up. As opposed to riding the entire course, I took a couple mile stroll out and back.

There is no holder (A thing I am now quite used to), but I was able to clip in fast and off I went. Like Tuesday, there was a fast rider behind me so I went out with the intention of not getting passed (he didn't pass me). I passed my one minute rider around mile two and passed two more people around mile three and one more around mile seven. The roads ran smooth until Hufford. I slowed way down to get on Hufford as the roads were wet and the TT bike isn't the best handling thing in the world. Hufford road rides like a rock, which sucks because all of the other roads ride great. Anyway, a truck passed me heading into Casstown, and as NO luck would have it, he wanted to turn right. I had to almost stop completely to turn. Then, he wanted to turn right onto rt 55, the same direction I was going. Again, a near complete stop. I got my 20 second max power right there to get back up to speed to the finish.

By my powertap, I finished at 24:05 with a speed of 25.1. Official results as usual vary, but that's fine. Results came out with me finishing 6th but no time for Vince, who I know was faster. So 7th it is, which is cool. This was my fastest time trial (via average speed) this year so far which I am happy about. Power was at 256 and that is pretty consistent with what I am doing right now. Picked up 25 seconds on the same race last month.

The only equipment change was that I rode without a water bottle.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Race #12 Cleves TT

Another Tuesday, another 10 mile time trial. Very hot and humid so it was easy to stay warm. I rode the course backward as usual and then rode a little extra. Legs felt really poor warming up and had one of those days where I could have sworn my brakes were rubbing. That's why I rode the extra bit to get that shit out of my system.

41 riders started and I started 30. 30 seconds later was Dan Waite so that put a nice fear of God into me to not have him pass me very early. Right at the start I actually felt pretty good. The rolling section got rough on the uphills, but I picked up time on the downhills (no coasting!). Dan passed me around mile 8. I passed him back as I think his fixie ran out of gear, then he passed me back once more right before the end hill. I couldn't catch up.

End time, both via my powertap and the official time were personal bests, but I still haven't broken 25:00. I wore jersey and bibs as I forgot to wash my skinsuit yesterday and will be wearing it two more times this week anyway. That was probably my one second right there, but there is always next week.

I put out the same wattage as last week, but was faster. I concentrated more on the head duck thing and I'm going to assume the heat had something to so with the speed as well.

Week 5 24.7 average @ 257 watts = 25:00 (my time), 25:07 (official)
Week 4 24.7 average @ 257 watts = 25:13 (official time)
Week 3 24.4 average @ 271 watts (wrong) = 25:17
Week 2: 24.3 average @ 250 watts = 25:33
Week 1: 24.2 average @ 242 watts = 25:47

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Race #11 Colavita Bellbrook

Saturday was my first ever attempt at this course that includes a short uphill section and a short fast downhill with a bunch of flats in between. After getting some beta about the course, I kept all the same TT gear and didn't change anything. I got there early enough (no kidding) to pre-ride the course and that as usual helped. I've been on those roads before, just not that exact direction. The hill was not as bad as I remember, due to where I'm living and having to deal with now.

140+/- riders on the day made for a long morning with me starting 31st. My race went about as anticipated. Don't blow up on the hill and punch it as best as I could home.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of fast 40+ guys out there. I ended up 8th out of 12 with a wattage of 252 and a speed around 23.7. Got up to 45.5mph on the downhill section and had to pass someone right at that point. I ended up passing 4 people and did not get passed myself.

This week is going to be rough. Cleves tonight (10 miles), Strawberry festival Thursday (10 miles) and Groveport Sunday (23.something miles). Hopefully the weather cooperates.