Still here (Some short State Championship Reports)

I'm still here!

It's been a long time since the last post. There has been a lot going on, and honestly, some really low points for me. It's been a real roller coaster the last couple of months, but I'm hoping to have come out the other side for the better.  But, for this post I wanted to put down some of my thoughts on the State (Track and TT) Championships for Tennessee.

Most of my season has been derailed after a high speed crash (my front tyre blew out) at the track a couple of weeks ago. Most of the damage was just to equipment  and skin, but I did a real number of my hip and hip flexor. After two weeks I can spin again on the bike without much pain, but the damage to my fitness has been done, and I've had to pull out from my hour attempt in Aguascalientes this year. Hopefully I can salvage some of the rest of the year and gain some strength so that when I start planning next year I'll be ahead of my target as opposed to right on/below it. Another season of track craft certainly won't hurt my odds.

Unfortunately the Bodypaint isn't the best at protecting your skin

Ruined a nice pair of socks too :( 

But enough whining, on to some reports from the weeks (now I suppose month+) past

Track State Championship

The astute among you might have noticed some red flags already. The primary one, that Tennessee doesn't have a velodrome. (but we'd like to change that!) 

Fortunately, Dick Lane Velodrome was gracious enough to host us during their own state championship, which will bring up the second point... there wasn't a big show of support from the Volunteer state. In fact, my success was guaranteed the moment I lined up... as I was 1 of 1. Participation award - Check.

Nonetheless, I wanted to actually contest some of my division. What I didn't quite realize was that I was about to get thrown into the elite division (as there was no 35-39 Masters group) and that all Cat's would race together. As you might expect, a lowly Cat4 who's done a couple of mass start track races wasn't going to have a snowballs chance in the big league. The omnium structure was cool, although it rained out the scratch on Friday night, we made up for it early Saturday (making Saturday's schedule scratch - kilo - 4k IP - points race)

Overall, it went pretty poorly. In the scratch race things went pretty boringly, and I foolishly took the opportunity to show my stuff off the front. Unfortunately for me, I got strung out for a little bit then shelled off the back where, with the other unfortunates like myself, we formed a little gruppetto and circled the track half a length behind the big leagues. There were no pulls, and slower riders were instructed to stay on the bottom of the track. This turned into a real problem the final lap, as our little group was caught directly in the final turn. There was some yelling, and some rubbing. Fortunately, there were no wrecks, and I scathed through the finish "best of the rest."

The Kilo I fared far worse. It had been a long time since my last stint in aerobars at Dick Lane, but I had forgotten exactly how rough it was. I hit the first turn at speed and very nearly wrecked. The next two laps I had a death grip on my bars and coasted through... almost getting caught (very embarrassing) at the line. Off to a great start!

As the 4k approached, I had a gut check moment. I seriously considered putting my drop bars back on. My ego however told me I'd rather crash than suffer the indignity of doing a pursuit without my aerobars.  I lined up with the intention to just go as hard as I felt comfortable with. While the lower speeds made the bumps less of an issue, it didn't help me out any when it came to putting down a fast time. I finished 4th in the Elites... and took a fair amount of pride in that considering I did it at a well below max effort.

Finally was the points race. Unfortunately it was quite a bit of a letdown, as I had broken a cleat at some point that evening, and after a couple of laps with heavy clicking and an odd feeling in my foot, I decided to not chance it and DNF'd. It also saved me the humiliation of getting shelled again, so that's a victory, right?

All in all, a great learning experience, but not what I'd hoped to bring out of it. Of course, one of my goals for the year was to finally lay hands on a State championship jersey... and I suppose technically I accomplished that in the lamest way possible.

TN State TT
The State TT has been something I've wanted to win for years now. Something most of my friends have won on their way to better things. I was seriously hoping to improve my placing from 2017 (2nd) and felt that I had been putting in the work to get it done. Specific training I hadn't been doing (there is a lot of climbing on the front half of this 40k for a TT) and gaining weight for track wasn't going to be a big help in that respect, but I still felt I was in the running.

About 1k into the race I came upon a divet in the road/bridge connection and hit it full speed. It jarred me hard enough that my TULA bars slipped backwards (and up) a bit. It was slightly less comfortable than what I had set up to begin with, but higher hands should be a positive, right? Derek and myself had came up with a strategy and power targets for me to hit on each section... a plan I executed perfectly! I came in the last kilometer full gas, and nearly wrecked as I crossed the line. It was a race I went very deep in. I felt like I had left it all out there and had a great race.

Unfortunately, not great comparatively. I went slower than I did the year before (on 20+ more watts) and was not even on the podium (4th) at the end of the day.

For sure, it was a blow to my confidence, in everything. One of the problems with only having a few specific targets over the year is that when doesn't go "to your expectations" then you have a big letdown. But, upon review and a non-emotional look at the event, I can't be anything except happy with my performance.

It was only a couple of weeks later I took my spill at Rock Hill. Here we are a month from that point and finally I don't have pain in my hip. (Although sitting extended periods does make it sore/stiff still)  I'm melancholy about how it has turned out and what it means for my hour attempt. I wish things had turned out differently, but it's a fools errand to focus on what could have been, instead it's back to working towards something.  Fortunately I happen to enjoy the journey, so on to bigger and better things!

Until next time, thanks so much for checking in on me. Hopefully it won't be as long of a break between posts :)

- Christopher Morelock 

A short TT report (Oak Ridge Velo TT)

I'm still kicking! It's been a while since the last update, I apologize for anyone who was anxiously hitting refresh on the blog for the next post! Things have been moving quickly, and they're only going to speed up between now and the end of July. I've started about 8 posts and not finished any of them... so when things slow down again there is going to be a flood gate of stuff! Thanks for checking in, on to the report!

It's been a while since I last turned the cranks of my TT bike in anger. Actually, it was the Oak Ridge Velo TT last year that was the last time. As the schedule flipped this year it just so turned out it was the first race of the season this time! While the weather conditions would be vastly different, it would be a pretty good way to measure how I was progressing vs. where I was last year. 

For the nerds out there that are interested in such things, and to add some spice to an otherwise "I rode hard" style race report, here's the difference in the weather at 4p.m. (roughly my race start) between years

7/22/2017 - (16:51) 91° RHO(kg/m3) - 1.1422 with wind ~ 7mph blowing Southwest

4/14/2018 - (16:50) 77° RHO(kg/m3) - 1.1744 with wind ~10mph blowing South

What does that mean? Well, the condensed version is that the day was slower due to the conditions. (I know, I've just opened up a whole new world of excuses for people to use for a bad day now! "Yeah man, I was feeling good, but the Rho was just not in my favor!") While the lower temperatures "feel" better, in general we usually go faster when it's hot. (The caveat being if it's so hot that you are truly overheating) To expand - 

In 2017 I finished the 7.6 miles in 16:51:xx

In 2018 I finished the 7.6 miles in 16:50:xx

What was the difference then? It took me 20 more watts to cover the distance 1 second faster this year. I rode the same bike, same wheels and tyres, with equipment/position that gave me a similar CdA (I looked!)  or at least similar total drag, (total drag being a mix of CdA, rolling resistance and drivetrain efficiency) and paced the race similarly. (Note this doesn't account for traffic draft, changes in road surface over a year, etc etc) If you look at other repeat racers times vs. 2017, pretty much nobody went faster this year.

But enough of the nerdy stuff. This is a race report! 

As a full disclaimer and apology, most of the people racing the ORV TT had already been riding on Saturday before I even got out of bed. Road racing, and especially any going longer than an hour isn't in my wheelhouse any longer, and I don't miss it! Nonetheless it's my new secret strategy to winning Omnium TT's... just don't wear yourself out earlier in the day!

Abs of steel has been failing me...

I arrived about an hour and a half before the start. The general plan is to get to race site with plenty of time to fix whatever inevitably breaks on my bike (last year it was a flat!) and sequel into the start tent moments before it's time to start with a sky high heartrate. Somehow the universe mercifully spares me any mechanicals and I get to spend that time socializing. Some may say it's the right time to warmup for such a short event...but what do they know. Eventually I do kit up (In my red kit... which hides the blood from when I'm stuck with safety pins... just like a spandex Deadpool) and figure I probably should at least pretend to warm up. I do some openers, which any the track guys I know would laugh at, but felt like huge starts for me, then ride into the start tent. As usual, once things start moving, it moves fast.

3,2,1 Go

I come out of the gates hot. (For me, again... laughable standing start watts) As soon as I'm up to speed I find my place on the saddle and tuck. For me the race is split into three sections, the first third (up to the highway on ramp) is to get into a good rhythm and settle my heart rate. The second section is all about making power (a long steady incline up the highway to the turn on Bear Creek Rd) and the third section is about maximizing where I spend my energy.

The first third goes by to plan. My heart rate settles in around 180 and my watts are pretty consistent though the slight rollers. As we approach the on ramp I catch my first rider. I split my focus between the road, (a dangerous balancing act as the shoulder is not swept, and the curvy road begs impatient motorists to make dangerous passes... all divided by some gnarly rumble strips) my wattage and relaxing...as much as you can relax at 180bpm at least. I've found giving myself things to think about helps me TT much more consistently. Nothing worse than a blank mind counting seconds. I come up on my second rider but I'm close enough to the edge I can't squeak out an "on your left" I just have to pass and move on. 

Making the turn on Bear Creek it's time to bury myself. At this point the terrain changes pretty significantly, going from a general trend of steady uphill/false flat to true rolling terrain. Unfortunately I'm at my worst at stuff like this, I just can't get comfortable and stay in a gear, and my watts can drop / jump pretty wildly. I focus and just try staying smooth, something that has gotten a bit easier with my increased track time, but still isn't optimal. I pass my third rider and as I cross one of the hills I can just glimpse my fourth one. I figure if I can hold my pace and increase it to the finish I might just catch him. As we make the final sweeping bend before the final straight, I take my first second (too much, a full cadence drop to 0 in an otherwise beautiful power data file) of freewheeling. Once I'm out of it I put my head down (don't try this at home kids) and just follow the white line. I glance up and can see the finish, and realize I sadly won't be catching my fourth rider! I don't have anything left for a sprint, so I just hammer on to the line. Finally, I hop onto the base bar and can gasp air again. 

The primary success for me was hitting my targets (technically I was 1 watt below my goal... but I'll allow it to be rounded!) and feeling "comfortable" doing it. That was a success. It was a happy bonus to also be able to take the top step of the podium at my "home" race as well.  The fact that I was able to add a chunk of watts to my race on less fitness (for those of you who are Trainingpeaks nerds, around -20 CTL to the race last year) should mean my goals for later in the year are going to plan. 

After that, I watched some of my friends start/finish their race, and collected my sweet sweet prize purse. It was great to see so many of my teammates dipping their toes into the world of bike racing.

So that was my ORV TT. I managed to sneak into the top 10 overall (I'm a nerd and looked) finish times, which I'll also take a small amount of pride in. 

Next on the agenda is getting back down to Rock Hill and doing some aero testing on skinsuits, as well as doing the final adjustments / dialing in my position. I'll try to grab some pictures and jot something down worth reading!

Until then, Thanks so much for reading, I really appreciate it!

-Christopher Morelock

Nostalgia Race Report: IM Augusta 2011

So as Facebook often does, it reminded me that it was six years ago that I did my first half Ironman race in sunny Augusta. I had filed a race report on Beginnertriathlete at the time, and I got a little bit nostalgic. Not nostalgic enough to want to do another triathlon, but nonetheless, looking back at what I felt and wrote at the time was good for me, and I thought I'd share! I'll add my commentary in italics where I feel I need to reflect.

Pre Race
First let me put in my shout outs. All kinds of people deserve thanks, Bryan, Trigal, TriAya, Rudedog, Trix, Lockout, Shane, all the people who have been in my mentor groups, anyone who has answered any of my stupid questions... It would take a whole page to thank all you guys on BT and ST. Beyond that my LBS Cycology bicycles and my fitter Eddie Sloan, who's worked with me for countless hours on my position. 
Also my best friend Wes who has to listen to me talk about triathlon 24/7. 

David, who's not just the only man I've ever met paler than I am, but also a fantastic coach and friend who has to listen to me whine. 

Finally, my family, especially my mom, who doubles duty as moral support, mechanic, Medic, cook, driver, etc. Anyways, that's enough of the gushy stuff, on to the meat and potatoes. 

Getting to Augusta has been a bit challenging. My first two "A" races this year have been pretty disastrous as DNF's (Flatting out at Rev3 Knx and going off course at Amica 19.7) so I was a bit hungry to show I could perform. A week or so ago, I got a little overzealous on my run and ended up doing "something" to my back/butt/left leg. It basically put me to a super easy taper and quite a bit of doubt as to how I was going to hold up on race day. My goals were set up like this 
worst case scenario - finish (I really wanted to avoid a DNF) 
meh day - 5:05 or better 
happy day - sub 5:00 
good day - 4:52 
great day - anything below that 

I arrived in town midday Friday to our hotel in Aiken. After we dropped off the essentials it was a quick drive over to Augusta Marriot to get signed in, then to scope out swim start and transition. I ended up walking (in sandals no less) quite a bit farther than I expected to / should have. Most of the day Saturday I spent laying around besides setting up transition and driving the bike course. My grandparents and dad arrived later in the afternoon, and while my family went out for the night I walked across the street to Applebees, had dinner and went to bed early. (About 7pm)

woah, already some people I have fallen out of touch with that I miss. Actually the mid-2000's BT forum folks in general were all pretty great. You can see I sucked at taper's from the beginning.

I look so small in this picture!

Warmup
I got up Sunday at 3:15a.m. took a shower, had breakfast and coffee, took care of the essentials and got the rest of the car packed up. I was feeling pretty good overall, my ankles were a bit sore from walking around in sandals Friday, but no big deal. I set up the rest of Transition, jumped the bus to swim start, and waited around there until they started calling for my wave (wave5, second half of men 25-29) Jumped in the water, and had to make an effort to stay behind the start buoys. It began raining while we were waiting to start, but just sprinkled and had stopped before I got out of the water.

Perfect stuff, spend all day the day before the race on your feet... 

Swim
The announcer said the current was not nearly as fast as it was last year, but I dunno, it seemed like it was certainly moving to me. I started at the front of this wave, and got melee'd back to my "ideal" spot. I've found this a better solution than starting back too far and having to battle people kicking. I quickly found some feet and had a very uneventful swim... every minute or so I'd stick my head up to make sure we were on course, but honestly it would have been very tough to get off course. It did seem like we were pretty close to the shore (too close for the fastest part of the current) but I decided it was better just to sit and draft than it was to break out on my own. About 1k to the swim exit we ran into some very thick "seaweed" (whatever you call it in a river) which was a bit gross, but no big deal (or so I thought) 

I was looking at 35min going in, so when I saw 27' on my watch I knew it was going to be a good day.

You could throw a potato chip bag in the swim start at Augusta and expect it to do close to a 35' swim, so my 27' was certainly not impressive in the least. I didn't drown though.

T1
The run up the ramp and into transition was extremely long. (the entire length of the transition area) and I had to dodge the wetsuit stripper pile up. I had cut about 1.5" off the legs of my wetsuit prior to the race and it made a huge difference getting it off fast, I highly suggest it! As I'm pulling my left leg out my calf cramps!! OUCH. I shake it off fast and keep moving. Helmet on sunglasses on Out the door. Had to dodge a few people all over the course, but finally got into my shoes and down to business, calf being a PITA all the way.

I actually still acutely remember the pain in my calf. I've never experienced the same kind of pain before or after, and I hope I never do again.

Out of transition! No flying squirrel though

Bike
This was the first time my bike ride has ever been a "controlled" thing. Generally I just ride...hard. The goal at Augusta was to stay in the neighborhood of 200watts, and around 270-300 for the climbs. The first 10 miles or so this was very easy as I was fighting with my calf cramp along with the miles of people lined up. I spent this time making sure I was getting my calories in and massaging my leg. Eventually the crowds started thinning and my calf gave me some relief. Any time my watts climbed over 230w I would sit up on the bullhorns, just to stretch / grab a drink. The rest of the time I spent in Aero. 
At about mile 15 I was having a new issue. Severe pain in my crotch. I tried to push through it, but it was not subsiding and I was becoming quite worried. Finally I sat up on a downhill and reached down to see what the issue was. I pull my hand out with a fist full of that stupid seaweed! WTF! I try to wash my junk with my water bottle and clean up the situation. I got enough of it to make life tolerable the rest of the ride. 

I was hoping for a 2:33 and ended up with a 2:27, and never felt like I left my comfort zone doing it, so I would call it a good day. 
Avg. Watts: 191 
Max. Watts: 532 
NP: 206

Ahh yes, seaweed crotch. One of my finer moments. Not a particularly impressive bike ride, from the max watts you can see I followed the plan of "around 270-300 on the climbs" almost perfectly... It would take me another 6-7 years to figure out how you pay for stuff like that. Still, it wasn't a terrible bike for the fitness I had at the time.

Man, the Planet X... I miss that bike

T2
Coming into T2 crossed some covered train tracks and otherwise rough pavement. I was about to swing my leg over the saddle when I remembered my cramps earlier in the day... I came to a full stop and stepped over, losing a second or two but saving my dignity. (What there is of it to save that is) 

Otherwise T2 was pretty uneventful. Again, I did have to run the entire length of transition to get out. (same as the swim but reversed)

Well, common sense seemingly did play a part in my early triathlon career. 

Run
And here we were. 13 miles to the finish, two hours to beat my goal of sub 5. I come out of the gates just a bit hot (pun intended) but quickly slow down to a more tolerable 7:3x pace. The first three miles go pretty well and I am feeling fairly comfortable. Then, like a scene from a movie, the sky parts (it had been fairly overcast all day) and the sun beams down in all its glorious suffering. The heat pretty much skyrockets into the 90's and I immediately feel it. The aid stations on the run were also not exactly a mile apart, so after I miss getting a drink at mile 3 (I was throwing water on myself as opposed to down my throat) I can feel myself burning out. At 4.5 or so I can feel my left leg throbbing a bit in the back area, so I decide to stop and stretch it out. TERRIBLE idea, as soon as I stop and lift my left leg my calf balls up on itself and very nearly puts me on the ground. I get that worked out and decide that stopping is a bad idea in general. New plan - Walk every aid station and make sure to get 1 coke and 1 water (plus as much Ice as I can pack onto myself / under my hat) At one point I have 5 sponges shoved in my tri suit. At mile 8 I start feeling considerably better, but continue to walk through the aid stations. I see that I can very nearly walk the last 3 miles and still beat 4:52, but press on. I do take some extra time at the last aid station to "clean myself up" (Zip up my jersey, remove the sponges, clean coke off my face) and try to make myself look presentable at the finish line. I come into the finish with a last surge and stop my watch (after pictures of course) at 4:46ish... I'm pretty ecstatic as you can imagine! 

Planned Run was 1:40 and I came in at 1:44. With some of the small issues I had leading up to and during the race I can't say I'm unhappy with it, but I can't help but think if I had had a good run today I would almost certainly have been going to Vegas. 

Run splits per mile 
1.) 7:23 
2.) 7:43 
3.) 7:07 
4.) 8:14 (started walking aid stations) 
5.) 8:21 
6 & 7.) 16:28 
8.) 8:01 
9.) 8:03 
10.) 8:21 
11.) 7:47 
12.) 8:47 
13.) 8:18

Considering my open 1/2 marathon PB was 1:29:55 this is slightly less embarrassing than it first looks. Not an excellent 1/2IM Run, but better than any I managed after it. (Sadly)
Also, even though at the time 1/2IMWC was not well loved (Clearwater was hated and nobody was quite sure about Vegas) I wasn't anywhere near qualifying.

The heat was on. In those awesome Adidas Adios

Post Race
I quickly got checked out in medical (they shipped me over there despite me telling them I just "LOOKED" like crap. The medics seemed to agree and quickly got rid of me) Next it was over to the recovery area, where I graciously accepted a Bud Light, well deserved IMO. Next I found the family and we watched some more of the race, then walked across the street to BEEMIES (sp?) bar/restaurant and had lunch (Great food btw) 

Post race binge - 
- 1 order onion rings 
- 2 order french fries 
- 1 crab cake 
- 1 appetizer fried calamari 
- Appetizer platter dinner (Shrimp, Chicken fingers, Fried Fish, Oysters) 
- 1 Bowl Ice cream 
- 2 Pitcher Water 

I also waited around at the rolldown, but being only 2 slots in my AG and me being 13th I knew there wasn't much hope. Nonetheless it rolled down about 6 people... enough that it would have been mine with a 1:36 or so run... well within my fitness on a flat course :/ Oh well.

Disgusting... Bud Light? I really was young and stupid. That Beemies bar was pretty awesome though, if it's still there I highly recommend. 
Mehh... knocking 8 minutes off my run at that time (or any time since) was a little delusional. Looking back, I don't know that I could have knocked 4 minutes off with a perfect day. Still, that's part of youth!

Am I ok?

Augusta was a race I still fondly look back on. I went back the next year and came away 13 minutes slower, falling prey to some foolish mistakes and being impatient in both lead up and execution. Somewhat sadly looking back I never did another 70.3, and I think it was a distance I could have been pretty good at with enough time and work. Priorities shift and now that I'm pretty much a dedicated TTer it's not something I can jump back into easily. Maybe in a few years when things settle down a bit once more I can dedicate myself back to training to be mediocre at three sports instead of one. Anyways, thanks for giving me something to write about this week Facebook!

Until next time, thanks for reading!

- Christopher Morelock

Race Report: ORV Time Trial

After a string of second place finishes, I finally managed to nab myself a top step. On the way, I also set a new PB on the ORV course, smashing last year's time. But it wasn't quite as smooth sailing as I had hoped.

For a short time trial (7.6 miles) I like to get in a pretty good warmup. So we arrived on site a little over an hour early, and I found some of my friends who had scouted out a shady area (it's still amusing to me that we "warm up" in 95° weather) and started setting up. When I took my bike out of the truck I saw that I had pinched the tube in my rear wheel installing the tire and now I had a flat that would have to be changed.

Fast forward another hour... my hands are in ruins, I've bent at least one tire lever, and I've given up on trying to get the super tight Vittoria G+ reinstalled and settled for the Specialized Turbo Cotton... You KNOW a tire is tiiiiighttttt (My friend Tony, who also gave up the skin on his hands to help me seat the tube under the tire, called them 695c tires) when you consider the Spec TC to be the "easier" one to install. Finally, with around 10 minutes to my start time, we have the bike back together. My wife and mother pin my numbers and I throw on my shoes and helmet... the bad news is I didn't get to warm up... the good news is I got a heck of a warmup fighting that tire!

I jump out on the road to check the brakes and shifter, and as soon as I grip the brake I can feel that my headset has worked it's way loose. Jeez... just like a car, a bike can brake down just sitting in the garage. Cue the whole "Proper Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance" saying running through my mind... So the choice is either miss my start time or ride it the way it is.

I make my way down to the start tent and try to get my attention focused on the job at hand. I was in the lucky position of going last, so I only had people in front of me to pick off, which always helps me when it comes to focusing. Finally, after all the hassle getting to the line, we're down to the 3,2,1... Go time.

photo credit to master photographer Tony Falin

Orv's course is short, but it's lumpy in pretty much all the wrong ways, and I've found it's easy to pay for burning the matches too fast. I come out of the start nice and controlled and quickly find my way into the bars. My goal is to push for somewhere a little higher than my 20' power for most of the ride, driving it up a bit on the uphills and letting it dip slightly to recover on the downhills. I didn't wear my heart rate monitor because I didn't want to see the numbers I'd likely be hitting, blowing up was a possibility we had discussed and would rather see than a soft race. So on I went. Making my way onto the on ramp to Hwy 95 the course starts throwing the rollers, something I've almost decidedly gotten worse at since adding 20lbs to my frame.  As the turn onto Bear Creek Road comes into sight I am in the awkward position of needing to make a pass. I decide to burn a match and really put in an effort to get ahead before we go into the turn so that I've got free road to go. It's right on the limit of too much and it takes me a moment to recover, but I find my cadence again and just keep telling myself it's almost over. The back end of Bear Creek road is generally downhill, but still with some quick inclines and some overall mediocre pavement. As I make the final sweeping bend headed for the finish I pour everything I've still got in the tank (not much) into it and really hammer down. I pass my 5th rider in front right before crossing the line and stop the clock in 16:51, about 20 seconds faster than what we had set as a target.

For Reference
2016 - 18:15
2017 - 16:51

It was great to finally take a top step again. It's been nearly 4 years (has it really been that long) since I got to stand on the top step at the end of a race. I suppose it's only fitting that it happened at the Podium Sports Medicine TT, and I'm glad I got to do it with them as my sponsor. We're still building towards something greater, but this was a nice confirmation that the hard work does reap some rewards even while working up to the bigger picture.  Maybe it's also a lesson to spend a little more time getting the bike race ready a little earlier during the week ;)


Thanks for reading, I really appreciate it!

- Christopher Morelock

Race Report: TN State TT (Cat4)

Back again with another report, this time for the TN State TT race.

How to start this report... I've tried a few times and failed to muster how I feel about it. Bittersweet is the best I can come up with. Again the top step has eluded me, but I had one of my best races, ever, which is all the more important. Of the things I could control, I think I hit a 95 out of 100 on execution, which in itself is probably the most important takeaway from the day. But let's start at the beginning.

The TN State TT was a race that was uncertain for a long time. Whether it actually was going to happen or not was up in the air until a couple weeks from race day. When they finally confirmed it in a new location, I was happy as my build up was targeting it and I do hate to miss timing like that. The new course was also a bit more friendly than the previous location, which thankfully included a good bit less elevation change. 

Coming off of the Georgia State TT I made some modifications to my equipment, not wanting to run out of gears going downhill again (a problem I had in GA) I swapped from my 50t to a 54t chainring (I run 1x) and put on a slightly wider cassette. With 3% being the max grade I was certain I'd have the gears I needed going up and down. I had ripped my skinsuit at the GA TT, but fortunately Kevin Sprouse came through in the clutch and got me into the new Body Paint 3.3 skinsuit before he left for the Tour de Suisse. It was also my first time running the new, extremely quick Vittoria Corsa Speeds, the new king of fast tires.  So, with my ride pimped out, it was time to go make what meager watts my motor can do.

We (my mother, wife and I) drove down to Dover on Friday evening, and I got in my final spin in at the hotel room. We had dinner at an excellent pizza place nearby and then watched the back half of Saving Private Ryan before bed.

Saturday we made our way to the race site about an hour and a half early, giving me time to get my numbers and get everything set up for my warmup.  I spent about 40 minutes total warming up (with a 5' or so break to pee in the middle) including a ~5 or so build and a couple of 30" efforts to open the legs up. Finally it was time to slip into (nothing so elegant actually happened, it was actually a lot of tugging...very gentle tugging) the skinsuit and head to the start tent.

My holder did a fine job, and then it was time for the countdown.
3, 2, 1, Go.

Coming straight out of the gate I spiked my power a bit getting up the bridge, then immediately slipped into my position and found my rhythm. The goal was to hold very steady power on all the flats and uphills (the out of the course had a generally steady "false flat" profile to it) and then at the long drag (~3% grade) to the actual turn point to spike it up just slightly and expect to recover a bit on the following downhill. All in all, I wanted to keep my heart rate in the low 180's for the majority of the ride.

As I came over the bridge from the start gate I smash into the open bit of pavement between bridge and road. It jars me hard, and for a second I wonder if it was hard enough to blow a tire. It wasn't, but it was also not an experience I wished to repeat as I crossed the other side of the bridge.

They say nothing new on race day, and I try to stick to that. I'm decent at bunny hopping on a road bike, but admit I've never done it (in aero) on my tt bike... but the concept is similar, except for that slight bit less control and having your elbows locked in place and the body weight distribution and so forth... Perfect time to try it out, right? I pull hard on the end of the bars and then immediately after pop my feet. I take a great amount of pride in the fact that I landed it... not perfectly, but adequately enough that i didn't wipe out, which I suppose is good enough.

On a long straight out and back time trial you get plenty of time to think about things, which is a blessing and a curse. Some people can turn their mind off and just hammer, me I sit and think about things. It's something that has hurt me in the past, when I let my mind wander to "this sucks" territory... but this year I've worked hard on focusing on other stuff. I also moved my computer higher so that I can see the numbers just by glancing, which gives me some "motivation" to stay on watts and some buffer to calm me down. The other thing I've worked to focus on is staying as still as possible. Most of the guys I'm racing against out power me by a good 70-90 watts over an hour effort, so anything I can do to maximize my slipperiness is an absolute must.

Slowly, I start picking people off. As we near the turnaround I'm passed by a Cat3 rider, and I shadow him the remainder of the first half as we start going by an increasing amount of traffic. With the turnaround in sight and two riders immediately ahead of me I put in a "too big" effort to get by them (and to the turnaround first, so I can pick my line) which in retrospect probably cost me 15" or so overall. Fortunately after making the turnaround I'm able to get my heartrate back under control and start the fast return trip.

Holding my watts steady on downhills is a problem I have, so I really had to focus hard on what should have been the "easy" part of the course. I did a good job (for me) but still left some time out there. It's about this time I start to think to myself that the chamois in the Body Paint 3.3 is not the most robust... my undercarriage was really hurting! Finally I see the cones that lead back over the bridge to the finish line, and I get out of the saddle to try to power over. The stretch takes a lot longer than it did on the way out, and it's all I can do to stay in my right mind as I crest the hill and put in my last effort to the finish line.

Final Time - 57.52 on a slightly long course (25.3mi)

It was good enough for second place on the day, which was not the step I had hoped to land on, but it came from one of the best executed races I've ever had, so I am happy. It's also the first time I've "officially" broken an hour in a 40k, so small victories and all that. There is a saying in car racing "no replacement for displacement" and at a certain point it's true in human motors as well. The difference of motor size matter a lot more when the competition is also trying to check off all the aero boxes. It does give me something to look forward to next year, and motivation is always welcome!

Thanks to the Sponsors: Podium Sports Medicine, Visit Knoxville, The Feed, Harper Auto Square, Stoke Signal Socks, Yee-Haw Brewing Co.

GA State ITT (Cat4) and 2-Man TTT

It's been a while since I had a race report to post, and now I've got two in one!

This year I've decided to focus solely on becoming a better time trialist. Unfortunately, in Tennessee time trialling is really not a thing... so starting my "season" has been a long time coming. 

My original focus was the TN State Time Trial Championships, however as the race date drew closer without a confirmation I feared the worst, that it would be re-scheduled or worse, simply cancelled. Georgia's State TT had been on my radar for a while, but we had originally figured it as a tune up / train through race, however, as TN's race became less certain and with my fitness coming towards a peak for the season, I decided to re-schedule and make sure I had at least a single good race to focus on lest I just miss out on everything. Shuffling your training plan to shoe horn in a peak/taper last minute a few weeks before planned certainly isn't the ideal way to do it, but it is what it is and what we had to work with.

The couple of weeks leading into the GA TT had/have been rough, I was pushing longer weeks and higher intensities and missing a fair number of those targets. It erodes the confidence we have built up and we start thinking somehow we've backslid into de-training, even though that is not logical. Nonetheless, I was getting a little nervous about the race. Tapering went like my tapers always have historically, I feel pretty "meh" as volume drops and recovery increases. I'm used to this by now, so I wasn't too freaked out by it. On Thursday we sat down and discussed my strategy for the GA course, keeping in mind that I'd have to go back out within an hour and try to hold it together for the 2 Man Team Time Trial. Although that was an afterthought, I still wanted to at least be able to not be totally embarrassed by my pulls. I would limit myself to low 300's for the punchy climbs and not let my heart rate climb too far above 180 until the last 3k or so, as at that point I'd start digging a hole I couldn't recover from. I've blown up in a longish TT before in epic fashion, it's not an experience I ever look to repeat.

I took a half day off work Friday and met my friend's Jimmy and Sharon at their house. We'd decided to split a hotel room since the upcharge staying in a college town on Memorial Day weekend was ridiculous. We strapped the bikes (three Speed Concepts) to the Subaru and made our way down to Gainesville. 

By the time we drove the course, got unloaded and found a place to get some dinner it was close to 8p.m. I'd planned to do a 30 minute spin with a couple of pickups that evening (sitting in a car for a couple of hours isn't great for keeping the legs fresh) but decided it was late enough it was best to cut it short and not risk getting too worked up right before bed. Sleeping in a hotel is already enough of a challenge without a sky high heartrate. 15' spinning would have to do. We turned in a little after 9 and set the alarm for 6.

Race day rolled around fairly uneventfully. One last check of the bike, we packed the car and met the rest of the crew at a local Panera Bread for coffee and breakfast. Then it was off to the races, as Sharon and the rest of the girls started about an hour before us.

The course itself was a little short of a 40k (measuring about 35k) and an easy enough out and back setup with only the turnaround in a 3 lane road as the "technical" section. Going out was vastly downhill, and the back half, as you might imagine, was mirrored uphill. It would certainly punish someone who didn't hold a little back for the return trip.  

I've been using Team GB/Sky's TT warmup for a couple of years now (ever since I saw and stole it) and I've always felt it was a great warmup that didn't run on too long. I was surprised that my parents had made a side trip on their own mini-vacation to see me off... that's always great for morale! I ran down to the start to see some of my friends off, gave Jimmy some well wishes (and a stick of gum... our tt secret weapon) gave the bike a final check over and fully kitted up... then rode to the start ramp myself. Finally, at 10:07 on the dot, it was go time.

I went off the ramp and took a hard right out of the parking lot into another right onto the main road the rest of the race would play out on. As I've mentioned, the first portion is very fast due to the gradual decline. I've been running a single front chainring for a while now with a 50t ring which has treated me well up to this point. Unfortunately I found a 50x12 big gear simply wasn't allowing me to push my target watts. I was running in the low 200's for some long stretches... a rookie mistake not to match the necessary gear to the course. It wasn't a disaster, but with the length of time spent in 50x12 it was certainly not optimal. Stay aero, stay tucked, stay focused. I say stay focused because here I made a real error. As I was coming onto the time check I saw a volunteer standing up in a truck bed as a side road entered onto the race course. There was a cone in the middle of the lanes. For a moment my adrenaline addled mind thought "am I at the turnaround??" (actually, it was the turnaround for the juniors) I move to my pods/brakes (USE Tula's have some funky brakes) and start to slow... I'm a bit confused. The volunteer notices that I'm a moron and starts yelling "go go go!" Even after driving the course and knowing the distance I'm still not smart enough to trust I know where to go... Ferdinand Magellan I am not. I curse under my breath at the seconds wasted but there is nothing to do but get tucked in and drive on. I was checking my computer fairly regularly to keep me reigned in on the uphill sections and to remind me I wasn't going hard enough on the downhills. I stayed tucked into my aero position and just continued my rhythm. It had been a while now and I hadn't caught my minute man... that was slightly worrisome but I didn't panic. I also hadn't been caught.  Finally, as the (real) turnaround neared I saw riders in the distance. Then it was like a gate had opened, I passed a duo, then another, and finally another before the turnaround. As I made my U-turn I took the opportunity to grab a swig of water. It wasn't a necessity, but I figured I'd be thankful for it soon as the course was only going to get harder on the trip home. 

At this point I was able to get some bearings of where the rest of the field stood. Everyone that started behind me was still a fairly even to farther distance away from me on the road. I saw Jimmy blazing through and considering how far he started behind me I figured he was having a good ride. I was still feeling pretty good, but my heartrate had been staying pretty steadily in the high 170's low 180's for a good chunk of time. It was sustainable, but I was feeling it. I decided that I'd cut back the power I was averaging on any section of uphill I thought would last over a minute to high 200's instead of low 300's, then I'd use anything I had left at the last climb before the finish. I made another pass at the 10k sign, and got a glimpse, finally, of my minute man. Now I had a target... something that makes the pain just a little more bearable. At this point the course really makes you pay for all that downhill you enjoyed on the way out. Nonetheless, I stuck to my plan and eventually caught my minute man just after the 5k sign. On the next climb he passed me again on the uphill section, and put in a good enough effort that I was unwilling to respond but kept him well within sight as a pacer. Finally after what seemed like forever, we crested the final hill and made a mad dash for the finish tent. (and more importantly, the finish line) I stopped the clock in 51:21, a bit slower than we had predicted (with the help of Bestbikesplit) but still in the "good day" category. Back to the caravan I fueled up as best I could, knowing I'd have to go back out there within the hour to do it all over again. Jimmy finished not long after (51:07) and we went to see how we had placed.

I managed to secure second place in the 4's... missing the top step by under 10 seconds. I knew I had left that 10 seconds out there, maybe by just not slowing down at that one point, definitely by having a better gear ratio. Live and learn... It was fitting a native Georgian stood on the top step in my mind anyways. Jimmy had an even tighter squeeze... He finished in third, under a half second behind second place. Still, a good showing for the Tennessee boys. The ladies of course absolutely dominated... sweeping the top step all around.

After my best attempt at re-fueling/hydrating it was time to return to the start line for the team time trial. Showing up fortunately had already nailed us the top spot on the podium, and at least I was more than a little happy that I wasn't going to have to chase or be chased again. We knew going in that Jimmy would be the stronger of us, so it would have to be up to him to do the larger share of the work. On the one hand you feel a little embarrassed that you can't do more while your buddy is suffering pulling and you're just tagging along, but since time is taken on the second man over the line it's not doing either of us any favors if I kill myself and have to totally limp home while he rides away.  I do the work I can for the first half of the race, we are on a 2 minute rotation and with a little help from the extra rest and the gracious downhill I'm able to help out at least a bit. As we close in on the halfway point I tell Jimmy I'm not going to be able to go much higher than 300 on the climbs, as I'm starting to feel the earlier efforts. At the turnaround Jimmy tells me he's feeling good...  As he takes his pull on the first gradual incline I almost lose contact... "DOWN" I feebly yell, our call signal for distress.  Jimmy takes the lead the majority of the return trip, and although it's certainly helpful to have a wheel in front of you to keep you motivated, it doesn't help nearly as much when you are climbing, as the drafting benefit isn't really there. I take some short pulls on the quick downhills and a couple of flats, but for the most part I'm just trying to keep my legs moving and not cramp up. A little past 5k Jimmy tells me to pull to the 3k sign and he'll get us home. It's hard to believe just how far 2k is on a bike until you're counting off mailboxes, trees, ruts in the road, whatever just to try to pass that time. The road finally straightens out into a false flat and at the end of it is a bright neon "3k" sign. Agonizingly slowly we creep past it and Jimmy takes over. Here the road pitches again pretty much all the way up to the finishing straight, and again I'm close to losing contact although it's clear by my computer that I'm not pushing all that hard. A little under 1k, the final uphill section and I stand up out of aero... a big mistake. My right leg immediately starts cramping. I sit back down and will myself to make a circle with both legs... it works well enough that I don't literally just stop and topple over. Finally we crest and can see the finish tent. It's a fairly long drag and again a slight false flat running up onto it... I give it everything I've got left and we stop the clock at 54:36. 

As we (well I at least) limp back to the car Jimmy suggests we return to the finish line to see the girls 4-person team finish. I agree and make it to the turn in the road downhill before rational thought strikes me "I'm not going up this hill again." I turn around and head back to the car... sorry girls. (They crushed everyone else without me seeing it anyways!) 

So our two man TT was slower than either of our individual efforts. Not unexpected given our fatigue, at least my own. Still, I felt like considering the increase in temperature and wind we put down a pretty solid time for our first venture into team time trialling. A special thanks to my teammate for pulling me along the course, especially while I was hurting.

Overall, It was a good day, very important for ironing out the details for TN States, where hopefully I can improve my podium positioning by a step.

As always, thanks so much for reading, I really appreciate it! 

-Christopher Morelock

Finishing Track Certification and a long 20 minutes.

This past weekend I returned to Dick Lane Velodrome to finish my certification and to attempt an hour for their record day.

I was hoping to have a successful report this week, but the situation did not allow for it.

This came about two weeks ago when I was at DLV for my first day of certification. I found out that Saturday (10/2) was going to be Dick Lane's record attempt day. I, like many people out there, have always wondered how I would/could stack up in an hour attempt. I'm a pretty fair TTer, with a lot of endurance background, it seemed not a question of if I'd finish it, but how far I'd go.

Something something something pride before the fall something...

In reality, I wanted to learn as much as I could about TT'ing on the track, and I was well aware that it was not apples to apples the same as on the road. I couldn't think of a better way to get some firsthand experience than to dive right in. The fact that Atlanta is a 4ish hour drive for me means opportunity to ride (especially alone) will be few and far between, so I jumped at the chance to set a record.

Things did not get off to a good start after I signed up, as you may expect.

The first hurdle was actually getting a bike together to make the attempt on. I have *some* fixed gear equipment, but certainly not an extensive bit. The biggest issue was a rear wheel. I have an old cheap Origin8 flip flop that would have to do the job, and none of my disc covers would fit it. Unfortunately running a deep front with a box rear wheel did not appeal to me, so after eliminating borrowing a disc or converting my old specialized trispoke. (HED of course is very helpful when it comes to servicing Trispokes... in that they don't really want to deal with it at all, but I digress. Maybe that has only been my own experience in the past) Eventually I settled on chopping up an old disc cover and making it fit the Origin8, thanks to a lot of tape!

That solved, there is the issue of gearing. The primary issue... I had no idea what gear to use. Everything I read about hour attempts are from serious folk who have a good bit of help (and track time) finding the right gear. Of course, I had limited options in the gearing spectrum as well. Since I wasn't going to get to ride on the track pre-attempt, I'd just have to guess. I had a 53t chainring, so I finally figured a 15t cog would let me hit 40k (my target pace) at 90rpm. Sure, I've read a lot saying that's too low of an rpm, but I've never done a TT with a much higher rpm. Go with what you know.

I decided that I'd run my Kask Bambino helmet because I planned to be looking down constantly (all you have to do is follow the black line, right???) and considering I haven't been training in the TT position much lately I figured that was a good choice since my neck would likely be a weak point (it was) in my armor. I took both my club short sleeve skinsuit and my older Castelli Bodypaint and left the choice for the morning of and the temperature.

Our (wife was coming for support) plan was to leave after a half day of work on Friday evening, trying to beat Atlanta rush hour. I wanted to get to DLV early Friday evening and at least get a few laps in to try to figure out pacing... which my wife was going to have to do for me.

- (eventual) arrival

We loaded up the car a little before noon and started out towards Atlanta. A 3 1/2 hour drive meant I assumed we would beat the full assault of rush hour traffic. I was woefully mistaken. We made excellent time right up until we were around a mile outside of Atlanta proper. From there it was, well, what you'd expect on a Friday afternoon in Atlanta traffic. Add to that the UT @ GA game on Saturday and well... you know the rest. Since DLV is on the other side of Atlanta, it meant we sat for a LONG time. Planned arrival time - 4p.m. Actual arrival time - 6p.m. (to go like 10 miles!!! F* traffic)
We made a rushed check in and then drove straight to DLV. I unloaded my bike and set up my stuff while we watched a motley crew assorted on the track. A family was walking the banks while a fellow rider split his time riding his hipster fixie in dead sprints, and recovery / snorting a white substance that seemed to be either pixie stick sugar OR possibly an illicit narcotic. He also vomited a few times in the grass as I was kitting up, which thrilled my wife. Different strokes I guess.

- First (bad) taste

I took a couple of slow laps on the apron getting re acquainted with the feel of the fixed gear, then another couple on the base bar again reminding myself that gravity would indeed not be the death of me so long as I promised to ride fast enough. The next lap I get down into my aero position on the straight leading into turn 1. My thought for the first lap goes like this

"Hmm, this isn't so bad... oh wow, turning and following the black line is kind of tough, HOLY S#*T I almost just slipped off my bars and wrecked... that was the roughest bit of pavement ever!!! Oh straight again, alright alright shake it off, look cool, pedal harder. Ok, turn 3, try to line this one up better, oh hell this part of the track is cracked, ooof, crap keeping my arms in these pads is tough, woah I'm over the red line, get it back in position... let's see what the wife thinks, she's supposed to let me know if I need to speed up or slow down... crap I can't see her from this position, gotta look up, woah missed it back into turn 1, death grip the bars this time... sh*t this is hard. Two laps??? Only gotta do that 59 more times!"

After a couple of laps I slow down and decide to see what my laps looked like.
My wife looks mortified. "I can see you bouncing on the track in the turns." Oh, I thought it just felt like I was bouncing. I look back at my saddle and notice that my seatpost has slipped all the way down into the frame. @%#%^!!! That seatpost has been fine (and on some rough Tennessee roads) for over a year! Now that's bumpy. My primary concern is not the back of the bike however, but the front. The narrow 3T pads are not conducive to staying firmly planted. As opposed to riding with my hands leisurely on top of the extensions as I do while road time trialling, I am death gripping the J bends trying to stay planted. I sit down for a moment and collect my thoughts. First thing, let a good amount of air pressure out of the tires. I do so and jump back out on the track for some more laps. Things go a little better this time around and I am hitting my split times fairly accurately. Nonetheless, I decide that 38k would be a better target to start with since things were not really going as well as I'd hoped, I figured a little buffer would help me keep calm.

At this point it was starting to get later in the evening. I wanted to stay out on the track and get some more laps in, but knew that I couldn't do much to help myself at this point and could certainly ruin the next day if I spent too much time. I (along with my wife) was also hungry and in need of some sleep. So reluctantly it was back to the hotel for dinner and then an early'ish night of tossing and turning. My practise laps had not eased the feeling that I might have gotten myself in over my head.


- D(oom) Day

I get up pretty early (of course) and get some breakfast. It's funny, when an event that makes you nervous is on the horizon time seems to move at a very, very fast pace. The irony of how slow time was about to start moving was not lost on me. I put on the smiles and jokes for the wife, but I had a good feeling that things weren't going to be sunshine and flowers... but I was here now and sometimes a man with no options can pull out some amazing things, and I was not about to no-show.

We get to DLV about halfway through the earlier record attempt (Excellent job, he was in control and paced it perfectly it looked to me. Just under 40k and a record) I watched an my spirits were bolstered slightly, maybe I could indeed do this.

First however, we have an issue with my equipment that has to be addressed. Despite not being a sanctioned event, DLV wanted to use a jig to measure the bike and keep it in regulations. No big deal, mine fits. However, they disagree, my extensions are too long, 77cm. I explain that I get one exemption no questions asked (my saddle is far behind 5cm of the bottom bracket) and after a (too) long and tense bit of checking, I'm given the green light.

I get on the track and warm up, but time is still moving very quickly and it's nearly time to start. I look at my seatpost and notice it has once again slipped down. Sh*t. My wife grabs my wrench and I torque down on it as hard as I feel I safely can.

"Time to line up."

I get some final encouragement from the wife and head to the start line. My holder is the current record holder at DLV (40 and some change) and he gives me a couple of tips and commends me on trying it, especially being my second time on the track. I crack some jokes "this is probably going to be a pretty short hour," but despite my levity and obvious silent prayers for Godzilla to attack, a meteor to strike or for time itself just to stop, the countdown clock has started.
30 seconds
crap, I've really got to give this a go, what was I thinking
20 seconds
I really hope I don't fly off the bars on the first turn
10 seconds
crap crap crap think of something smart to say, last words and all that
5
crap
4
crap
3
crap
2
s#*t
1
"Go Time!"
Yes, the best thing I can think of to say is "go time." This might be my biggest failing of the day.

It's funny, starting in a bigger gear is surreal. You are putting down a lot of power, but you aren't really moving. It's like everything is in slow motion. I take a small amount of satisfaction that I don't wipe out on the first turn, and by the exit of turn 2 I am nestled into the aerobars. I hit turn 3 still accelerating and get my first jolt. Slightly less unpleasant than it was yesterday, or at least I tell myself it is. Obviously I'm not on pace on the first lap, so I try to get my rhythm set for the second. Again, entering turn 1 and into 2 I'm jarred on the saddle and pads, but I figure I can manage it so long as I don't loosen my grip.

Time starts to slip away, but slowly. The splits are fine, we only had a very basic form of communication "up, down, steady" to gauge my effort by, but I don't know how far down or up I am, I just have to wing it.  That's the only thing going well. The differences between the road and the track are made (painfully) apparent to me as I tick off the laps. The inside of my thumbs are very sore (read: bleeding) where my rough'ish tape and gloves ending has rubbed a raw spot. My legs feel pretty good, but I can feel some fatigue building up in them... my cadence is decidedly too low for this type of event, because it will certainly slow by the end of the effort, and muscular fatigue will likely set in long before that. The real issue is my neck.  In my inexperience I assumed that I'd be able to hold my head similar to how I do on the road, maybe even further pointed down (that's why I wore the bambino after all) but in reality that is not how it worked. Watching the black line on the track isn't like watching the black line in the pool. You have to be lining up the entry to the turn, stay low in the turn itself, and then exit the turn without overcompensating. This seems pretty simple, but in practise is a big deal. Messing up the turns mean you are going much farther per lap than you need to, and it adds up when you're trying to get things down to the tenth second every lap. The track pulls you up toward the red line as you start going in the turn and it takes a good bit of effort to keep low, but as soon as the turn ends you need to be ready for it so that you don't go onto the apron.

My neck becoming sore is the issue, as it (obviously) leads to my head drooping, which despite my earlier thoughts on the matter is a very, very bad thing. I need to be looking up the track, because when I'm not, my line get's worse and the worse my line is through the turns the more I'm bounced around on the rough track (the black line is slightly less rough than the higher sections) and the more I'm bounced around the more fatigue sets in (and the slower I go, requiring speed pick up) it's actually a very viscous cycle. At around the 15 minute mark  I hit the bump in turn 1 and this time I do nearly come off the pads. I won't lie to you, it shook me. I decided to take a couple of laps slightly easier and rally myself. I'd put my head down in the straights and look up through the turns. It works sort of, but as I start drifting onto the apron on the straights I have to face the facts, I'm a wreck waiting to happen. Sooner or (probably much closer to the sooner side) later fatigue is going to really kick in and I'm not going to on top of the bike when I hit some turbulence. I'm at 20 minutes, things aren't going to get clearer in the next 40 minutes, that much I'm certain of.

As I pass the start/finish line I throw my hand up signalling I'm done.

I wasn't happy about the way it went, and certainly wasn't happy with not completing the hour, only making it a third of the way, but it was the right decision. My inexperience could be sort of hidden while I was fresh, but it was going to catch up with me before the end of the hour, I'm certain. I apologized for my showing and thanked everyone for taking the time to show up, then cooled down and quickly packed my bike back in the truck for the walk of shame.

Despite how poorly it went overall I think the experience (both literally and figuratively) was invaluable. The things I learned (especially how my head and hand positions will change on the track) on Saturday are things I probably couldn't have known any other way with my limited time available. These are things that will serve me very well in the future, both in training and in racing.

Next year Dick Lane Velodrome... next year I'll be back. And I'll be prepared.

Thanks for reading, I think I'll cut it off here and maybe finish our little story next week!

Specificity, even more important than we imagined!!

- Christopher Morelock