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Wintergreen Time Trial - ride report

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Wintergreen Time Trial - ride report

Old 05-05-04, 11:00 AM
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It's only 6.7 miles. And 2600 feet of climbing. The first mile is fairly flat, then it starts up, and continues to vary between steep and steeper for the next few miles. After about 4.75 miles and 1800' of climbing there's a 1/4 mile break. Then it's back to the grindstone to the finish. Since this particular climb is about 3 times as long and a little steeper than the one I use for training, it was going to be a learning experience. My goal, based on what I'd seen of last years finishing times, was to finish at least under 47 minutes. Being a TT, there'd be no letting someone else set the pace.

I'd ridden it once before, the previous week, just to see what I'd gotten myself into, and to know how to pace my efforts. I'm riding a double with a 12-27 cassette. With that setup, I was barely able to turn the pedals over fast enough to get my HR up where I knew I could ride. My wife has a Specialized Sequoia, sort of a high performance comfort bike. Thing is, being Al, it's probably a couple pounds lighter than my bike, *and* has a triple. I was after her all week to let me borrow it. Mount my saddle, wheels, and pedals and it's a hot setup. No dice... "you'll sweat all over it." "You'll wreck." "Get your own." Hmmm, if only she'd said that earlier in the week.

I'm hoping to arrive 2 hours before my start. Traffic, registration, etc., take care of that and I had 1 hour to change and warm up. Enough, but I had hoped for more. The weather's just right. A little cool, overcast, but not raining. I ride past the start for the warm-up and the USCF official busts me for having my number on wrong. I knew I should have looked through the registration packet. Better to find out now than later. I get it fixed and start my warm-up.

Time to line up. 5 minutes to go, several club members ahead of me. I won't be catching any of *them*... especially the cat 3 that's going just before me. He's one of the organizers, and being busy, didn't even get to warm up. Gawd.

I'm up. Some more harassment about the foobared number from the official.
"45 seconds" D@mn, I need to go to the bathroom again.
"30 seconds." Nervous chit-chat...
"15 seconds." I reset my computer mileage and get ready to start my HRM.
"Go!"

Damn SPD-Rs, it takes me 20 yards to get clipped in. And I'm rolling. I've got about a mile before the road turns up. Go fast, but not too fast... too anaerobic and it'll take too long to get it back. The warm-up could've been better, but I'm okay. The road starts up. 'Tempo. Tempo.' Approaching the turn into
Wintergreen. Hey! I'm closing on someone. 'Don't get eager. What's your HR? Keep it smooth.' His rear wheel has a weird twitch. "Dude, looks like there's something wrong with your wheel." I hope I wasn't hallucinating... might have been an eye twitch... my brain isn't functioning real well right now. I'll be working here as a course marshall this afternoon. I croak to the morning marshall that I'll probably be a little late and take the turn into Wintergreen. A little less than half way, and about 1/3 of the climbing complete. First milestone achieved!

Further on, a friend's parked by the road cheering riders on. "Thanks, dude. Are we having fun yet?" About 45 seconds later, I hear him cheering someone else... somebody's catching me. Somewhere up ahead, I know the road levels out briefly. 'I know it's just around this corner... keep digging.' 'It's gotta be around this corner... this looks familiar.' 'Okay, *this* corner.' 'Arghh. One stretch at a time.' 'Your HR's dropping, you can push harder.' Finally, I round a bend, the incline eases, I feel a gust of wind. Second milestone acheived. I remind myself not to let up. But appreciate the respite anyway. I take my first drink and almost puke. So much for hydrating. Some more tifosi. "Thanks, guys." And I hear it again behind me, about 30 seconds this time. 'Ride your own pace, there's another 1.5 miles and a lot of climbing left.' HR is dropping a little, can't keep it quite where it was. A little later, he catches me. Rats. Wait a minute, this guy started 5 minutes after me. I don't feel so bad now... he's in a different league. "Good job, dude. Kick @ss!" His head's in a different place and he motors on. But it's energizing. I'm able to pick up the pace a little and drive for the next turn. I choke to a course marshall "that was my 5 minute man." "Don't worry about it, keep turning the pedals over." 'Worry h*ll, I want his autograph.' One short, steep pitch and I'll be on the last leg. 'Keep digging. Almost there.' Some more encouragement from a course marshall. It's not helping. I know I'm getting close... that does help. One more turn and I'm on the home stretch. Eventually it slowly levels off, I muster what little is left for a sprint. Now *that* hurt. Ride it out a little. I'm saturated. It's misting up here... when did that start? 'D@mn, I hauled a whole bottle of Accelerade up the mountain for nothing.' I didn't hear my time, and didn't hit my lap timer at the finish. I'll have to get it later. I think I beat 47 minutes... my time-to-beat goal.

Check some stats... my average heart rate for the climb, with a little cool-down thrown in, is 172 BPM. My max-ever observed HR is 182 BPM, last year. 95% MHR for ~47 minutes... A for effort. Catch the shuttle off the mountain to get some Endurox and lunch and get to my marshall post. A couple of club members are on the shuttle. Tony's not real happy with his time, Eric seems to be okay with his. Looking outside, there're people walking their bikes, and they aren't even halfway. If you ask me, it takes guts to attempt this. They get big credit for making the effort.

Later, I pick up the course road signs and head up the mountain to get my time. Just under 46 minutes... not great, but d@mn, I'll take it. Two years ago I would have been out there walking my bike, too. And, there's always next year.

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Last edited by roadbuzz; 05-05-04 at 11:09 AM.
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Old 05-05-04, 11:31 AM
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Congrads on meeting your goal. Jeese average 172bmp thats tuff. I guess I'm kinda glad I did'nt come up to that one
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