Road Bike Racing - my first TT

I decided that I wanted to start racing this year, and some guys form the local club were going to a TT. I figured I could start with a TT. When i got to the staging area, at O-dark-Thirty, I was in awe of the bikes and people. So many really nice bikes and people on trainers. Being this my first race i didnt bring my trainer (which would bite me later), or remember to strech before the start :(. The course was supposed to be flat and fast, or at least thats what the flyer said. After about 20 mins i was challenging any persons sainty that calls this fun! The head wind made the small hills a lot bigger and by the turn around point i thought i was done. At the turn around point the race orgnizer and his child began to cheer which made me feel better. After that i decided that i need to push to make up the time i had lost on the way out. I felt a boost of energy and remembered the clif bar i had eaten before the race (I'm now a fan of artificial energy). With the tail wind I was flying on the flats and burning up the hills. When the finish line approached I looked at my clock, it read something like 1:07.58. I decided it was now or never, i got out of my aero bars and hammered it. I managed to pass the guy that had passed me a while back and came across the line doing about 30. After the line I was done, i felt great that i had finished the race and was exhusted! The rider that i passed came up to me while riding back to the staging area and commended me on my sprint. After consumming a large amount of gatorade and packing my bike up the times were available. I looked down the list to my name, and there circled was a 69.54, i had done it! my goal of 70.00 was broken and i felt even better! I had a great time and will be back there in two weeks to do it again.

-Ross

Congrats spaze! I hope to get racing sometime soon and your story makes me even more motivated. What kind of setup were you running in terms of aerobars? Now that you've done it once you should have one goal when you get to the start...CRUSH the old time! Congrats again.

Hey **** are in NOVA OR IN now? cause you may want to check this one out if you like the TT: http://www.wintergreenresort.com/activities/wintergreen_ascent.asp I hear it's a reall killa. I am debating weather or not to go?

Hey **** are in NOVA OR IN now? cause you may want to check this one out if you like the TT: http://www.wintergreenresort.com/activities/wintergreen_ascent.asp I hear it's a reall killa. I am debating weather or not to go?

What!?! It's only 7 miles... how bad can it be? ;)

I'm gonna be there. Pre-rode it yesterday... it's definitely gonna hurt.

I'm still in IN, but come june I'll by flying rose colors in VA. I cant wait to start doing crits in DC, that will be a blast!

As for the setup, i put on a pair of profile design aero bars and rode on my deep dish rolfs.

jfmckenna, are you going to racing in VA over the summer?

Good for you spazegun! I'm thinking about doing a local TT in May. This would be my first time doing any road racing. I tried a MTB race for the first time last fall. The TT is part of a 2 stage event. TT in the morning and a Road Race (RR) in the afternoon.

Congrats again!

Ross,

You did a great job is some rough wind. Didn't seem like much at first but as you know the boost on the turnaround showed differently. The first TT is the worst. Everything is new. New level of effort, new course, just plain new. Yesterday was my first TT, and first race, in 4 years it was a nice reminder of how much I had lost in that time period. You will be shocked at how the Thursday night ride feels easier now. You have pushed the envelope of what you thought your body could do as far as effort, and you will see a new level from here out.

See you either on Tuesday or Thursday.

Dave

Yup, congrats, Ross, for a good ride. That wind was a real *****. If yesterday was any indication of your capabilities, I think the Hautians will have a much stronger group.

Jamie

I'm still in IN, but come june I'll by flying rose colors in VA. I cant wait to start doing crits in DC, that will be a blast!

As for the setup, i put on a pair of profile design aero bars and rode on my deep dish rolfs.

jfmckenna, are you going to racing in VA over the summer?
Yes I will be racing this summer. Mostly in NC though b/c those events are actually closer for me to go to. I am debating weather or not to do the Wintergreen TT. They said it has a 20% grade at some point sheese thats rough. I may go just to see that! Unfortunatlly there is not a whole lot going on in western VA so I have to drive and get hotels ect... Gets kind of expensive.

thanks guys, I'm glad i went and didnt sleep in ;) i think I'm ready to ride this thursday!

What!?! It's only 7 miles... how bad can it be? ;)

I'm gonna be there. Pre-rode it yesterday... it's definitely gonna hurt.

How was it? I decided not to go...

How was it?
I was right... it hurt! ;) I finished just under 46 minutes, probably the worst of anyone in our club that turned out. The best time was under 34 minutes... it boggles the mind.

It was way different than anything I've done, so I thought I'd try to put up a ride report in the next couple of days... stay tuned.

ok cool. I think the record was 35 min some seconds so it sounds like someone beat it this year?