"The Toughest 18 Miles in Texas"
One day out of the year. That’s all it really is but it’s a race day. This is what you’ve been training for and it’s time to step up and be counted. Those of us who are amateurs may only race once or twice a year. That one day becomes even more important.
September 30 I raced in the Conquer the Coast Time Trial, in Corpus Christi. It was my one true race of the year. My training was tip top, my nerves were calm, and I sucked. I had high hopes. I wanted to move up a little in my age group standings (Men’s 45-49). Oscar beat me by 16 seconds last year and I wanted to erase that (he’s 16 years younger). I wanted to move up in the overall standings and maybe even beat the big guy, Randy.
The conditions were ugly. There was a little norther promised, nothing but a tease, just like last year. The weather report said 5-10 mph winds, just a tickle. They measured it behind a tall building downtown. The wind, a headwind, was 18 mph at the start and much higher by the end. It was warm and no one did anything to smooth out the chip seal. They did not even repaint the white line so there would be 4 inches of semi-smoothness.
One woman was so concentrated on keeping her head down fighting the wind that she ran smack into the back of a cement truck. It was conveniently parked on the shoulder right in everyone’s way. She left the track on a stretcher. Post race reports say she broke her nose and severely damaged her pride. No word on the bike.
It was probably the worst conditions imaginable for someone my size (135 lbs). Randy smoked the course with a 19.6 mph average. He placed second in his age group (men’s 50-54). Oscar fell victim to a cold and his time doesn’t count. I had an average of 18.9 and finished almost 2 minutes behind Randy. I moved up one place in my age group and lost ground overall.
It was just one day out of 365. We rode our best and everyone suffered. I spent 57:02 minutes at 160 BPM, my max is 170 BPM. I was spinning 100 rpm. I still sucked. At least that is what I will think for a week or too. Then it will be thinking of the next big ride, training for next year and reminding myself, “It’s just one day out of 365”
Conquer The Coast
September 30 I raced in the Conquer the Coast Time Trial, in Corpus Christi. It was my one true race of the year. My training was tip top, my nerves were calm, and I sucked. I had high hopes. I wanted to move up a little in my age group standings (Men’s 45-49). Oscar beat me by 16 seconds last year and I wanted to erase that (he’s 16 years younger). I wanted to move up in the overall standings and maybe even beat the big guy, Randy.
The conditions were ugly. There was a little norther promised, nothing but a tease, just like last year. The weather report said 5-10 mph winds, just a tickle. They measured it behind a tall building downtown. The wind, a headwind, was 18 mph at the start and much higher by the end. It was warm and no one did anything to smooth out the chip seal. They did not even repaint the white line so there would be 4 inches of semi-smoothness.
One woman was so concentrated on keeping her head down fighting the wind that she ran smack into the back of a cement truck. It was conveniently parked on the shoulder right in everyone’s way. She left the track on a stretcher. Post race reports say she broke her nose and severely damaged her pride. No word on the bike.
It was probably the worst conditions imaginable for someone my size (135 lbs). Randy smoked the course with a 19.6 mph average. He placed second in his age group (men’s 50-54). Oscar fell victim to a cold and his time doesn’t count. I had an average of 18.9 and finished almost 2 minutes behind Randy. I moved up one place in my age group and lost ground overall.
It was just one day out of 365. We rode our best and everyone suffered. I spent 57:02 minutes at 160 BPM, my max is 170 BPM. I was spinning 100 rpm. I still sucked. At least that is what I will think for a week or too. Then it will be thinking of the next big ride, training for next year and reminding myself, “It’s just one day out of 365”
Conquer The Coast
posted by Speedo at 11:40 AM
1 Comments:
i still think you did good man! 18.9 with a wind that high for a climber like you is pretty damn impressive! good job C!
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