Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Picacho Time Trial #2
Sunday was my second race, same course 20k TT. I showed up early and got to warm up on the trainer. I had fixed my saddle nose, brought it down out of the atmosphere, and it was immediately more comfy even on the trainer. We started 30 min late but I got a clean start and settled into my cadence quickly and started and stayed aero alot more this race. I think I only came out of aero to climb the one overpass at the turn around. My first half had a headwind again, but not as bad and I was able to keep my average speed higher this race. I didn't drop below my target of 15.5 mph till the climb. On the return I again averaged 20mph and the last 1k I kicked it up to almost 23mph for a in-aero sprint. Overall I finished in 0:41:44, which means I cut exactly 2 min off my last time! and I didn't get to train between races. Next race, same course, is the 27th and I plan to train and cut more time off! yay bikes!!
Monday, June 16, 2008
New bike and first race
First off the Torelli rides even better than it looks and it looks AMAZING!! (click the picture cause I can't get it to format smaller) 
Took it out for 20 miles on Saturday morning and fiddling with the seat position. Its still a little off, but better. I need to mess with it on the trainer, the nose of the saddle is a little too high. Anyways, the race:
I was up early, 4am, cause I had to be there at 5 to help run registration. that was done at 630-640ish and was windy the whole time. My start time was 7:22:00. I didn't have time to set up on the trainer for warm up but rode on the frontage road with my friend who started a minute behind me for a little, but not enough. They started late because of a larger than expected number of racers running the 20k. I started clean but was hit right away with the 12mph avg headwinds for the first 11-12k. After the first 4 miles I was hurting and slowing down and losing cadence. I made it up the overpass where the turn around was at only 12.5 mph or so. Like I said, bad. But then the down hill from the overpass and the tail wind helped me spin and feel better. The whole way back i stayed aero and didn't drop below 20mph and my cadence stayed right where I needed it to, around 85rpm. I finished 20k in 0:43:44, 17.05 mph. That is about 1-2mph faster than my normal ride time right now. I feel pretty good about it. Lots of room for improvement, but I lost 3 weeks of training due to no road bike and there was a decent headwind right away. My goal for next race, July 6th, is under 40 min. I think with training i can cut out 3 min. Pics as soon as the are posted to the photographers site.
Took it out for 20 miles on Saturday morning and fiddling with the seat position. Its still a little off, but better. I need to mess with it on the trainer, the nose of the saddle is a little too high. Anyways, the race:
I was up early, 4am, cause I had to be there at 5 to help run registration. that was done at 630-640ish and was windy the whole time. My start time was 7:22:00. I didn't have time to set up on the trainer for warm up but rode on the frontage road with my friend who started a minute behind me for a little, but not enough. They started late because of a larger than expected number of racers running the 20k. I started clean but was hit right away with the 12mph avg headwinds for the first 11-12k. After the first 4 miles I was hurting and slowing down and losing cadence. I made it up the overpass where the turn around was at only 12.5 mph or so. Like I said, bad. But then the down hill from the overpass and the tail wind helped me spin and feel better. The whole way back i stayed aero and didn't drop below 20mph and my cadence stayed right where I needed it to, around 85rpm. I finished 20k in 0:43:44, 17.05 mph. That is about 1-2mph faster than my normal ride time right now. I feel pretty good about it. Lots of room for improvement, but I lost 3 weeks of training due to no road bike and there was a decent headwind right away. My goal for next race, July 6th, is under 40 min. I think with training i can cut out 3 min. Pics as soon as the are posted to the photographers site.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Mt Lemon by bike, kinda
Saturday was my first ride with my team and first group ride ever. I have always ridden by myself or with one other person. 6 of us, including Dann, were ready to go at 8am and headed out. It was supposed to be and easy 7 miles to the base of Mt Lemon then climb while you can/till you can't. Problem is, I haven't been getting the ride time in like I need to the warm up was at 16.5+mph. I need a warm up around 14 so i was working pretty good from the start. Also I forgot to start in my small chain ring so my cadence was only 65 RPM or so, way to slow for warming up.
I started mid pack and was pulling with one other person around mile 4 at 17mph+. I had never pulled before and was not even warmed up yet! By the time we got to the base my legs were already cooked from no good warm up, not to mention my breakfast from 2 hours earlier was about to come back to haunt me. I couldn't even make it 1 mile up Lemon. I had to stop and get off my bike and sit down, I felt light headed and like I was bout to hurl right there on the side of the road. I was toasted. The old man of the club, who helped start it back in the day, had stayed back with me as I fell off the back of the group around mile 6. I told him to keep climbing as I turned around. All the way in was a slight incline so as I headed back I was able to spin pretty well and feel good by the end.
Lessons learned: experiment with pre-ride meal (two eggs, 1 piece of toast with peanut butter and milk 2 hrs before didn't work), spin faster in small ring to warm up, don't be afraid to turn down a pull if its above my skill, and finally, don't stop riding. On the way back I felt that if I hadn't stopped to take a breather I could have gone a lot farther up the mountain. I should of just kept pedaling.
All in all, I learned a lot and am much more motivated than ever to ride more and get better. Hell, I have a race up that same mountain in August, I'd better get better :)
I started mid pack and was pulling with one other person around mile 4 at 17mph+. I had never pulled before and was not even warmed up yet! By the time we got to the base my legs were already cooked from no good warm up, not to mention my breakfast from 2 hours earlier was about to come back to haunt me. I couldn't even make it 1 mile up Lemon. I had to stop and get off my bike and sit down, I felt light headed and like I was bout to hurl right there on the side of the road. I was toasted. The old man of the club, who helped start it back in the day, had stayed back with me as I fell off the back of the group around mile 6. I told him to keep climbing as I turned around. All the way in was a slight incline so as I headed back I was able to spin pretty well and feel good by the end.
Lessons learned: experiment with pre-ride meal (two eggs, 1 piece of toast with peanut butter and milk 2 hrs before didn't work), spin faster in small ring to warm up, don't be afraid to turn down a pull if its above my skill, and finally, don't stop riding. On the way back I felt that if I hadn't stopped to take a breather I could have gone a lot farther up the mountain. I should of just kept pedaling.
All in all, I learned a lot and am much more motivated than ever to ride more and get better. Hell, I have a race up that same mountain in August, I'd better get better :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
