Ha! April Fools. Or should I say, I am the fool! What in the hell was I thinking doing a 40km TT in the beginning of April? Training, right. The first rider went off at 8:00 a.m. and it was apha order - I started at 8:01 a.m.
5:30 am start - left by 6:00 am
arrive at 6:45 am
register and set-up by 7:00
I thought I had a good start but I was off on the travel time. Newman!
It went to hell in a hand basket after that.
Arrived at 7:05.
On the trainer by 7:30 - not good. Ipod locked up. Sucked. Spun the legs and decided to finished it on the road as I heard I had to ride a mile and a half to the start and I had no idea where to go.
Kris Auer was the first to go off and he rallied me to roll with him to the start at 7:45 a.m. Had difficulty getting the skinsuit on. April is TOO early for a skinsuit.
I get my heart rate up getting to what we think is the start. Cones, tape on the road but no people, officials, nada. We roll around, more riders congregate. Our "start times" go by. The woman from registration shows up. We were all laid back so it was cool. It seemed as if the TT was run by a couple who loves cycling and must think time trialing is cool.
So the time trialing began 15 minutes late. It was all big ring but it was tough. The course was undulating.
Why do TT (I am trying to keep it positive):
To spend quality time with yourself; get in touch with the mind and body.
Great for training (if you properly warm-up and fuel the body)
To drool over other riders equipment
Because it is fun (??) I get to where a cool bubble gum TT helmet from the 80s. The thing is one size too big but it makes me (and everyone else) laugh.
Damn. That quality time was tough. After a month off the bike, missed a warm-up, forgot a gel and did not have time to bum one off someone else, I reminded myself that I was here for training and started out slow. I did start out slow but it was painful, everything ached with only a 155-160 average heart rate. Going out seemed like a false flat with rollers. I did not realize that we had a tailwind until the turnaround and I thought I was going to fall off my bike. There was a little riser and the wind and the lactate acid in the legs sucked.
They had the course marked at every 5K. Since I was here for "training", I took time to shimmy my arm warmers over my hands because I rushed to the start (my fingers froze to my tt bars). I blew my nose at every 5K (it was freakin' cold - at least it wasn't raining). I knew I was in trouble when I was meowing at cats in the fields and thought about drafting Amish buggies. Many guys passed me. I got to pass ONE person. Poor guy was from one of the TTT so he does not count.
I figured after 35K, I would be warmed up so I ramped it to the finish. Mistake. I had some aches and pains, issues with my left leg from chronic injuries but I kept on pushing. Based on my times at the 5K markers, I had hoped to roll in at 1:05. The hour rolled by and I pushed on. I don't think I got out of the saddle the whole ride. I "motored" in at 1:06:45 (35.96 kph/22.34 mph). Damn, I was DFL (3 out of 3; almost 2 minutes back from the 1st woman! Grrr.) Okay, okay, (deep breath) I was satisfied with my time based on all my excuses. The winning time was 54:09. Smokin' fast ( William O'Donnell - Westwood One Velo Trade Manage Racing category 3)
It took me 10 minutes to get back to the car. I called Brad to see if he and a teammate would come out to do the mass start hill climb in the afternoon. I sat in the car and my right hamstring (the good leg) - right in the glute area - went into a spasmed. I freaked out. I hung up and thought I needed to get back on the bike. It did not feel any better. Damn. I am a crazy nut. My slow was hard for my body. I think my body was not used to the position with the cold and lack of a warm-up. Ugh.
I blew off the mass start hill climb as I am not totally stupid. Within a hour of the finish, it started to rain. Yea! So I felt better missing the hill climb. I did a recon of the hill climb. Pretty cool course. If my hammy heals well, I hope to do another 40K TT in 2 weeks and come back to do the Carlisle TT in May (and attempt the hill climb, too).
