3 posts tagged “time trial”

This year has been my first stab at time trials. There is something funny about time trials. It's you against the clock, adrenalin flowing, plenty of agony and a constant battle in the mind to squash negative thoughts.

I have completed three time trials this year. The first one was around Coniston. There I learned that a standing start is tricky, that it's a bad idea to eat scampi and chips 30' before the start, cycling the route before the race is a good idea and that riding a time trial was like banging your head against a wall, it feels better when you stop.

My other two time trials were at Salt Ayre cycle track. 10 miles evening ride around the newly resurfaced track. Good atmosphere, great mix of age, skills and no option for getting lost. My time of 27'12 and 26'47 are a start and hopefully a good base for next year.

I am going to turn my attention to Lancaster Cycling Club's Hill Climbs (Conder Bottom and Jubilee Tower). These present an interesting challenge, are litterally next door to me and are organised at a convenient time after work. I timed myself this morning on Jubilee Tower for the first time and as expected it's not pretty at 12'. (the course record as set by Ben Greenwood stands at 7'22s!). My plan is to ride Jubilee tower regularly between now and 11th September.

For the first time ever I commute to work in Lancaster by car. I had no choice as I was in court interviewing for the day.  So today was full day's work. Nothing to say about that. I came back home by 17:30 chopped a few vegetables for the chili con carne I had in mind. I swapped the wheels and pedals to the better bike, ancelled the milk delivery until early September. I looked at the clock and abandonned the cooking to get ready for the last time trial of the year at the Salt Ayre time cycle track. I arrived with 30' spare to sign in warm up and drink well before the start. There was good mix of experienced time trialists, adults and youngsters.

I started first on the track. No idea whether it's an advantage or a disadvantage. The ride was hard and the legs felt heavy, big boggies / bodily fluids escaping along the way. About 5 miles in I was feeling so rough that the thought of packing came running through my head. I kept pushing on and eventually got it over and done with.

26'47s. 25s improvement over the first 10miles Time Trial.

Came back home relieved at slow steady pace and finished cooking the chilli:

Chilli Cooking

Chilli and Nachos

News from Japan: It's hot and great food, time diference is less of an issue and they are having a great time. Japanese is progressing well too. No. not mine... I am hopeless ;--)

Date             Distance         Course type       Weather conditions            Bike ridden               Time
03/7/08          10 miles        Salt Ayre Track           14C 9mph wind            Focus Cayo              27'12s

28/5/08          17 miles        Circuit of Coniston  Wet / no wind / 12C          Focus Cayo             51'20s

Salt Ayre Cycle Track 03 July 2008:
1st time trial on 10 miles. 27'12s. 12.5 laps of the recently renovated Salt Ayre cycle racing track in Lancaster. I stopped counting laps after 2 of them. Doh! Not ideal. Fun event with many youngsters from the Go-Ride club as well as older time trial types.

Next TT: first Thursday of August. I wil be joined by my 7 year-old daughter. She wants to have a go at the 2.5 laps distance. 

Circuit of Coniston 28 May 2008:
First time trial ever!

I rode the Circuit of Coniston after being convinced by my mate Allan to have a go. Coniston is a bout an hour away from home so I took a day off work and we tried to make most of the day. Picnic and a nice walk around Tarn House. Gorgeous. The girls enjoyed their day. (Beware of Tarn Hows midge. Nasty little things.)

Back on topic: This was unfamiliar territory to me. Not much scope to go off track even with my infamous orienteering skills: You keep on going left :-)

I survived the experience and I found it hard. Hard to judge how much effort to put in. Hard to judge what's coming next. Hard to judge whether to let yourself go on downhills if unfamilar with the course and in wet conditions.

I don't think I got the time trial bug yet but I am glad I tried one and I would not mind riding one again in the near future. As for improving on the above time, that will have to wait for one year. The circuit of Coniston time trials only run twice a year in May.