Thursday, April 03, 2008

Buttercup is rarin' to go

My bike Buttercup is ready to begin her race season at the 40 km road race on Saturday! (Yes, they are permitting tri-bikes to race in this non-sanctioned event, I called in advance and checked). I took off her bento box so now she's hungry, which is a good thing for a racing bike. I also removed the behind-the-seat bottle cages and put on the sleek black rear skewer so now she feels fast.

I'll leave on the seatpack with the flat-fixing supplies until I determine that they will have an adequate sag wagon on the course, but probably that will stay in the car on race day.

I did two little 5k time trials on the painted course which happened to appear out on the highway near here last week. 5k with a tailwind on the outbound leg = 10:01 (18.6 mph). Return 5k leg with a headwind = 10:58 (17.0 mph).

Maybe I would have shaved off a second or two if I had taken off the water bottle cages before I rode instead of after. . . . but I still think I'm leaving the new aero helmet at home Saturday. I'll save that for the Columbia Triathlon and a course I've raced on before.

I'll have my work cut out for me making 40k in 82 minutes to make it a 18.0 mph average on Saturday. That's a good aspirational goal for me, but it will only happen if everything comes together and I get a great ride.

2 comments:

ShirleyPerly said...

I think you ought to wear the new aero helmet! When I put mine on, it's like I feel like I *have* to go as fast as I can, even though I'm not anywhere near as speedy as other folks who have them. It also makes me more conscious about my riding position (i.e., stay in aero with head looking forward not down).

Good luck either way this weekend!

Nancy Toby said...

Hmmm, good point! I haven't practiced with it, though, I don't want to wear something I haven't tried in practice, though.

Plus I think I'd be too self-conscious about being too geeked out!! There's probably going to be about 5 or 6 riders in this whole race, and most of the rest of them men who will beat me to the finish line by a LOT!