Today, this was a practice for Sunday's time trial race. The object was to ride today in a higher gear in the big chain ring the entire way, attacking the hills and never really resting on the ride. Lower cadence, less spin...bigger gear and bigger speed the plan. This is contrary to all my basic training, but it is what my coach said will need to be done if I am going to flirt with averaging 20 mph in a rolling hill 40K TT at the State Championships Sunday.
It hurt.
I have not felt burning in my weak legs at the end of the ride like that since my early days of cycling. I forced myself to get out of the saddle for at least 12 rotations at a time from mile 21 on, just to keep the speed up near 20. Throw in a nasty little headwind all the way back, and I was pinning the suffer meter. But now I at least know what it will feel like to suffer Sunday when I need it toward the end. I know what it will feel like to have to reach down deep and push, physically and mentally.
It ended up an 18 mph ave. ride, which in fact is a
PR for me alone on this route. It was no easy task with the wind in my face all the way back in today.
Now, the question is...will I be able to pick that pace up under race conditions Sunday?
1. I will warm up on my trainer on site, so that should help me get off to a little faster start than today. I usuallly take about 5-6 miles to wake up on a bike.
2. I won't have all the traffic/intersection stops at the race like I had today on my training route. Will that add up to hitting 20 mph ave. in the race? Who knows, but for some reason I have that as a goal for the event.
Rest on Saturday and then here goes nothing...my first TT ever Sunday morning. (Unless it rains!)