Indiana North Stage Race--Time Trial

The course was the same as the RR except that we turned left near the entrance to the campground and rode back into the recesses of the park. The wind was still blowing up the back stretch and the trees blocked the wind from making a tailwind on the front stretch and the spur after the second corner.

I spent my hour or so of a break between races getting congratulated, drinking OJ, fiddling with my TT gear, changing a tire, and fixing a bee sting. I only had about 10 minutes to sit before getting a short warmup. Thanks to Ken and Cindi for allowing us the use of their shade tent, trainers, tools and knowledge.

The race was a bit of a mess too. I started hopped up into the trailer about 1-2 minutes before my start and waited nervously. My start was good and smooth just like last year. Even without much practice. JoMay started 30 seconds ahead and as I approached her, there were to vehicles trailing her close by without passing. I had to ride in the left lane on the outside of the curve to avoid drafting the cars and I soon passed them. Backside of the course was just a blur as I cut the corners to make up for missed time and that also kept those cars behind until a long enough stretch of straight road.
When I reached the first curve, there was a truck sitting at the corner right in the apex of the corner! The worst thing was that as I neared the corner, they were creeping into the intersection and I had to slow way down.

I launched out of the corner and headed down the front stretch once again trying to make up time. I nailed the second corner with out slowing and I pedaled the whole way through. The rest of the course was filled with short rollers on som really bumpy road. Cutting the corners was complicated by the returning riders who had already completed their TT.

The nicest thing was seing an orange cone through the trees and that's when I emptied out everything I had left.

I ended the race really tired, but I recovered quickly enough to feel like I didn't go hard enough.

I rode with no HR monitor or computer so I was surprised to end up with an 11:18 for the 5 miles! I didn't feel like I was turning the pedals over quick enough, but aparently I did.

I was surely marked

Apart from some gusty 20+ mph winds and unseasonably warm temperatures that approached the mid-80's, this was a decent day for a time trial. This race course was flat with the exception of a few minor rises in the road, but the event was quite unusual because a) it was only 5 miles long instead of the typical 25 miles, b) it started down a ramp from inside a trailer, and c) it took place almost right after the RR was finished. The route followed the identical 3-mile loop through Tippecanoe State Park as the RR except for a left hand turn about half way to the finish which some riders missed when the corner marshal became distracted.

Since this was only my third ride ever on this TT bike and the very first one with a smaller chainring (thanks Joe Nitro, Joe Rocket, or whoever you are!) and new wheels, I looked at the race mostly as an opportunity to test out the equipment (thanks so much to Ken Hart for adjusting my FD at the last minute!) and to test my fitness level compared to last year. After losing time by fumbling through the start, having my left foot coming unclipped during the acceleration out of the saddle, and starting out too fast, I ended up in 6th place out of 10 women with a time of 14:17 (~21 mph average speed). The fastest time posted in the women's division was in the low 13 minute range (just under 23 mph average) and the slowest were in the 15 min+ range. Despite my mediocre time, I was pleased to learn that my fitness hadn't deteriorated as much as I had thought during my extended winter hibernation.

Before the TT Joe Niccum asked me if I wanted to ride his bike. I told him no thanks, but I should have wagged my tail like the happiest puppy in the world and said really, really, can I please, please, please!

Instead I hurt real bad and even if I had used Rocket's TT bike I wouldn't have come close to his time!

Rocket gave me one big bit of huge advice before I started my dud of a bottle rocket. He told me to go to the point that it is really hard to breathe and hold it there the whole time trial! Easy for you to say, my body is closing the door after 15 sec sprint! I gave it my all what ever that was.