Results of my first 10 mile Belmont Time Trial
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Results of my first 10 mile Belmont Time Trial
At age 43 and 351/365th I rode in my first time trial. When I first planned to do the time trial the previous month, my goal was to average 18mph for the entire 10 mile course; which would equal out to a time of 33min 20sec (33:20). I missed that time trial which gave me an additional month to prepare.
With the additional month of training I adjusted my goal to somewhere between 19-20mph average. At 20mph my time would be exactly 30:00. Twenty some odd years ago I rode a 20 mile course in exactly one hour or 20mph so I figured 20mph was doable for 10 miles.
The weather was perfect, although I suppose you could argue that a slightly cooler temperature would be ideal, but the 87 degrees we rode in was not over heating anyone to say the least! Wind was not a huge factor, though the ride out did benefit from a slight tail wind meaning the last 15 minutes was into a slight head wind and it showed on my cyclometer!
26 riders began the time trial; and all 26 finished (which doesn’t necessarily always happen due to mechanical and physical failures on the course).
In a time trial, each rider must ride alone; no drafting allowed. To facilitate this and to make time keeping easier at the finish line each rider starts off at one minute intervals.
I was 10th in line which meant that the first rider off had a 9 minute head start by the time I left the start finish line! About ½ mile before the 5 mile turn around, I caught the first rider off; having made up that 9 minute gap in just under 15 minutes of riding. Did I mention that the first rider off was 6 years old? Additional, pertinent, information would include the fact that somewhere at about the 3rd mile I was passed by the rider who started two back from me, meaning he’d made up a two minute gap on me in just 3 miles! About a minute later, the 60ish gent with the pot belly passed me having made up the 1 minute gap I had on him at the start. He opened up about a one minute gap ahead of me but I nearly reeled him in at the finish making back a few seconds anyway. I think he finished in 29:10 about a minute and forty seconds ahead of my time, but only 40 seconds ahead of my sight!
Out of 26 riders I placed 25th, beating the crap out of that snot nosed, six year old, little show off; who by the way won the raffle for a free dinner at The Blossom Trail Café, I hate that kid! The next closest rider to me and in 23rd place had a time of 30:40, ten seconds faster than my 30:50 (he looked to be about my age). Not a single other rider went over 30:00; most of the times ranging in the 23-27 minute range! The fastest rider finished in 22 minutes and something; that’s better than 26mph for the 10 mile ride!
My time of 30:50 comes out to an average pace of 19.5mph for 10 miles; nearly exactly my goal!
This is a perfect example of why time trials are such a great way to gauge your progress on the bicycle. I set a goal of between 19-20mph and averaged 19.5mph! I WON! You don’t have to be the fastest rider that day; you just have to be faster than your previous ride to show improvement. Hopefully I was sandbagging a bit so I can smoke that time next month!
My goal for next month is to go under 30:00. I’ll have to cut nearly a full minute (50 seconds) off my time but this gives me a great incentive to push harder when I train.
If you’ve never tried a time trial you’re missing out on a great opportunity to push your limits and see what you can do. Not everyone can ride a 100 mile century in one day or race in the Tour de France, but EVERYONE can ride in a time trial. I hope to see YOU out there next month!
MB
With the additional month of training I adjusted my goal to somewhere between 19-20mph average. At 20mph my time would be exactly 30:00. Twenty some odd years ago I rode a 20 mile course in exactly one hour or 20mph so I figured 20mph was doable for 10 miles.
The weather was perfect, although I suppose you could argue that a slightly cooler temperature would be ideal, but the 87 degrees we rode in was not over heating anyone to say the least! Wind was not a huge factor, though the ride out did benefit from a slight tail wind meaning the last 15 minutes was into a slight head wind and it showed on my cyclometer!
26 riders began the time trial; and all 26 finished (which doesn’t necessarily always happen due to mechanical and physical failures on the course).
In a time trial, each rider must ride alone; no drafting allowed. To facilitate this and to make time keeping easier at the finish line each rider starts off at one minute intervals.
I was 10th in line which meant that the first rider off had a 9 minute head start by the time I left the start finish line! About ½ mile before the 5 mile turn around, I caught the first rider off; having made up that 9 minute gap in just under 15 minutes of riding. Did I mention that the first rider off was 6 years old? Additional, pertinent, information would include the fact that somewhere at about the 3rd mile I was passed by the rider who started two back from me, meaning he’d made up a two minute gap on me in just 3 miles! About a minute later, the 60ish gent with the pot belly passed me having made up the 1 minute gap I had on him at the start. He opened up about a one minute gap ahead of me but I nearly reeled him in at the finish making back a few seconds anyway. I think he finished in 29:10 about a minute and forty seconds ahead of my time, but only 40 seconds ahead of my sight!
Out of 26 riders I placed 25th, beating the crap out of that snot nosed, six year old, little show off; who by the way won the raffle for a free dinner at The Blossom Trail Café, I hate that kid! The next closest rider to me and in 23rd place had a time of 30:40, ten seconds faster than my 30:50 (he looked to be about my age). Not a single other rider went over 30:00; most of the times ranging in the 23-27 minute range! The fastest rider finished in 22 minutes and something; that’s better than 26mph for the 10 mile ride!
My time of 30:50 comes out to an average pace of 19.5mph for 10 miles; nearly exactly my goal!
This is a perfect example of why time trials are such a great way to gauge your progress on the bicycle. I set a goal of between 19-20mph and averaged 19.5mph! I WON! You don’t have to be the fastest rider that day; you just have to be faster than your previous ride to show improvement. Hopefully I was sandbagging a bit so I can smoke that time next month!
My goal for next month is to go under 30:00. I’ll have to cut nearly a full minute (50 seconds) off my time but this gives me a great incentive to push harder when I train.
If you’ve never tried a time trial you’re missing out on a great opportunity to push your limits and see what you can do. Not everyone can ride a 100 mile century in one day or race in the Tour de France, but EVERYONE can ride in a time trial. I hope to see YOU out there next month!
MB
Mark Berry- Posts : 62
Join date : 2010-09-02
Age : 57
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