Durango Wheel Club Champs: Stage 3 - The Road TT

Today's race was another opportunity to feel alive! Yes, that means the intensity was going to be high and continuous. The race of truth, the view into your spirit as you push as hard as possible and learn to push to your limits.

This was a 15 mile road TT and stage 3 of the Durango Wheel club champs week. 54 folks were registered for this event!  What an impressive turn-out for a local race!!

this map includes the TT and the warm-down back home.

My pre-race nutritional strategy: 3 hours before the race included 2 cups of juiced vegetables and fruits: 2 beets, 1 apple, and 1 banana. 1 hour before the race I drank a cup of coffee.  (unlike my mountain bike TT, where I had too much coffee...eeeps)

I warmed up riding to the start which was 10 miles of easy riding and a few openers (getting the heart rate to threshold a few times)

the start line and the riders are beginning to line up.

My strategy: since this was a shorter road TT , I decided to not start hot(above threshold) like I did with the mountain bike TT. I instead decided to do build intensity for the first 5 minutes then hold 170 HR and then the last mile or two pick up the pace to maximum effort.  I basically pulled this off successfully, after 6 minutes I was holding 170s and held that heart rate for the entire effort. The last mile or two, I couldn't push the pace, but only for the last minute or two.  My HR reflected that and I almost puked after I crossed the finish line!

click for bigger view!

Results:  I was 21 out of 45th overall. I am not sure my age-group placing as of yet.