Leroy TT, Arrgghh, Too much information

What a great night and weather for a Time Trial at Jim Behrens Thursday nighter. Thank you Jim for putting it on.

I had a bit of an odd week. Mostly running and no biking except for some fun riding with Audrey on Tuesday. I didnt commute Wednesday as planned (totally wussed on the weather and then it did not rain)so I hadnt ridden my bikes with any force since Sunday's Milk Race. In case your wondering....I won it and I am still just in shock about it. Opportunity knocked and I answered. I feel like screaming a wild tribal scream...

OK ,back to reality. So I try for a longer warm-up and I hit some 2 minute intervals and do my usual power checks to see what wattage it takes in a few key places (after the turn, down the hill and the final 2 miles).

I am also gathering power data so I am running my disc covers on my PT wheel. I had gone 16:58 earlier in the year without covers so this was a good test of speed of covers vs no covers.

I also narrowed up my bars and that was a big success I'd say. I had no problems riding a straight line and breathing felt the same as always.

We lined up Rudy first then myself and then Batke (howd he end up behind me?), I was a speed demon sandwich. Great turnout too. Looked like more than 10 to me. Only one problem, I got to the line and I had forgotten to tape over the wattage. I hate pacing on watts. I think it makes me slower and more tired at the end of the race. Everyones different, but I always have gone quicker without seeing the power in real time.

Jim said dont look at it, but I knew I would as it was also a goal tonight. My other big change for tonight was to intentionally make cadence my #1 focus of the event. More than speed or a result. It is a practice TT!! I had let my cadence drop (probably due to a few factors (position, longer cranks, etc.) to scary low levels at PI and States and got it better for Nats. Today was a big test of that and to feel if it was faster than slogging that 53/11 at 80 cadence.

I wont bore with too many more details, but suffice it to say that I was just bombarded with info and it was hard to actually concentrate on just going fast. While trying not to look down the whole race I was seeing and analyzing speed, cadence, power and also trying to time rough splits to Rudy ahead and Batke behind and also check my halfway split and in the last 2 miles my overall time to see what time I was going to turn (as a motivator to push that little extra bit).

I was a busy little bee!!

So anytime I saw my cadence dropped into the 80's I would first try to pick it back up or if the road was gradually going up at the same time I went for an easier gear then watched speed to make sure I didnt lose any speed and in fact tried to increase speed. Quick check of wattage too. Always way too low.


And that darn wattage. I looked at it and since a sub goal was to set the highest wattage I could over the course of the race I was constantly looking at the wattage. I was not surprised to see wattage drop dramatically anytime I was going 30+Mph and slightly downhill. I was not maximizing my speed and wattage when it was so called "easy". Just a quiick side, last Wednesday I set a PB 10 miinute ave power of 323 watts. Tonight my best 10 min average was 292. Big difference, but those higher numbers were set on my road bike. I was very tired too when I set that 323 watt average too.

As another side, like others I think going into timed events cold or well rested without stress is BAD. YOu need some stress pre-race. Those open up rides are so important.

My legs felt pretty fast actually, but a bit flat too. I pushed hard the last 2 miles and averaged 29.1mph and came in with a 16:54, missing my PB of 16:52 from last year. For some reason I am beating my personal bests everywhere but Leroy. And its not because I am putting any extra pressure on myself. I put plenty on myself ALL the time!!

My cadence was up so hooray, I went 4 seconds quicker with similar power with the narrower bars and wheel covers from a couple months ago. And my initial thoughts is that I am going the right direction with the substantial increase in cadence vs the spring. It seems easier to maintain speed at times like when you face an obstacle like a short grade or a gust of wind or out of a corner.

Only bummer was it was perfect conditions and my recent race and training rides indicate I am putting out gobs more power than a coupe months ago. But thats OK. I still averaged 27.1mph. Brian Batke had FTD at 16:17!!

The Unnofficial Berkshire Challenge

Berkshire is a climb that is probably used more than all others for us east siders. It is also a do all training hill. Max efforts, tempo, threshold, over gears, repeats, you name it, they can be done on this hill. Its also the bailout hill for when your coming home tanked, bombed, bonked, etc. I say take Shaker if your dead cause its over before you know it, but Berkshire is not as steep, but much longer.



So anyways, I am reading a blog of a Cleveland cyclist and the blogger has set himself a goal of breaking a personal record up Berkshire Rd. by a certain date. That reminded me of Noel once asking me months ago what I did bottom to top and I didnt know. Then not a week after reading the blog Brett asked me if I have ever timed myself up it. That was last week. This got me thinking about a fun challenge. What if people who ride it from the bottom at Chagrin River Road (where the pavement changes color) all the way to the stop sign (and you must stop) time themselves and post their times here as Comments?

Then I will keep editing the post all throughout the summer. Maybe make it from now till September 30th. Fastest time will win absolutely nothing but the admiration of your peers, or maybe a Cliff bar.

I can think of only three simple safety rules!! Please try and start the climb no faster than 15mph as you roll off of CRR and start your watch right at the pavement color change. I think a rolling start is safer then someone stopped trying to get pumped up for the start.

Next, do not blow by the stop sign at the top. Stop your watch as you come to a complete stop at the stop sign.

And last, but not least take no chances or do anything dumb!! In fact in the spirit of this silly competition (oh-crap-that blows the deal-competition) I think it best if you try and not plan too hard on when to do it. Just do it on the way home from a ride. But, if you must ride there, drop your bottles just to do it go right on ahead.

You can post anonymously and even post details if you care like temperature and wind direction, what bike, tires, tire pressure tried this time, full bottles, your weight, bike weight, etc. Anything you want because this is just for giggles and bragging rights. Its even more fun if you post more than once as you get faster over the summer. And dont be afraid to post if your time isnt close to the top times.

I finally timed myself up it on the way home from doing intervals last week and I went up zone 2 and never broke 215 watts. But if I dont post a time, then who will?

Anyone care to guess what the record will be?

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5/25 Ian Hoffman 7:07
5/24 Mark Erdmann 8:10
5/7 Ray Huang 6:11
5/1 Ian Hoffman 7:20
5/1 Steve 6:53
4/24 Ray Huang 7:27
4/07 JC 8:54
4/? Brett Davis 7:25

Presque Isle TT. YAHOOO!!

Audrey and her best friends

Presque Isle 2008. I felt awesome from the time I got on my bike to warm up till about 8 miles into the race, then I was in some serious pain!! Rudy Sroka pushed me all the way and that helped a bunch. Officially I got a 26:54 at 27.78mph ave speed, but, unofficially my computer shows me exactly 15 seconds faster which I think is right. So I had a 26:39 at 27.9mph. 2nd Place Overall and 2nd and 3rd for Team Columbus with Brian Batke right behind me!! The unofficial time did not chnage my overall as Joslyn from NY is just on another level from me.

It was like last spring with a slight tailwind out and headwind back in. I averaged 29.1mph out and 26.9mph back in. I had a rocket start and averaged 30.3mph for the first mile, but didnt feel like I went out too hard with a controlled acceleration from the line. I practiced starts last week about 3 times to make sure i could feel a sub 600 watt start, but sitting as fast as I could and pushing straight up to 28 to 30mph without going anaerobic.

I had so many changes from 2007 that it would seem I was trying to fix something broken, but thats not the case. This was a calculated evolution spurred on by Thom Domonic's observations while doing my footbeds and shims, Sean and Mike from BA redoing my TT fit to be UCI legal if I go to Nationals this year and some well spent money on equipment (Zipp Sub9 disc and DA 172.5 cranks,Zipp Tangent front tire, Toupe Saddle).

I have to thank Thom Domonic, Sean Gilbert, Mark Lopresto, Mike Vanucci and Rudy (for the in-race motivation and more) and my family for the big parts they played and last but not least, Michael Mischler and the Iroquois School volunteers for putting on the great event. I love this TT!!

Leroy TT 08/30/07

Pacing, quick plans, adapting on the fly and overcoming. Is this why I love Time trialing so much? I am not great thinker really. I mean you wont hear me quote Macbeth or Emerson at that perfect moment when a profound quote is required. But I do love arriving at the time of a TT and then its Showtime baby!! Its time to warm-up and listen to your body and see if its saying good legs, bad legs. Then its looking for clues to the wind and feeling and comparing this night with other nights. Its looking at the speed your carrying without trying and guessing what speed that will be at threshold.

Man I am realizing I am making a pretty big deal out of a training TT, but that is just it, training is when you put all your planning into action and to try things, push the envelope and see how you do. That is a pretty big deal.

I can feel that we have a wind thats only about 5 to 10mph and its blowing from the north. Its pushing me on the out a little, but its not much. When the right hand turn is made and the course starts to head up its a true tailwind. This also means that on the usually very fast 3 miles in it will be a tad slower and I can feel it.

The plan is to go a bit harder on the out than last time on 8/2 to make sure I capitolize on a cross wind thats gonna push me along, but very important not to go so hard as to blow up into the wind on the in.

So I am off and as expected I am going quicker than last time. I am bouncing above and below threshold, but maintaining a higher pace all the way. So as planned I push a bit harder, but again, pace!! In fact approaching the turnaround point I am 3 mph quicker up the rollers. I go 16 seconds faster to the halfway point than last time. 24.4 to 24.9mph a 0.5 mph increase.

On the in I am disregarding wattage completely, but when I do see its its pretty high, but my HR again is a few beats too low. No bother, its a lot cooler tonight and maybe I am still a bit tired. I am pretty sure I am going as fast as last time so I am confident a new record time for me is in the works (and maybe a course record?). The 2 mile then 1mile markers zing by and if I havent said it 20 times already its WAY COOL to be rolling along at 32mph on the clipons listening to the wheels and the wind rush by-oohh and loud gasping sounds, control the breathing too.

It turns out I was slower on the in to the tune of 8 seconds from the 2nd. I'll need to do some analyzing of data mile by mile to see where I lost time, but I sure felt like I was flying. I fly past Jim at 33.1mph in a time of 17:05 and 26.9mph ave speed. I have bested my previous time by 11 seconds and averaged 5 more watts and 0.5 more mph. I dont break anything but my own best and Matt Weeks 16:45 remains safe.


My last mile tonight was 0.3 mph faster than last time so maybe conservng energy paid off for blasting the last mile. But again, I will analyze more data to see where I was underperforming to see where I can chip away at those 20 seconds.

When I spoke with Matt I told him that his time was unreal and its gonna stand for awhile and I feel even more strongly tonight. I know what its gonna take to go 20 seconds faster and it wont be easy. Jim paid me a nice complement and thats that when he sees me coming he says I a look really smooth and fast. By comparison other fast guys look more powerful, but all over there bikes. Being what I call quiet is somethng I strive for. Nothing moving that doesnt need to be as any extra movement wastes energy and causes more drag.

So the planning paid off and I have gone faster with more watts then last time. I lost time on the in, but that could be as much weather as effort (as was the increase of speed To the halfway point). Did I say I love time trialing? I do.