7:55 PM | 
Posted by
Joe M. Owens
MOvember 2010 -- Final Update
13 years ago
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Musings at the Races: the Newbie Cat 4 bike racer sees progress
64 minutes and 54 seconds.
23.37 miles.
21.85 mph.
Had this post been written last summer and titled: "Musings of a Newbie Cat 5 bike racer," I'd be talking about my 4th place finish out of 15 in the Nebraska State Time Trial Championships today.
Alas, I've upgraded and must settle toward the bottom of my own category. Not last. But far from first.
But perhaps we should start from the beginning (of today).
Waking up the day of a race, one's first thought should never be, "Oh shit!"
The clock read 8:45 a.m. and the first riders took off at 9:30.
I quickly gathered what was left to be loaded into the car, devoured a granola bar and downed a half cup of coffee. By ten after 9:00, I was on the road, speeding toward Yutan, Nebraska.
Pulling into the parking area at 9:34, riders had already begun their race against the clock. I spot my teammate, Brandon, near the field house where registration was located.
"You better hurry, it might be too late," he says.
The lady at the table appeared to be just closing everything up as I jogged toward her table. She was very friendly and my tardiness in registering actually proved to be advantageous. I was slotted in dead last; the most coveted spot in time trialing.
You have a distinct psychological advantage going last. First off, you know what the pace is like from early finishers. It gives you a target to aim for. Secondly, there is no one starting after you who might catch you on the road and pass you. Demoralization is a kiss of death in bike racing. Because I was going last, I also had almost 40 minutes to warm up.
Coming in to this morning, I had a goal in mind of riding the 22 mile course in 65 minutes or less. As I'd find out later, not only did I achieve that goal, but the course turned out to be 1.37 miles longer than anticipated. Two birds; one stone.
While I was out on course, the very first thing I noticed was the wind was at my back, which meant I'd be heading directly into it during the 2nd half of the course. Nervous legs and adrenaline gave me a strong launch off the starting line and I knew early I needed to reel the effort in a little. Time trials are all about pacing.
I know that my threshold power is 261 watts, which is (or should be) the maximum amount of watts I can sustain for one solid hour. For just over the first 3 or 4 minutes, I was cruising along at just over 300 watts. This pace would surely fry my legs before the end of the race.
Working at just under threshold, you can maintain a good breathing rhythm without going into oxygen debt. My gearing combination proved to be somewhat finicky. I found myself going back and forth between two and wishing for one in the middle. I made it to the halfway checkpoint in 28 minutes and 41 seconds at 24.5 mph, a fairly blistering place for this newbie's legs.
However, I'd had the wind at my back for the first half and I knew the second half would be much tougher.
Immediately, my speed was scrubbed to just over 20 mph. The effort began to take its toll on my legs. Typically where I'd experience a burning in my lugs from going anaerobic, I was now feeling the lactic acid building up in my quadriceps and hamstrings. After making the 180 degree turn to head back, I spent more than a minute between 275 and 465 watts digging into the pedals to get back up to speed, a little too much above my threshold for my legs.
The burn was on.
For the next 10 minutes, I tried to ride inside my "sweet spot" zone which is 217 to 254 watts to try and ease the burn a little. I averaged 233. Every so often, I'd try to get back power back up to my threshold, but the combination of wind and my fast start was beginning to show in my effort. It began to prove more difficult simply riding in my sweet spot.
The other issue I'd forgotten about was the rollers toward the beginning of the course which were the only things standing between me and the finish. I tried different combinations of jumping out of the saddle to pedal and sitting in and grinding it out.
Before long I was rounding the last bend and trying to minimize whatever loss I might have accrued by this point as my speeds repeatedly dipped below 20 miles per hour. With the finishing cones in sight, I gave the pedals one last kick, eclipsing 300 watts and rolled across the line.
One hour, four minutes and fifty-four seconds. I'd beat my goal time by six seconds.
Only later when reviewing my power meter file did I realize I'd ridden an extra mile plus, making going inside my goal time even sweeter!
Having only been out of the Cat 5s for 3 races, I was eager to see where I'd place when their times were posted. It turns out I'd have been 4th. Not too bad considering the top 3 places were faster than the majority of the Cat 4 riders whose results would be posted next.
I had to search a little further down the page for my name on the 4s list. Third from the bottom to be exact. I'd beaten one person and tied with another, a teammate so I didn't feel too bad.
This Cat 4 newbie isn't there yet, but after today's effort, I don't think it will be long before he is... or, I am... whatever.
=)
23.37 miles.
21.85 mph.
Had this post been written last summer and titled: "Musings of a Newbie Cat 5 bike racer," I'd be talking about my 4th place finish out of 15 in the Nebraska State Time Trial Championships today.
Alas, I've upgraded and must settle toward the bottom of my own category. Not last. But far from first.
But perhaps we should start from the beginning (of today).
Waking up the day of a race, one's first thought should never be, "Oh shit!"
The clock read 8:45 a.m. and the first riders took off at 9:30.
I quickly gathered what was left to be loaded into the car, devoured a granola bar and downed a half cup of coffee. By ten after 9:00, I was on the road, speeding toward Yutan, Nebraska.
Pulling into the parking area at 9:34, riders had already begun their race against the clock. I spot my teammate, Brandon, near the field house where registration was located.
"You better hurry, it might be too late," he says.
The lady at the table appeared to be just closing everything up as I jogged toward her table. She was very friendly and my tardiness in registering actually proved to be advantageous. I was slotted in dead last; the most coveted spot in time trialing.
You have a distinct psychological advantage going last. First off, you know what the pace is like from early finishers. It gives you a target to aim for. Secondly, there is no one starting after you who might catch you on the road and pass you. Demoralization is a kiss of death in bike racing. Because I was going last, I also had almost 40 minutes to warm up.
Coming in to this morning, I had a goal in mind of riding the 22 mile course in 65 minutes or less. As I'd find out later, not only did I achieve that goal, but the course turned out to be 1.37 miles longer than anticipated. Two birds; one stone.
While I was out on course, the very first thing I noticed was the wind was at my back, which meant I'd be heading directly into it during the 2nd half of the course. Nervous legs and adrenaline gave me a strong launch off the starting line and I knew early I needed to reel the effort in a little. Time trials are all about pacing.
I know that my threshold power is 261 watts, which is (or should be) the maximum amount of watts I can sustain for one solid hour. For just over the first 3 or 4 minutes, I was cruising along at just over 300 watts. This pace would surely fry my legs before the end of the race.
Working at just under threshold, you can maintain a good breathing rhythm without going into oxygen debt. My gearing combination proved to be somewhat finicky. I found myself going back and forth between two and wishing for one in the middle. I made it to the halfway checkpoint in 28 minutes and 41 seconds at 24.5 mph, a fairly blistering place for this newbie's legs.
However, I'd had the wind at my back for the first half and I knew the second half would be much tougher.
Immediately, my speed was scrubbed to just over 20 mph. The effort began to take its toll on my legs. Typically where I'd experience a burning in my lugs from going anaerobic, I was now feeling the lactic acid building up in my quadriceps and hamstrings. After making the 180 degree turn to head back, I spent more than a minute between 275 and 465 watts digging into the pedals to get back up to speed, a little too much above my threshold for my legs.
The burn was on.
For the next 10 minutes, I tried to ride inside my "sweet spot" zone which is 217 to 254 watts to try and ease the burn a little. I averaged 233. Every so often, I'd try to get back power back up to my threshold, but the combination of wind and my fast start was beginning to show in my effort. It began to prove more difficult simply riding in my sweet spot.
The other issue I'd forgotten about was the rollers toward the beginning of the course which were the only things standing between me and the finish. I tried different combinations of jumping out of the saddle to pedal and sitting in and grinding it out.
Before long I was rounding the last bend and trying to minimize whatever loss I might have accrued by this point as my speeds repeatedly dipped below 20 miles per hour. With the finishing cones in sight, I gave the pedals one last kick, eclipsing 300 watts and rolled across the line.
One hour, four minutes and fifty-four seconds. I'd beat my goal time by six seconds.
Only later when reviewing my power meter file did I realize I'd ridden an extra mile plus, making going inside my goal time even sweeter!
Having only been out of the Cat 5s for 3 races, I was eager to see where I'd place when their times were posted. It turns out I'd have been 4th. Not too bad considering the top 3 places were faster than the majority of the Cat 4 riders whose results would be posted next.
I had to search a little further down the page for my name on the 4s list. Third from the bottom to be exact. I'd beaten one person and tied with another, a teammate so I didn't feel too bad.
This Cat 4 newbie isn't there yet, but after today's effort, I don't think it will be long before he is... or, I am... whatever.
=)
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