Last Indoor Time Trial

The last of the four indoor time trials was held this past Sunday at Club 51 in Centerville. Going into the event I had the fastest time of the year at 14:41, two seconds off my all time best set last February. While warming up I was told that earlier in the day another rider, Greg Tombragel, had ridden a personal best and new best time for the 2011-12 series at 14:34. I rode the Tour de Ky (225 miles in one day) and on to Gatlinburg the day after (another 115) with Greg last September. He's in his late 30's and a very strong rider, and I wanted to beat him.

My training over the last four weeks had been geared towards holding maximum wattage on the bike for 15-20 minutes efforts. My field test in mid-January (2x8 minute efforts, all out) were the best I had ever ridden with average power at 370 watts on each and about 3% higher than the last test in December. I'd have to hold close to 370 for 10k to get close to Greg's time.

The computrainers we use for this event always register higher power than my bike computer but I know when looking at the screen that shows where we are on the course along with speed,distance covered, along with current and average power where I need to be. I had my power at 388 watts average at about the one mile mark (about 368 on my bike computer) and held that until until the last .4 mile climb to the finish. At 14:15 I had 2/10 of a mile to go and at 14:25 I had 1/10. I hit the line at 14:35, a new personal best but 1 second off Greg's time.

When I teach my Time Trial Clinic I always mention that you don't want to end up one second from a new record or first place. On Sunday afternoon I didn't think I could have ridden any harder but seriously, one second!! I've already marked my calendar for next years first event of the indoor series on November the 18th.

In the meantime we'll start the 40k monthly series in March, the weekly 10 mile series from May through September (both to be held at the Cleves course), along with some of the Colavita Series, the state championship and possibly nationals in September in Bend, Oregon. I'll be racing in the 50-54 bracket for the first time but I don't plan on letting the younger riders catch me, yet.