This was my first time trial. May 1st 2005. Kew Boulevard TT. Same course as Blackburn CC still use, maybe just a little bit longer at the start and finish. A few things of note: Entry was $5..... These days we're coughing up $25 for a club TT there and ~$50 for a CV Open TT. CA/Club membership cost around $50, now we're slugged $300+. Yet with all these $changes$, once the clock starts and you're on your own, nothing has changed from 7 years ago.
Rocked up early to the 10.5km out and back ITT held by Hawthorn Cycling Club
today for some fun... Ray was still setting up so I did another few climbs..
Saw Dej and a few others signing in.. I handed over my $5 and membership
card, looked at the map of the course.. which was as expected, to the
roundabout just before the freeway bridge and back. Not many other people
around. I got my starting time and take off for more warmups... The rain
had passed but the roads were still wet.. I roll back to the start after
having a final drink and nibble on a muesli bar.. about 18-20(?) riders all
up, and only two disc wheels to be seen!
Without much fuss we are held at the start and counted down.. each rider off
at 30 seconds.. I was 4th to start.. Dej was in front of me, so I had a
target rider that I knew (btw, new bike looks good Dej!).. I get into
position, but not the right gear, and I'm off.. spin spin, change... now
down to business.
Start is on a nice downhill so it is easy to get into a rhythm quickly.. I
take the first corner looking up for Dej.. cant see him.. down a few gears
for the first climb and I spot Dej.. wasn't until just before the second
decent that I pass him.. Cant see anyone else.. going hard.. I put my head
down and pass Yarra St... into another small climb I cough and burp and
*muesli bar redux*.. arrrh geezz.. so this is what going REALLY hard is
like!? I took some timing points yesterday when I did an 85% effort loop of
the course and I was up about 25-30 seconds... few mins pass and I'm on the
last climb before the roundabout.. I come down into the turn and the
marshal looks and sounds familiar but I'm only focusing on the wet road..
(later found out it was flyingdutch!).. 1/2 way there.. Back climbing
again.. then tackle the dodgy sweeping left turn at high speed.. that's
over, now onto the rough road grind.. feeling good, speed is looking good..
A group of riders are coming the other way.. wait a minute - an ITT and they
are riding in a group? Hmmm.. I spot Ess going hard - still on his first
1/2 of the course... another few mins pass and I'm on the final climb to the
line.. I can see the guy who started 1min ahead of me cross the line - I had
some energy left for an out of the saddle effort to the line (which was
nasty with the wet roads).. and I finish... official time of 17:43:73 (or
was it 17:42..? results will be on HCC www soon to confirm)..
Lots of people standing around looking at me sucking in air at an alarming
rate.. I take a seat and watch a few others cross the line... .. I
overhear a few other times, looks like I did ok.. Not sure how I went
overall against the other guys in the 'elite men' category.. We have the
presentation of prizes etc.. my name is called out for 4th!.. nice!.. I get
a lucky dip in the bag and pull out a pair of socks.. Cool - I'm still up on
all the entry money I've forked over to HCC.. ;) I later look at the times
and find out I missed out on 3rd by 0.2 of a second.. 1st and 2nd in EM
category were A graders for sure.. so I hunt down the guy who was 3rd to
have a chat - he is a B grader AND he had aero bars.. I couldn't be any
happier with my 4th place! :) Overall I think I was 6th or 7th... damn
those quick lanky juniors and the guys who had the full aero kit!
hard work, but awesome fun.. the real test will be the next TT..
cheers,
GPL
:looking for aero bars now:
Early 2005 one lap took me 17:43 on a road bike with no aero equipment. Last time I had a crack I was around 15:45 on the roadie. At the Blackburn TT lap 1 on the TT setup my best is around 14:45, with slightly less power than a one lap flyer on the roadie. The lesson from that data? Never ride a knife in a gun fight....... unless it's a Shiv.
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