Before the report, Biking has a funny way of doing divisions - Expert, Experenced and Beginner. Although my first official bike race was yesterday, signed up as experienced. Well, it was an experienced group, warming up on bike trainers, wear skin suits, tight shoe covers, aeror wheels, all business, a few were kind of snotty. As yesterday, bikers from all over, fancy bikes and all business.
Prerace, the race started at the entry to Zions Canyon, down 12.4 miles and them back up. Many bikers were zipping back and forth warming up, dangerous with traffic, other bikers, etc. After about 2 miles down the canyon on my race, an ambulance went by. Slyvie told me 3 bikers crashed warming up, was not surprised.
More prerace stuff - raining some down the canyon, warned of some slippery spots, traffice, rumble strips, etc. what the heck, am I nuts, the answer is yes. The weather was crappy, could have easily got hypothermia if you did not get warm right after the race and get out of wet clothes.
I was third up, racers 30 seconds apart, held up by two guys, clipped in. The first part was two big S curves, did not get down in aero until after those turns, now the confident in my ability to make those turns staying in a tight 1 foot margin without moving into traffic, lost a few seconds. The rest of the course was in pretty good shape, stayed down in aero. I had 4 guys pass me, passed no one. I need this race as a reality check on my conditioning, training and feeling sorry for myself about the stress fracture, Teddy Rosevelt, the tough will get going. I was happy with the effort, very good hard effort. If I am going to continue bike racing and want to take time off my Tri leg, I need good aero wheels, anywhere from $1500 to $2800. They offer a 1 to 2 mile an hour advantage.
My average pace was 21.7173 mph - my avg pace at the half IM for 56 miles was 21.2, hum what does this mean, today's course was much tougher with all the uphill the second half. I started my piggy bank for aero wheels.
Stay Kool, b of BS Rools out
By he way, Sylive was real supportive, thinks I am nuts.
Last note, these guys are serious bikers, I mean serious.
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