20k time trial race report...

Early Sunday morning I woke-up to snow flurries in our region at 5am as I prepared myself for the trip up to southern Wisconsin for my first cycling bike race of the 2008 season know as the Single Bong 20k Time Trial by a town name Burlington. As I was driving northward to the event I passed the IL/WI border the flurries went away as did the cloud cover but at a price, the winds picked up to a constant 21mph out of the NNE with gusts to 30mph but I knew all the other bike racers would have to deal with this weather also. The race headquarters are actually based out of the Kansasville Elementary School, which is nice for getting ready, and plenty of parking available. Since I raced this event last year knew what to expect and this was a big “roadie” event since it kicks off their Time Trial series for the year so competition is always top-notch here.

Since the start times (individual rider goes on every 30 seconds) were pushed back 15 minutes I actually started at 8:59:30am, which I found out when I arrived at the starting area. This was actually good as I went back to my car to put on more clothing over the two layers I was already wearing and heavier skier type winter gloves. With the temps hovering at 29 degrees and the winds as strong as they were, I felt like I should have been at a skiing race not a time trial bike race. Since the course starts southward the opening 2.2 miles I warmed up quickly once I was released from the start line with a nice tail wind which I made the most of while it lasted as I cruised over the rolled terrain of southern Wisconsin with a race max speed here at 34.5mph. Then the course turns right…

for the next 4 miles in the westward direction. Since this region of Wisconsin is farm fields and this time of the year the fields are bare soil the winds hit you at all times while out on the course. This section was tough with riding the strong cross-wind as 3 riders whom started behind me got by me like I was standing still in this segment but I was riding aerobically preparing for the next right turn which…

heads directly Northward for 2.2 miles into the brute force of the wind hitting you straight head-on wanting to push the rider into the ditch at all times plus the only hill on this course is in this section. One rider only passed me on this section just before the uphill as I held my ground till the next right hand turn…

which heads the racer back to the finish line Eastward for the last 4 mile section. I held my own in this section as no other rider passed me before the finish line. This 4-mile section was almost as tough as the Northward section in a way that the NNE head/side wind was brutal in this zone also.

Per my Garmin 305 I rode the 20k (12.4 mile) TT yesterday in 33:35 for an average pace of 22.1mph. I have no other techy data from this bike race as I forgot my HR transmitter belt at home by accident so I racing this event by perceived effort. For comparison at this event last year (2007) I finished with a time of 32:08 – 23mph but the weather was absolutely perfect. Also I have to remember that I ran a marathon just a week ago so I was still recovering from that plus the day before I ran a ten-mile recovery run. After I got back to the car I loaded up everything quickly into the car and totally de-frosted myself on the drive home…

b