Nittany CX: DAY 2

Sunday morning was a carbon copy of Saturday morning, except for the fact that when my alarm went off I felt forty years old. 

Last season I raced back to back days on two occasions. Both times, I felt sluggish and sore on the second day, yielding poor results...and because I haven’t been training, I figured that today would be no different than what I experienced last year on day two. 

It had rained over night and the temperature was cool. I previewed the course in all of its muddy glory, then picked up my number. This isn’t a particularly profound thought but...what goes on behind you and what goes on in front of you can impact your race significantly...sometimes you come out on the winning end of things, sometimes you don’t. 

There was a lot going on during the first three minutes of this race, especially when we hit the mud. By the time I broke free from the congestion, the lead group had gotten a gap. I worked hard to close in on them and managed to reel in two riders, resulting in a fifth place finish. What pleased me the most was my consistency. Placing fourth and fifth on back to back days is definitely an improvement from last season.

South Jersey Time Trial Training Series

In May, I went to Breakaway Bikes for power profile testing. For what it’s worth, the numbers said that I would be good at time trials. This made perfect sense to me because, as a collegiate rower, these events didn't seem too far off from a 2000 meter erg test. A month later, I bought a time trial bike. It was on sale (on sale). How could I refuse?

I looked on Bikereg for something that seemed feasible for my first time trial. I found the South Jersey Time Trial Training Series in Tuckahoe, NJ and entered the 10-mile time trial on July 21st.

The race started at 6pm. I arrived an hour ahead of time and sat alone on a hot, desolate road for nearly half an hour.

When my bib number was called, I clipped in and the official held on to the back of my saddle. Three, two, one...and, with a little push, I was off! My game plan was to take the race in five minute increments. I looked down at my computer at about three and a half minutes in and wondered what I had gotten myself into. I couldn’t breathe, sweat was everywhere and my legs were on fire.

After the turn, I felt pretty good. Knowing that it was half way over, I took it up a notch and continued to do so every couple minutes until I could see the finish line. No one had passed me and my time was good enough for a third place finish.
Considering that it was my first time riding the time trial bike (and my first race) I don’t think I did too poorly. There is another one next month and I am shooting for second place. Next time, I will keep my head down, steer a straight course and learn how to shift the gears.