Hermes

The good news is I am officially racing age 60. When I registered, I got to write it down on the waiver and it felt great.

In preparation for the Berkeley Team Time Trial next Saturday, I participated in a practice individual time trial organized by one of my racing club members with the proceeds going to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. We had over 100 riders raising more than $2,500. In the individual aero time trial men’s category (all ages), I placed 40 out of 48 with a 27:44 (my best time). The winning time was 23:10. The fastest 2 man team was 22:02. Overall taking into account men, women, teams and the Merckx category, I was 65 out of 103 or the top 2/3 of the entire field. There were two men who came in ahead of me at 27:43 – seconds count.

In addition to the men, we had ITT women, juniors and teams. We also include a Merckx (non-aero men and women) category so that riders can compete on their road bikes. BTW, we allow all forms of technology including recumbents and tandems.

I have been training on my TT bike at our cycling gym but this was the first full out effort this year on my TT bike. My training has focused on power building / hill climbing and now we are working on speed as well as the track. It was interesting to see what effect, if any, the track workouts would have on my road racing. At the track, I have been practicing standing starts plus doing a lot more sprinting and shorter intense efforts. I think the track work really helped my start and turnaround.

Since Velodiva had a medical procedure, she did not race but helped out. However, after the TT, Velodiva and I went on a 40 mile ride.

Next week is Berkeley team time trial which Velodiva and I will race on our tandem. The week after that is the Madera Stage race consisting of a crit followed by an ITT on Saturday and a 50 mile road race on Sunday. We are both entering.

Here are some pics.

The 9.7 mile course elevation profile. It is an out an back course with a cone turnaround.



Sign up table.



Warming up. I started my warmup (not pictured below) about 45 minutes before my starting time of 7:45 AM.



Staring line. For this race our starter was Christine Thorburn who raced on the 2008 USA Olympic road team in Beijing. Her specialty is the time trial where she placed 5th in Beijing.



This is me right after the start. I thought I got a very good start. The temperature at the start was approximately 48 degrees overcast skies with very little wind.



The finishing climb.



This is one of my 55+ team mates finishing who did a 25 and change time.



Here I am at the finish line.

Velodiva

And the bad news is Hermes' official racing age is 60. I read the Title and my first reaction was "You're not 60+" and then OMG I realized that is correct! I can't get used to it. But the alternatives are not pretty. The really good news is Hermes' personal best, especially this early in the season. Congrats! As the saying goes, like fine wine, just keeps getting better with age. This is such a fun event and a great cause. I am sorry that I was not able to compete yesterday but I had fun helping out with registration and meeting everyone. But, no fear, I'll be back racing next weekend with Hermes on the tandem.

Mojo Slim

Those devils who set out the course made you end with a climb! Not fair! Good going. And thanks for representing we 60+ers in such a fine manner.

cgallagh

Congratulations on the effort there big boy. As ME said, it is early in the season, time for a lot more improvement. Glad to hear your medical condition was not going to wreck your season there ME.

I start working about 90 to 100 hrs a week for the next 35 days so my riding will only be whatever time I get on the trainer in my office during what some would call lunch.

That will only give me about 6 wks to get in shape for Dunlop and Satley.

Good luck in the Stage Race.

maddmaxx 

Great racing report. I must admit though that I never thought of moving into 60+ as good news....

Beverly

Nice report, Hermes

I look forward to the race reports from you and Velodiva this season.

Hermes

Hey, look at the alternative. BTW, turning 60 puts me into the 60 to 65 age bracket for races that have age brackets such as District Championships, Nationals and Worlds. So I just "aged up" a category.

Red Rider

Well done! That bike makes you look fast.

See you next week at Berkeley.

Allegheny Jet

Nice job Hermes. Thank you for the "time standard" when I begin my outside road intervals. I'll finish those painful tempo intervals thinking that if Hermes can do this so can I. Now that you've moved up an age group you'll improve even more from training and also from your competitors attrition.

I almost did my first race of the season last Saturday. I had everything ready the night before but on Saturday AM the revised weather forecast called for a high of 27 degrees with 15 to 25 mph winds. I felt guilty, about not racing, but I did get out and ride a hilly 44 miles just to simulate the punishment I missed.

jppe

Outstanding.You've gotten in some really terrific training the last few months and it will pay off in leaps and bounds this spring.

Hermes

Thanks...the bike looks great but the wheels really add to the fast look. Let's hope it does not rain on Saturday.

Attrition is a thinning of the heard by removal of the weak. Those that remain are very strong riders / competitors. BTW, my wife and I grew up on the west side of Cleveland and went to school at Cleveland State University. We have vivid memories of Ohio winters. I would have bagged it also.

Thanks...we have spent the months of October through December power training which means building functional strength which we hope to covert to functional power later this year. Building the engine is very difficult and for a sport that is relatively simple (compared to golf), it requires massive amounts of time and focus to improve plus the ability to suffer a lot. At least at golf, the time and focus is immense as well but the suffering is less - at least physical suffering.

Well, I am glad you think so and that is all that matters.

Thanks for the kudos. Well, we consider this a flat TT course although we could run it in the other direction. Of course the beauty of an uphill finish is it adds further separation of the times with the stronger riders looking even better. Next week's Berkeley Team Time Trial finishes up a 8% one mile climb causing riders to finish 800 feet higher than they started.

Red Baron

Good job hermes - i have a TT in 2 weekd. Been training hard. I'm 61. Am racing with 45+ year olds. Closest guy to me in age is 47 0BTW- Your bike is NICE!!!!!!

Hermes

Thanks and good luck. Is the TT in the US of Cebu?

Cone Wrench

In a time trial, are you allowed to scout out the course? It seems to me on a course like that you would want to plan your strategy. Or does strategy play any part at all in a TT? Do you just go flat out until you puke?

Hermes

Yes, you can scout / pre-ride or practice on the course (and should) but generally you are not allowed on the course the day of the race once the race commences. In a time trial, I have a tactical plan to manage energy over the course. Since this one starts out going downhill, and then retraces the path uphill, I try to conserve some energy and use more on the second half.

The other general concept is what is called a negative split. That is when on even a flat windless course, you split the course into two or three parts and use less energy at the start and increase it as you progress along the course. It seems to produce a faster time for some racers.

Puking...I have not nor have I seen anyone puke at a time trial or at the track. IMHO, it seems more like bike forum lore / BS, drinking the night before and poor conditioning / eating habits that cause it.

BengeBoy 

Speaking of vomiting (what a way to hijack a thread...), I had to give one of our dogs Syrup of Ipecac last night because something some idiot (that would be me) let him get into by accident.

While waiting for the medicine to "take hold," I was amused/horrified to learn that YouTube is filled with videos of young people (mainly boys) filming each other drinking Syrup of Ipecac and waiting for the "results" to appear.

Back to the bike race...