Another Saltair PR
Found the time to throw it down at Saltair in the bi-weekly time trial sufferfest again tonight.
Set another PR by three seconds — this time crossing the line at 15:45.
So, to set it straight, that’s six trips to Saltair and five times have resulted in a personal record. The other time I had a little stomach bug and was way off my game.
I remember thinking 16 minutes was out of reach just a year ago. My TT base is getting better and my knowledge of how to hit that racing is also becoming more familiar.
Despite all the improvement — which makes me really happy and gives me confidence — I know I’m not at my best.
Sure, I’m setting new PRs, but each time out there I analyze, pick my ride apart and think of how I could have or should have done it differently.
And I end up not satisfied.
I guess that’s a good thing in some ways. I take that analization and use it the next time out — and come back with a better time and a new set of things to work on.
Tonight, for instance, I feel I was too cautious and conservative on the first half. There was a bit of a headwind on the way to the turnaround and I held something back thinking I’d totally empty myself on the way back and take advantage of the tailwind. That was a mistake because I think there were another 10-15 seconds I could have shaved off on the first half.
The wind helped but not enough to overcome that soft approach.
On the plus side, I had my best turn ever. I got the right swing, gear change and angle and had minimal slowing down, unlike the person in front of me who might have gone into the turn too hot and had to unclip the feet in order to stay upright.
As I’ve mentioned before, I like to keep score at TT races. Plus 1 for people I pass and Minus 1 when I get passed. Tonight’s score was Plus 2. I pass three people and was not passed until the final straightaway when the person starting behind me got me by a few bike lengths despite my best effort to retake him over the final 100 meters.
