TT 2012, sub-30 and a new PR

Okay, it has been about a month since the second TT.  If you remember, I did PR the first one with a 30:21 @ 23.33 MPH (for 11.85 miles).  I was also the first person about 30 minutes and the first person beaten by Donna (fast girl from the coast).

This time I arrived at the starting line on time.  We would line up in reverse order from our previous time (slowest to fastest).  As we were lining up I knew Donna would be right behind me.  I also knew that she was 26 seconds faster than me from the previous TT.  We stagger the start every 30 seconds.  I knew that she would be on my tail.

I had a strategy. I was going to use the Virtual Racer on my Garmin watch.  I have used the Virtual Partner (I call it my Virtual Nemeses) many times in running racers.  The Virtual Partner will run even splits.  This is great on a flat course but he will not slow down up hills.  It is simply an even pace.  However, since I had PR’d the TT and recorded the event with my Garmin I was able to load the event as a course.  I could now race against myself!  It will be in ‘real time’ and not just an even split.

I started out on the ride at a measured pace.  Quickly the nemesis got the jump on me.  What?  I struggle to even keep pace.  But I remained calm and waited for my legs to come back.  It was a hard effort but I was maintaining my previous speed.  I had done some quick math and I ‘needed’ to gain 20+ seconds from the previous ride.  I rounded up to 24 seconds (2 seconds a mile).  At the turn around I was not even close.  I was maybe a second or 2 faster – still a PR but not where I wanted to be.

On that back section I pushed hard and just on the edge.  I started to gain some time.  The only numbers displayed on my Garmin was the amount of time ahead (or behind).  I was not looking at speed or heart rate or anything.  The seconds ahead started to slowly increase. 

When I crossed the line I had given everything and I knew that I have achieved victory.  I had been chasing the sub-30 TT for a couple of years.  The bike set up was exactly the same.  In fact, all equipment was exactly the same.  This meant that I was truly faster than previous attempts (or at least I paced better).

I finished this TT with a new PR with a 29:46 @23.78 MPH.  Donna still beat me (she was 17 seconds faster).

So, for year to year results, I cut down my TT time from 30:32 to 29:46 (46 seconds and 0.6 MPH faster).

Second TT results can be found here.

TT 2012, new PR!

The first TT of the summer took place last Saturday.  Sure, I have ridden the TT course dozens of times this summer but they have usually been some combination of 30 minute repeats or combined with bricks.  Also, Saturday was the first time that I brought out the race bike.

The race bike has been mothballed since October (the Mighty Magnolia).  My cycling mileage is constant year over year but all mileage has been on the road bike.

Friday night I put my race wheels on the race bike.  The bike had been hung up with no wheels on it at all.  I puffed the tires up on the HED 3’s.  The bike still had the race number on from last year. 

I was not sure if I would be able to maintain an aero position for the TT.  30 minutes and change is a long time in a foreign position.

I had read the emails and set the alarm.  I got up early for the 7:00AM start – I rolled out of bed and down the street at about 6:40AM.  This would give me a few minutes to try the aero position and do a brief warm up.  I thought a few all out efforts (I call them striders in running).  I coasted down the hill and saw Raland, Butch and Matt.  They said I could have a go if I wanted to.  I’m sure I looked confused.

I got the time wrong.  The TT started at 6:30AM.  All of the riders were already on the course.  I stammered and said give me a minute.  I road towards Jackson Station for about 15 seconds and turned around.

I pulled up to the starting line.  I was offered a standing start (they would hold the bike while I was clipped in.  I declined.  I just clipped 1 pedal in and asked them to tell me when to go.  They counted me down and I took off.  I immediately lost a second or two fumbling with clipping in.

I have been riding with a power meter since October of last year.  I race wheels do not have a power tap.  This ride would be like all of my other time trials, by heart rate.

I started hard (but not too hard) and tried to keep everything at a slow boil.  Since I started about 10 minutes after everyone, the trace in my direction was empty.  At the turn around I think I was about 3 miles behind the last rider.  There were no carrots dangling in front of me and no one behind chasing.  I am not saying that would have made a difference, but I can be quite competitive.

This July (2012) compared to last May (2011) – disregard the calories.

I was 11 seconds faster (from 30:32 to 30:21).  This is a new PR for me!  The only think to note is that last year my heart rate average was 176 (MAX 187) and this year it was 172 (MAX 184).  Pretty close but … but I might have a touch more in the tank.  By a touch, I mean I really want 21 seconds!!!

I had planned on riding with the Roadie’s (Butch, Raland, Matt, etc.) after the TT.  I met them at 8AM at Jackson Station.  We went off and a sedate, relatively easy pace.  My legs were aching.  I knew that I would not be able to hang once the pace picked.  I turned tail and tail and decided to ride my own ride.  I rode an easy 25 miles.  Sometimes I actually surprise myself! It was a very good decision! 

Full results can be found at: http://hubcitycyclist.blogspot.com/2012/07/july-tt-2012.html .

My last years TT report can be found at: http://www.powermultisport.com/2011/05/time-trialing-in-mornings.html

Time trialing in the mornings

Tuesday morning brought out the B-team plus a couple.  It was time for our annual TT.  We have a fixed route that just happens to be right next to my house.  It is an 11.8 mile out and back on the trace.  The out portion is slightly uphill and, well, the back is slightly downhill.  There are no hills and only one rarely travelled intersection on the route. 

The Race of Truth

I take these TT’s seriously.  I bring the big guns and I do not hold back.  I found out about the TT on Saturday.  It fit right into my training plan.  I have started to take a rest day on Monday’s (I just did some strength training – not complete rest but a very light day and nothing on the legs).  I started to prep my bike on Monday evening.  My front derailleur has not shifted since last year.  It is not something that I worry about since we don’t have many hills.  And if I am out looking for hills I am probably with a group and on my road bike.  So I started to investigate the front derailleur issue.  I noticed that it was really a cable issue and after quite a bit of WD-40 and some persuasion I was able to get it to start moving.  However, while reinstalling the derailleur the compromised cable snapped.  The derailleur was not is a position that only allowed me to use the small ring.  I went ahead and took it off.  I had thoughts about making a chain holder but after a few trials on the trainer I was confident that the chain would stay in place.

I aired up my race wheels and dusted off my aero helmet (including getting the sticker off).  The bike was ready to go but I was not sure about my legs.  This past weekend I had done back to back bricks on Saturday and Sunday.  The bricks were not huge but the the heat was back on in Southern Mississippi.  I had been in Boston for the prior week with lows in the 50’s and highs in the low 70’s.  During the bricks the bikes were not bad but the run was brutal.

I got up around 5AM for the TT.  It is a short ride to Jackson Station from my house.  The sun had just started to light the trace by 5:30AM when I left the house.  I arrived to met the guys right at 5:45AM.  Lance and Raland were pumping up there tires.  Before it was all said and done we had most of the B-team crew plus 3 others.

We did a few light warm up and then we made out way to the start line.  The temperatures were in the 70’s and the humidity was high.  My jersey was damp just sitting there on the bike.

In the past we had started at about 30 second intervals but today we decided on 1 minute.  The normal routine is slowest first.  Robin and I were fighting for the right to start first.  Robin won and I started second with Raland behind me.

Now, time trials are a skill.  You have to start out hard but keep everything in check.  It is very easy to go out too hard and have nothing left.  I have gotten much better at this over the years.  It is something that is hard to practice – they hurt.

I think I nailed it this time.  I went out hard.  I though about giving up a couple of times.  I thought I was going to blow up.  I did not want to be passed by Raland.  I kept at it. 

Then my legs came on and I just got into the zone.  My breathing was labored.  I concentrated on the rhythm and just kept the pistons firing.  Although it is not the best indicator, especially in such a short session, I was monitoring my heart rate.  That and cadence were the only attributes that I was looking at.  I kept the heart rate at the upper end of my very hard effort.  Towards the end of the out portion I could see Robin up ahead.  It was along ways but I could see him.

I clicked off a lap are the turn around point.  It was in the high 15’s.  I know that the back half is a little quicker.  I did some quick math in my head.  Often times when I do math at intensity it does not make any sense when I am at normal speeds.  It must be that whole Einstein relativity thing.  But I knew that I needed to be about a minute quicker on the back half to be even with last year.

This was going to be tough.  Raland and I crossed paths just after the turn around.  It was hard to gauge whether or not he was gaining on me.  I did not want to be passed.

I kept the intensity up.  My concentration started to wane somewhere around the beaver pond.  I got back on the gas and pushed harder.  My heart rate was creeping up to the stratosphere.  It was in a range that it just does not get on the bike.  My jaw was slack.  I could feel the saliva stringing from my mouth.  I did not bother to wipe it away.  I was pushing hard but I felt smooth.  I felt solid.  I kept concentration on my rhythmic breathing.  It was labored but I only had minutes to go.  I knew that the faster I went the sooner it would be over.  There are mileage markers on the trace.  I have marked the Steam Whistle the past couple of years.  The Steam Whistle is a 12k out and back race.  This is my course – my home turf.  I know all of the distances.  With 2k to go I kicked it up a notch.  I did not have much but I gave all.  I was just trying to hold on with 1k to go.  I crossed the line.  I hit stop on the Garmin and coasted down.  I did not catch Robin.  Raland did not catch me (to be fair, Raland has become a HOSS on the bike and had 130 miles in his legs from the past couple of days and Robin will always run away from me). 

But for my TT, It was the best that I have ever done!

I rolled to a stop and got off the bike with shaky legs.  I walked the bike back to the finish line and waited for the others.  My watch had me at 30:32.  The out was 15:44 @ 22.5 MPH and the back was 14:48 @ 24.0 MPH (23.2 average).  That is my best by 8 seconds.  I am pleased with the effort (never take a PR for granted).  Those are an important 8 seconds to me.

We have decided to keep these TT on a month basis – a series if you will.

 

The current leader board is as follows (MPH was calculated using 11.8 miles as the course distance):

Sam    - 28:20 @ 24.98
Ed     - 29:23 @ 24.09
Keith  - 29:31 @ 23.98
James  - 30:32 @ 23.18
Raland - 30:33 @ 23.17
Robin  - 31:30 @ 22.47

Of special note – Keith was on a road bike and I was the only one wearing an aero helmet.

Swimming - 2 a days

I am down 5 pounds year to date: 13resolutions

I did get that trainer bike ride Time Trial in last night. Not the best workout but I am glad I did it. I warmed up for 3 miles (a little less than 10 minutes) and then did a 5 mile time trial. I tried to maintain my heart rate between 160 and 165 beats per minute. This is challenging but not too hard. I was dripping sweat by the time that I finished. I wrapped up with a 2 mile cool down. Nothing ground breaking but it was completed.

I had a 1 hour swimming session scheduled for today. An hour in the pool is difficult for me to complete. Not the the actually swimming but just the block of time. I was not successful in climbing out of bed early enough to get the hour swim. However, I am please that I decided to get up and do what I could. I put in 1500 yards this morning - 250 warm up, 10 x 100 work set and 250 cool down.

To complete the hour I got back in the pool at lunch. I just did 6 x 250 yards (with 30 seconds rest). I'm not fast but I am making progress. The times are noted below.

1. 4:15
2. 4:21
3. 4:19
4. 4:23
5. 4:23
6. 4:21

I also did strength training. ** Note to self - bench press after swimming is not the best idea. ** I'll be smarter next week. The training plan for tonight calls for an easy 45 minute bike.

COLD OWS swimming - maybe...

Jim gave me a call Friday night and said that the local FFN (Hudson's) had wetsuits. I asked if they were triathlon specific and of course they were not. But the price was right. Headed over to FFN Saturday afternoon to have a look around. I walked and walked around the store but could not find anything that resembled wetsuits. They had the all usual 'stuff' - coffee makers, books, cheap clothes and now even fishing poles. I asked several people working there and finally I found the wetsuit rack. They had my size. For $50 this might get me out into the lake a couple of months sooner and allow me to stay out a couple of months longer.

I tried the suit on when I got home and it fit like a glove (body glove, no doubt). I wore it for about 5 minutes and this suit is hot. It really traps the heat in!

So I have been riding the trainer quite a bit in the mornings before work. Every ride is a race or time trial. I am going to have to schedule some base mile rides or recovery rides, but right now I am enjoying setting my benchmarks.

I ran on the treadmill at lunch on Monday and did not fare as well as I would have liked. I tried to maintain my projected fantasy 1/2 marathon pace ( 13.1 miles @ 6:53 pace ). Cardio wise I was feeling pretty good even though my heart rate was starting to creep above 170 beats per minute. The legs were heavy. I would like to run the majority of the 1/2 marathon in the high 160's ( like right at 168 ). I finished the run at 30 minutes for 4.25 miles. Not what I wanted. Having to take a huge break from running has really set me back. The cycling is doing well but I have the Gulf Coast 1/2 marathon the Saturday after next ( November 29 ). This is going to prove to be a challenging race - both physically and mentally. Chad and Vic worked me over with a vengeance with the medicine ball - I think they were trying to break me on the ab bench. I really felt my core today!

Hit the trainer this morning for a 10 mile time trial - dead flat course. I kept my heart rate below 165 and was able to clock a 27:30 for an average of 21.82 MPH. Yes, this is on a trainer and indoors but the exertion and times seem very realistic.

Tuesdays and Thursdays have become lap swim days. At lunch I got a good 1500 yards. Chris is feeling ill and Laura had to prepare for a meeting. I generally prefer a group swim to keep me motivated - it can be really tough for me to put in the time swimming laps. The swim felt good and I was strong throughout. Not a bad day in the pool. I did not miss the 50 or 100 yard intervals.

Ballroom dance class tonight - this will be the first class for Jodie and I. It is class 3 of 5 so we will have some catch-up to do.

Running ragged

Have really stepped the running up this week in preparation of the half marathon at the end of next month. Rode the bike in Monday morning. It was brisk and although I did not time the ride I feel that it was rather fast. I have made this mistake before - time trialing every ride. There is no recovery for the wicked. I had to stop timing the rides - I always tried to beat the last one. Not doing that anymore, but the ride was fast!

Decided to increase the time on the "alpine trail" treadmill run for Monday. Max 8.5 MPH with an incline of 12 units (units because I really do not know what it measures but 15 is the highest) for 40 minutes. This comes out to a very challenging 4.5 miles in 40 minutes at near constant incline. There is no decline on the treadmill just less incline. After the first hill the flat section at 8.5 MPH gets you going.

Ran home from work in the afternoon (6 miles). It was a steady pace and felt good. Saw Lance out on the trace on his bike. We slowed and we chewed the fat a bit. He rehashed and relived the recent Heritage Triathlon. I was jealous of his war stories - I missed this race. It is always hard to talk to someone on a bike when you are running. At even the slowest pace on a bike you are trying to keep up on foot. We talked for maybe a mile and I was wearing down.

That gave me 10.5 miles for the day. Not too bad. Since I left the bike at work I knew - and was prepared - to run back into work in the morning.

Another brisk morning so I wore some light gloves and a log sleeve technical shirt under a cycling jersey. I was dressed just about right. For fun I pushed the pace when I encountered the dots. Not a fast pace but I did pick it up a bit.

Saw a guest lecturer at lunch so no workout. Still have to run or ride home - have not made my mind up yet but I have nearly 30 miles in 3 days. I like to push it when I feel it but sometimes I need to temper myself.

Christmas in October

Monday I decided to run into work and follow the good vibes from Sunday. (Jodie had taken a supply of clothes to her lab to help facilitate this.) Why not another fast paced run near LT. I put on my headphones and headed out the door. I did the 6 miles in a not near record pace (43:3x - record is about 42:0x - a pretty big difference) but acceptable considering the lack of recent purposeful training. I have been maintaining fitness but not actively improving.

At lunch, still getting back to the plan, I hit the treadmill for hard forced intervals. I had planned on a 1 mile warm up followed by 3 miles of 1/4 mile intervals @ 6 min / mile pace (1/4 REST @ 8 min / mile pace) and then a 1 mile cool down.

I ended up doing only 3/4 mile warm up and no cool down. The intervals went fine. I can run these faster but not willing to push the pace at this point in the training. The Gulf Coast 1/2 mary that I am now officially signed up for is just 6 weeks away. That will give 5 week of concentrated training. I have not really picked a plan yet (I have been looking at the end of a challenging full mary plan) but I know the routine. I hope to do well in this 1/2 mary because I will use the pace to develop the training plans for the rest of the year.

I rode the bike into work this morning. With all of the travel and late nights at work, etc. I have not ridden the bike much. I also push the bike too hard in the commute - these should be easy miles but they are not. From house to campus, stowing the bike and getting clothes and making my way to the locker room in just under 30 minutes. The bike is still the fastest way to work and considering the construction around town that now includes taking a shower.

Tuesdays are the 'Dot Race' and as always they are exciting. Vic has been on a roll and continues to drop big blocks of time for his handicap. He started just a few weeks ago with a 8:30 minute mile and today clocked a 6:55. Huge gains in time. Chad has come down to a 6:30 minute mile and has plateaued a bit - he has been nursing a strained quad. I was able to better pace myself this week and watched the quarter mile markers and was able to keep my heart rate under control. Challenging but not out of control I clicked off 1:30 1/4 mile splits and was then able to push it to a 1:24 for the final leg of the mile. I passed Chad in this segment but Vic was too fast today. With the new handicaps next week Vic will have to continue to put up big numbers.

I decided to run a bit further and hooked up with Ryan. We ran about 3 more miles in and around campus at 8 min / mile pace. Total running miles today was 6.

Pent up and full of energy I surged repeatedly on the bike commute home. I would slow down for Jodie but we have always agreed to not race home. To better expend this tension I rode a good portion of the ride standing on the cranks in the largest gear.

Still wound up I decided to drop the backpack off and do a early evening time trial. I was not sure if I was going to do the 11.85 mile (home to Epley) or the 20 mile (home to Sumrall) time trial out and backs. My heart rate monitor was not registering and I probably pushed the pace a little hard so I decided to do the shorter of the two. Funny enough I finished in exactly the same time as my PR for this course (achieved on 07/31/08). 32:10 @ 22.10 MPH - however, I have not been riding much the past few weeks and this ride has brought on the 'Santa Claus Syndrome'.

Mind and body better I called it a night.

50 Time Trial

Slept in today - I was not able to organize a group swim, bike, run so just did my thing. Jumped on the bike a little before 9AM. Set a good pace for a 50 mile ride. It just so happens that 50 miles is exactly from my house to Bassfield and back.

I took a bottle of water and a diluted bottle of sports drink. I also grabbed some sports drink powder for the return trip. I made good time(2:26 or just over 20 MPH.) This include the one stop (about 4 minutes) to refill the water bottles.

I immediately followed up the ride with a BRICK. I always have visions while on the bike of nailing the run. I think that I'm feeling pretty good and maybe I will run 10 - 12 miles. Try to do my own 1/2 iron dualthlon. This never happens. I even tried to pace myself. I always just try to do a mile and I know that my pace will pick up. After the first mile today I was just out of gas. First mile in 8 minutes (not too fast) and then I walked a minute and ran back to the house. A total of 2 miles in about 17:30. I've had better BRICK sessions - I'll keep working on this!

Prior to the ride I had adjusted my saddle up about 2mm and forward maybe 4mm. I'm still looking for that sweet spot - the spot that was the most comfort and power. Right now I am just guessing. I need to do a better evaluation, maybe put the bike on a trainer with a power meter or some other type of quantitative measure.

Going to try to swim in the morning but there is a chance of thunderstorms.