I have been off of the bike for a while. Since the Jack Frost Time Trial.

First, I was was taking some rest days. Then I began to feel ill with a bit of a head cold. After a few days, I started to feel better so I climbed onto the trainer for some easy spins. Then I had a series of migraines. When my head started to feel better from the headaches, the head cold came back. It was only yesterday that I felt good enough to get out of bed.

Today was the first Banana Belt Road Race of a series of three. Joanne wanted to race, but I was in no shape to do so. Instead, I did three rather easy loops around Hagg Lake.

Hagg Lake Loops

My goal was to just get some miles in. I had no intention of riding hard, I just wanted to ride.

Joanne’s race started at 10:00 am, so when she headed off to the starting line, I started my ride. The races would be riding counter-clockwise around the lake, so I rode clockwise. The sun was shining, but there was a definite nip in the air. I had three layers on and long fingered gloves, but no booties. It was cold, but bearable.

The Hagg Lake Loop is about ten miles long with over 700 feet of gain. There are many rolling hills. There is only one section of flat, the section atop the earthen dam. But that section is exposed to the wind.

As soon as I left the parking lot, I started climbing a short hill. And I felt like a slug, a Banana Slug. I could feel that I had been off of the bike for a couple of weeks. None the less, it was good to be climbing again. I kept my heart rate down, except for a couple of uphill sprints, but overall, it was an easy training ride.

Joanne and I have always done the Jack Frost TT on our tandem. However, she had a unbreakable commitment so I was left to race Jack Frost for the first time by myself. This would also mark the first race for the Felt S32 Time Trial bike I purchased used late last year.

Knowing that my start time was at 10:38:30 am, I began my drive up to Vancouver shortly after 8:00 am. This gave me a good two hours to socialize and prepare. The morning was sunny but just as I drove into the race area, I encountered fog. I parked in the north parking lot next to Rick and exited my van to a very cold morning. I soon put more clothes on.

I started my pre-race checklist: confirm start time, visit the port-a-potty, set up the bike on the trainer, get dressed and lay our my final clothing (helmet, sun glasses, etc). While I was doing the checklist, I ran into many friends old and new and visited. As I wandered about, I saw that the fog was lifting and I was pleased.

Soon it was time to begin the warm up procedure: get on the bike and slowly bring up my heart rate, consume about 300 calories, and then raise the heart rate to 85% of race pace. Then, with just under ten minutes to my start time, I got off of the bike, put the trainer into the van, and finished dressing for the race. I rode over to the start and confirmed I had six minutes so I did one quick, hard warm up sprint before returning to the start. I was back with just one minute before race time.

Ten…five, four, three, two, one and I was off racing. I started chasing my 30 second man and brought my heart rate up above 155 bpm, my race pace. Soon, I was at the first of four turns, the hard right-hand turn just past he finishing line. I took it at speed and I did get out of the aero-bars. I nearly crossed the center-line, but kept the bike inside by less than six inches. Now, I had six miles to ride until the turn-around. I could see my 30 second man in front of me, but I did not seem to be gaining. Oh well, I was riding hard and just within my limits.

About one half of the was to the turn-around, I was passed by Joe Rothery. He offered encouragement as he passed, and I did try to keep him insight, but he slowly pulled away. No one else caught me before the turn-around.

The turn-around was smaller than I remembered, and I had to slow more than I wanted. I dropped down to eight miles per hour, but once I made the turn, my power output went up to over 400 watts until my speed came back up. But, now I found I was facing a slight head wind. My speed dropped every so slightly while my power output raise slightly as I attempted to maintain speed. I realized that the return was going to be harder.

After the turn-around, I saw that there were two riders just behind me. I knew that they were going to pass me, so I tried to make it as hard as possible for them. One went by me very soon and fast, while I did manage to hold off the second for some time. But it was hopeless, and he also passed me. I fought to keep him within sight and surprisingly, I was successful. I could see that he was gaining on a rider, so my goal became to pass that rider too. It was hard, but having a rabbit always helps and I passed him well before the finish.

Soon that I came to the last turn of the race, a hard left turn that I took in my aero-bars and began my sprint for the finish.

Time: 33:59
Place: 20 out of 28 starters
Average Speed: 21.37 mph
Average Power Output: 244 watts
Average Heart Rate: 158 bpm

I am please with my result, I was not last, I broke 21 mph and I had fun.

Jack Frost TT

Other blog postings about the Jack Frost
Wookiebiker

Joanne at the Cherry Pie Road Race

My lovely wife Joanne participated in her very first official bicycle road race today, the Cherry Pie. She started with the category 4, masters 40+ and masters 50+ women and she did not come in last. As you can see by the smile on her face, she was very happy and having fun.

My first race of the year, the Jack Frost Time Trial, is two weeks away. Perhaps I should take it out for a test ride. Also, the afternoon was warm and sunny!

I did a short but intense ride on the Windsor Island Loop.

I did the loop clockwise. I left my home and headed south on Wheatland Road to River Road to Lockhaven Road. That was my warmup. Once I made the right turn onto Lockhaven, I road as hard as I could for 6 1/2 miles to the foot of Revena hill.

In that 6 1/2 miles…

Time: 17:19
Average Speed: 22.59 miles per hour
Average Power: 247 watts
Average Heart Rate: 144 beats per minute

It was fun!

Last October, Kevin “Desert Coyote” Van Dyke raced The Furnace Creek 508, 509.8 mile race through the deserts of Southern California. I was honored to serve as his crew chief. Today is his birthday, and he was hosting a bicycle ride. I just had to go.

Seventeen of Kevin’s friends started out on a almost drippy day. The sky was cloudy but nothing was falling. However, the roads were wet from overnight showers. I had decided to ride the rain bike and the fenders came in handy.

The route headed south across the Boone (I-5) bridge and then along the Willamette river to Butteville, Champoeg State Park to the small town of St. Paul. From there, we continued southward to Waconda Road where we turned eastward to Howell Prairie Road where we turned to the north past Bauman Farms, the town of Woodburn and finally back across the Boone bridge to Willsonville.

The group was friendly and lively and of varying capabilities. A small group broke away on Butteville Road. I managed to close the gap and hold their pace, for awhile, before I dropped off of the back. I then took it easy and road at the back of the pack for most of the rest of the ride.

On Howell Prairie Road, I had my first flat of the year. I limped into Bauman Farms and fixed it in their parking lot.

I finished with 57 miles and then celebrated Kevin’s birthday with cake in the local watering hole.

Jim, Jean, Dale, and Roland joined Joanne and myself on a relaxed Wednesday night ride.

We were glad to have Roland back with us; he work has kept him busy and away for several month.

My average heart rate was 93 beats per minutes and I did 25 miles in the same amount of time that I did 37 miles yesterday.

I road with the group from Scott’s Cycles tonight. The fast group. The fast group that went for a long ride.

Tonight, the air was clear and cold. I wore three layers, including the ‘super soaker’, the heaviest jacket I own. It was needed. Because the wind was out of the north, the group concensious was to ride south beyond the south Salem Hills, thinking that the hills would block the wind. Good theory, but theories often fail when put to the test.

The route south took us up and over 36th Ave and Wiltsey Road – both short but steep. I did drop off of the back, but I managed to stay close enough that I could close the gap once the incline ended. I guess I have to give credit to the wind.

Now we were in the flatlands south of Salem. We passed Cascade High School, and headed toward Stayton, but turned toward Aumsville short of Stayton. On the flats, we felt the north wind, but as we were riding eastward, it was a cross wind and tolerable.

I do not know what was driving the group tonight, but we had several opportuies to head back to Salem, but each time the group took the long route. We tool the long route to Aumsville, then we headed back to Salem via Shaw, another long route.

The group dropped me on the hills to Shaw, and there was no regroup. But I was not alone. Another rider got dropped and then her friend dropped back to join us. The three of us rode back into Salem together.

I finished with 37 miles in 2:23 with over one thousand feet of elevation gain. Even though I got dropped, it was fun.

I was tired after my trainer session, real tired.

But the sun had come out and it was very warm for a February Sunday Afternoon. The weather was just plain too good not to ride. So I got on my Colnago and headed down to the Red Lot to join the Salem Bicycle Club for their afternoon ride. I promised my legs that it would be an easy recovery ride, nothing intense.

I kept my promised as I rode southward toward Salem. As I approached the School for the Deaf, Joanne joined me. Her work meeting had just ended and she will be able to ride with us.

The route was a short loop back up toward our home, and we took it easy. That is until Jim, Mike and I took a wrong turn and found ourselves off route. We were not that far off route, but we now found ourselves behind the rest of the group. This was fine with me, but Jim and Mike took off at a very fast pace to close the gap. I followed.

Soon, I was putting out 500 watts and my legs were not happy. They reminded me that I promised them that I would take it easy and not work them hard, but I was not listening. I could only see Jim and Mike ahead of me and I had to catch them. My legs fought me, but after several minutes in the “cave of pain”, I pulled up into their draft where I was happy to be.

The rest of the ride was easy, and my legs were grateful.

Yesterday, I was fitted on the Time Trial Bike. So today, I decided to test it.

The weather in the morning was cool and damp. I did not want to ride outside. So I put the TT bike on the stationary trainer and loaded the Spinerval Totally Time Trial DVD – 90 minutes of pure fun at lactate threshold.

Once the DVD was finished, and I managed to crawl off of the bike, I was happy. I was very happy with the fit. I was on the aerobars for each of the four fifteen minute intervals. In addition, I felt comfortable; I never felt the need to sit up. I am very pleased.

January Weight Change

January Rides – 20 rides (both road and trainer)
Distance – 490.13 miles
Altitude Gain – 19,754 feet
Ride Time (hh:mm:ss) – 38:23:20