Esparto Time Trial

Usually Chris comes along when I race, but this weekend he's up in the Sierra, flying his hang glider and having multiple airgasms. So I was on my own for this event.

A bit of history: 5 years ago Velodiva (Her Bikeforums.net name) did this race as her first bike race, and invited me along. I didn't own the Diva then, I was on my Specialzed Dolce Comp, so I borrowed a Fuji Pro carbon bike from the LBS. I bested V by 1:01 minutes -- huge shock to both of us.

Since then she's gone on to win District, State and National track championships in her age group (60-64). Last year she and Hermes went to Portugal for the Worlds -- I believe she was 2nd or 3rd in her division. To say that she's fast is an understatement. I admire and envy her. Someday I'd like to be that fast.

My training this season, especially since we bought the TT bike (aka Slice), has focused on this race as my peak race. And despite the inevitable setbacks (missing the last 40K TT practice, etc.) my plan has yielded results.

I started planning earlier in the week for what I was going to take with me, and envisioning my race, from the warm up to the event. I decided this year I was going to podium. I know I'm fast, I'm focused, and full of that New Jersey scrappiness that defies defeat. I checked my time from 2 years ago (the last time I did this race): 53:41. My best time was from '08, with a borrowed TT bike: 51:03.

Wednesday evening, after TT practice, I calculated the time I'd need to finish Esparto at 23.9 mph, my avg. time from practice: 45:33. That seemed daunting but I embraced it anyway. I also had a kind of mantra to help me cancel the negative thoughts I often get preceding a race. I sang it over and over from Thursday (when it first found me) and during the race. "Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better and better." It may seem corny; however, I'm my own worst enemy when it comes to psyching myself out. Just like a pointy helmet and a skinsuit give one an aerodynamic advantage, thus did my mantra give me a psychological advantage. So the negative thoughts were there but the mantra kept them from being in the forefront of my consciousness. That allowed me to recognize body stress and relax, and to stay fast and focused on my goal.

So last night I woke up a couple of times. OK, that's kind of normal. When I finally pulled myself out of bed I packed my stuff that I'd laid out the night before, ate my oatmeal, blueberries, chia & maple syrup (my regular breakfast), packed the extra bottles of water and Nuun and some dried figs and a Muscle Milk (light chocolate, my favorite) and actually left ahead of schedule.

Chris left his saddlebag and frame pump for me. But I couldn't find the skewer for the trainer. Crap. Not a good sign.

I got good parking, saw Hermes(Velodiva's husband) and Velodiva, got changed, pinned on my number (upside down), and started setting up the bike & trainer. Hermes, knowing I'm used to having a bike slave, came over to offer his services. He had a spare trainer skewer and saved my bacon. The guy who parked next to me fixed my number and loaned me his floor pump when my frame pump didn't cut it. Bacon saved again. Thanks, karma!


My warm up was full of distractions -- I wanted to log 10 mi. minimum before the race, and I had plenty of time to do that. I just couldn't stay focused. Those negative thoughts were creeping in...so I got busy with my mantra. It helped. I logged over 12 miles including riding the streets and showed up at the start with 2 minutes to spare.

And off I went, in a big gear, standing to get going fast. Into the wind for a couple miles, on rough, "slow" pavement, watching my speed be slower than I want, my cadence meter not showing rpms, my heart rate too high to maintain over 45+ minutes. My head is full of all this stuff as my legs go around and around and the wind blows and I'm thinking I should just give up because I won't be fast enough.

Then -- my mantra kicks in, I turn the corner to a quartering tailwind (wind from the NW, I'm headed east), I get my breathing right and work to maintain what speed I can. The pavement is rough, in aerobars it's teeth-chattering rough, and slow, and there are lots of repairs to ride around. It's wide open around me, the few prune and almond orchards are either below the road level or too far back to afford and windbreak.

My M.O. is to divide the TT into 3rds, and deliver negative splits. But when I hit 6 miles I can't really ramp up my effort as much as I want. The wind seems to have turned, my legs complain and feel heavy, my breathing is labored. I start to doubt my podium result. It's only 8 miles into an 18 mile ride and I'm whining like a baby. Why did I even bother to get out of bed?

Then -- mantra time, and rollers present. I speed up on the downhill parts. And I pass 4 of the 6 women who started ahead of me. Since we started at 1 min. intervals, and the woman in front of me no-showed, I had a 2-minute target out there. I zip around her and the others as though they were standing still, and because I hate being passed (very demoralizing, unless it's the district TT champ) I kept the pace high. I need the confidence-boost that passing people gives me to help me stay on target.

I slow too much for the turn-around but, dammit, there's gravel and dirt everywhere! Did no one think to sweep it? What's wrong with these people? Geez!

And hills, speed-sapping, pain-inducing, mantra-reciting hills -- 3 of 'em. Then drill, baby, drill, until I see the "5 miles to go!" sign. From there it's a countdown. My speed picks up, I feel like I own this course, made it my beeyotch, increasing speed as I go, a tenth of mile, then another and another, and when I see the "100 meters" sign I give the pedals everything I have. blowing like a racehorse across that line.

I rode on about 1/4 mi., then turned around. There was a small gathering of people just past the finish line, so I went back to see if I needed to be there. They were waiting for friends/spouses/SO's, so I had a conversation with a lady in my group before I turned and started my warm-down the couple miles back to the parking lot.

Velodiva passed me then, and her momentum carried her well past me, so I didn't catch up right away. When I finally caught her we chatted about the race. She passed everyone who started ahead of her but me. And she was worried that she wasn't fast enough to beat me. Even Hermes, who'd kept her apprised of my PCSD results, had reiterated, "She's scary fast."

As ego-gratifying as it was to hear those words, believe me, she'll eat my lunch any day. I held no illusions that I'd be faster than V -- in fact, my podium expectations were that she'd be first, I'd be 2nd or 3rd.

No results when I got back to the parking lot so I changed, drank a lot of water, the Muscle Milk, put Slice back into the car. It occurred to me again that normal people have no idea how much work it takes to be a mediocre bike racer. I stretched, talk to V & H some more, we agreed to meet at a Starbuck's in Vacaville for a caffeine infusion before their long drive back to the peninsula.

I walked over to the registration table as the results from the last few groups were posted. Holy crap! I crushed it in 49:11, good enough for second place! Of course V took first, a mere 59 sec. ahead of me. Third place was 1:00 behind me.

So we had a parking lot podium and showed off our T-shirt prizes (pics coming). I'm very pleased to have achieved my goal and end the season on such a high note. Life's great, mostly, and today it's especially sweet.

Pre-Race Psyche-Out

It's Friday. I have to be low-key until Sunday. My way of dealing with stress is to ride my bike, usually fast and over long distances, and I can't do that now.

So...what are my options?

Spending Friday evening with Chris enjoying Django Walker and Jerry Jeff Walker singing.

Taking an easy spin of 16 miles.

??? for Saturday.  I'm going to ride, and clean house, but the ride is the issue.

This is why I should have a coach: All my workouts would be programmed and ready to go.

Note to self: You're awesome, but get a coach!

PCSD 40K Update

I completed 3 of the 4 scheduled TTs. The last one, #3, I finished in 65:05.  That's about 10 min. faster than the first one, and about 9 min. faster than the second.  The training is obvious, and that we have a TT bike also makes a huge difference.

I had planned to do the last one but confused the date, and scheduled a buyer signing that night.  Yes, I was very cranky! I had to take a couple moments to get my attitude adjusted.

Overall, I'm happy that I've shown improvement on this series.  I hope it pays off on Sunday.

Racing Again (Finally)

Saturday was the Winters Road Race. 48.5 or so miles with 1990+ feet of climbing. It's flat, rollery, big hill, flat, repeat -- a 24 mi. loop. The 5s &4s did 2 loops, the 3s 3 loops, the P/1/2 4 loops.

During my warm up I identified my goal for the race (to bring honor and glory to the team as I was the only W4 racing), identified who I wanted to be ahead of, and at the very least to finish (two years ago I flatted).

I was comfortable in the pack from the start, and stuck with them, reeling in the few breaks that were attempted before the hill. When we were in the rollers before the serious climbing, where the road narrows, twists and turns, a moto neutralized us so the P/1/2s could pass. We went into single-file mode, and when I came around the corner found that a group had made a breakaway, and there was no way to catch them without killing myself.

So I hit the feed zone, grabbed a bottle from Chris, enjoyed the chalk messages & verbal shout-outs, and pressed on. I dropped more of my group on the steep parts and got pretty reckless on the downhill -- I ride these roads all the time and know them intimately. My thought was to take it faster than usual, since uphill traffic was controlled.  It was scary and thrilling to use the entire road for a change.

On the flats again I caught a couple women from my group, and the group of 4 of us worked well together, cheerleading, encouraging, taking strong pulls and keeping a steady wheel. One of my targets was in the group -- the other got off with the fast group.

Not surprisingly the rollers again separated us, and I rode about 5 miles on my own, including the feed zone and beyond and over the hill again. Screamed downhill again without holding back, emboldened by my desire to be ahead of everyone behind me.

I passed a lot of casual riders, some of whom didn't understand "on your left." So I hollered, "Don't move!" and that helped a lot to keep people in their places. One of the 3 of my previous group caught me and we worked together and she said she'd pull me for the sprint.

So suffering, speeding, feeling quad muscles trying to cramp, eating, drinking a 5-hr. energy drink, racing, we come to the 200 k sign, she does her best lead-out and I stand to sprint and voila! Legs got nothing! So I sat down and road across for I think 25th place of 50 riders. Still haven't seen official results.

I averaged over 19 mph for this ride, a PB for me. I knew I'd worked but wasn't so blown that I could ride 4 mi. for a warm-down and then attend a wedding and birthday party afterwards. Between events the compression tights and foam roller were my best friends.

I finished well ahead of my target, and 2 min. behind my other target (one of my TTT members), so I was pleased. That I finished ahead of some of the CAT 4 & 5 men was a bonus. *cheesy grin*

Unexpected Delights and Distractions

Friday night I came home to find Chris taking apart our television, and Meave telling him what to do via the Internet.

We had a party to attend in about 2 hrs., we didn't know what food we were taking, and as the tv was a mere 6 yrs. old, I wasn't prepared for it to die.

Evidently the heat-sync was going out, and as this tv is no longer made, there was no replacing it.  Good thing I won it and didn't pay for it -- I'd be pretty peeved about that.

So with the back off we watched the last 3 stages of the Tour de France. This morning the picture started to go -- indicating the heat sync's imminent demise -- we watched the end of the Tour (and what a fine ending it was) and decided not to try to keep it alive. We did some research, set a budget, and shopped.

If only it was as easy as unplugging the old and plugging in the new.

The roller stand needed to be cut down by nearly 3".  Chris figured it out and completed the task (with a little help from yours truly).  Then we tried several ways to connect it, all ending in a big fat fail.  We had to buy a special cord.  And voila!  It worked!

We still have to figure out how to hook up the stereo; in the meantime the tv stereo sound system works really well.  The picture is amazing.  I loved that we had that free tv for so long.  And I'm glad we upgraded.

That was the distraction.

The delight was having two challenging, fun rides with Chris this weekend.  Saturday we did a Gordon Valley loop on the tandem -- the headwind on the way out cut our speed down, but the tailwind on the way back made it worthwhile.  Our first tandem ride since July 4th; I'm out of practice -- that 42 mph downhill on new pavement on Gibson Cyn. Rd. reminded me of that.

Today we did the shop ride; 48+ miles in the small chainring, spinning and loving the company, the weather, the newly-resurfaced roads, all of it.

I chose to focus on the delights of the day, and use the distractions to reinforce why the delights are so vital to life.

A promise unfufilled

A couple weeks ago we met with some bikeforums.net and Twitter friends at Hellyer Velodrome, to participate in a Livestrong fundraiser. For $30 we could ride our road bikes on the track. I rode the Diva for the 200 m, the 500m, the kilo, the 2K, and finished well.  Then I rode the TT Fuji for the 3K. There were some issues with the lap counters that confused me but I managed to finish in 2nd place on the last ride.

I never thought I'd enjoy riding an oval over and over again, but the concentration suited me. I had a blast. I loved going from 110 bpm to 160 bpm, loved the focus, loved the result, and cannot wait to do it again. I got a rush from the track unlike any other.

This week I was elected to be my local Association of Realtors (TM) President Elect for 2012.  And I totally feel as though I deserve it now.  I'm fit to be the leader.

As long as I can continue competing and stretching my boundaries I can lead this group into new greatness. I can only  hope this group is ready for me.

Hello, Mojo, I've missed you

Thanks to the long weekend I had some amazing rides.

Friday I handled Internet -based real estate stuff early and squeezed in a ride, then wine-tasting at Nugget later/

Saturday I  drove to Auburn to ride with dauphin97, who had a challenging but not undoable ride in Auburn, Folsom, Auburn.  What a great ride!  I enjoyed the company and the climbing.  We rode to Folsom and experienced the holiday crowds w/o having to share the roads.

Sunday I rode with a couple relay team GFs as well as a couple non -running friends to the top of Cardiac Hill, a climb featured in the Amgen Tour of California. I got the QOM for the dam but not Cardiac.  I was happy feeling as though I had helium balloons attached to my bike (thanks for that, Jen!).

My problem was hanging on in the flats.  I need to work up to hanging on during the long, fast rides. Goal defined.