Race Report: Carnation Time-Trial Series #3

The race was today, and while I certainly didn't win it, I didn't get last either! Being in a mixed field (cat 1-5 all in the same TT) for my first real race was tough, I certainly can't hang with the folks with the race-tuned bodies and carbon-aero bikes. But my trusty steel Bianchi Eros (and smoker's lungs) got me to the finish line in a personal-best time of just over 43 minutes! (To put that in perspective, the winning time was I think 10 minutes faster)

This is the elevation profile of the TT course (that's big Tolt Hill at the beginning, a 10% grade for a mile):


Here are some pics of the event, held in Carnation, WA:

The parking lot - lots of expensive bikes and serious racers


And then there's me - out to have some fun:


Here I am starting: go! go! go!


I guess I started out a bit too hard, because half-way up Tolt Hill Road I felt the bonk coming on. My legs all of a sudden had nothing, at the exact worst time! Shit! I've done that hill five times and usually I felt strong going up.

When I started to slow down I got passed by the guy behind me, just about at the top of the hill. I didn't even have the energy to chase him; I knew I had to save something for later, since that was only the first hill of the race. I chugged on in hopes of not being passed yet again, but, alas, I was passed again. About five miles later I hear the whirr of a rider next to me, was greeted by 'nice day for a ride, eh?'. Indeed, it was a nice day, but it was a tough one for the ego too.

Here I am finishing in downtown Carnation:


The official results aren't out yet, but from the sheet I saw I got 24th (out of ~30) in the 20-40 age group, finishing with a time of roughly 43 minutes. My previous best on the course was about 45 minutes so I'm glad to have shaved off a few minutes. My average speed was something like 19.5 mph - not bad for a computer-geek!!

A big thanks to my 'support team,' Kira and Dennis - I couldn't have done it without y'all!!

Edit (6.5.2007): the results are posted! http://www.footworkscycles.com/June 2nd Final results.pdf

My official time was 43:47, and a finish of 25th out of 31 peeps in my division. At least now I know that one of the guys that passed me placed 7th!

140-mile weekend

Since a friend and I are doing the one-day STP this year (and we're dabbling in the local race scene too), I've been trying to pack on the miles, and keep the average speed up.

On Saturday I did the lakes washington and sammamish loop ride, and I averaged 18.5 mph on the 79 mile ride. Highway 900 in between Renton and Issaquah is my favorite part, you're totally in the country, and only 15 miles ride outside of Seattle! Who'd have thought you could see cows in a field so close to the city..

Here's the elevation profile of the two-lakes loop:


On Monday I rode out to carnation and back, and did the Tolt Hill climb twice, once going east, once going west. Going downhill on the 10% grade for a mile section, I hit 49 mph!! If only it was a longer descent, I could probably hit 50. The TT we're doing goes up the hill heading west, the hard way.

Elevation profile of the carnation ride:


The race is this Saturday, I'll certainly post how (bad) I did when it's all said and done. And here's the profile of the 3rd Carnation TT:

Testing the waters for the Carnation Time Trial

A friend and went out to Carnation last weekend to ride two of the time-trials that are being held. One's a flat 12 mile course, while the other is a 14.5 hilly course. I don't even have a friggin' time-trial bike so I'm not sure abou these races, but the hilly I might be able to do alright.

As a side-note, just as we got out of the car to unload our bikes, a jacked-up pickup drove by with what looked to be a redneck leaning out of the window, looking at us. Sure enough, as he rode by he yelled "Go back to Seattle, you ...." We couldn't make out the last part, but it was probably the ususal 'faggots!' remark often heard outside of large cities. What an introduction to Carnation!! The funny thing was that we were indeed going back to Seattle, while he's gonna remain in the sticks.

Anyway, the first course we did was more or less flat, and with the wind we only averaged 19 mph but that's not bad for us. The wind was tough though.

But the 2nd course includes Tolt Hill road, which is a 10% grade for one mile! This is probably the nastiest hill I've done, but having done the 22% block at 26th & E. Roy st on Capitol Hill it wasn't all that bad. The downhill is 9% for a mile, with some winding turns. Had to brake quite a lot since the turns were so sharp, but we maxed out at 42 mph!!

Check out the elevation profile for the hilly time-trial: (generated by veloroutes.org)


Yep, that super-steep climb in the beginning is the 10% grade; wow that was fun! Somehow we averaged 18 mph on this course, whic I'm sure is far under what the winning average will be.

Good country riding out in Carnation, but watch out for the country-folk, they're apparently vocal about their dislike of visitors on bikes.