Rained out

As prepared as I was for the time trial, it was no surprise that I arrived at Lowe's Motor Speedway just more than four hours before my start time. No shock, either, that I was the first person with any connection to the race to get there. So I changed a tire, set up my trainer, rearranged other items to maximize efficiency, checked messages and read for a little while. About 5:40 p.m. I went for a lap to see if my freshly purchased time-trial helmet would cause my head to explode. No, but the wind is loud when it can go between your ear and the helmet.

When I got on the trainer about 5:50 p.m. I could see from my garage bay that the big flag was blowing south. Hard. Fifteen minutes later it was blowing north. Hard. Ten minutes after that a race official told everyone to get in the garage and said a decision on whether to start would come at 7 p.m. Then the sky opened; thunder, but none of the promised hail. I stayed on the trainer for a few more minutes but only pedalled distractedly. The race was cancelled at 7:05 p.m. The latest is that race officials are working with the track to see if a makeup date is available.

The day was nothing close to a total waste. Even though I didn't get to learn the advantages of the helmet and shaved legs, I get more time to just get used to the helmet. Plus I got to eat at Steak n Shake and enjoy my monthly cheeseburger ration. I'll probably go out along Old U.S. 1 over the next couple of weekends and see if I have the helmet positioned and sized correctly.

Cycledork is coming to town

My race day No. 2 is Wednesday. Now, about 44 hours before the time trial, is when I need to start figuring out what to take. That's what the list is for. The list is comprehensive and meant to include everything that I normally would take for a ride or would not have in the car with me under normal circumstances. For instance, in day time I always wear sunglasses when I drive but since they're critical for the time trial, they go on the list.

It's a big, big deal for me to make a list. Some of you may know that I keep all my phone numbers, appointments and directions in my head and can drive myself crazy enough about work that I don't forget assignments. But the potential freakout-to-time-and-distance ratio involved with this exercise is too great for even me to trust to memory. In other words if I got to Charlotte and realized my skinsuit was in Cary I'd be fucked and very angry; I'd so much rather that didn't happen. The list I made a list before the last time trial that had 33 items on it. This time around, since I know a little more and circumstances are a little different, 34 items, a few of which are different, will go with me. They are:

1. bike
2. trainer
3. trainer wheel
4. skinsuit
5. helmet
6. gloves x 2
7. socks x 2
8. rules
9. seminar notes
10. aero shoe covers
11. shoes
12. iPod
13. shades
14. short hair ties
15. shorts
16. jersey
17. tools
18. torque wrench
19. pump
20. saddle bag
21. split sheet
22. allen bits
23. safety pins
24. fan
25. turn over watch
26. move up watch wrist strap
27. set watch to stop watch
28. lunch
29. fig newtons
30. water
31. pillow case
32. blue bin
33. CDs
34. list

New to this list are the aero shoe covers that I didn't have last time and the fan. The fan was a bit of wisdom shared at the seminar in February. It will help keep me cool on the trainer since it will be about 500 degrees at Lowe's even in the garage. Missing are zip ties, which I might throw in with the tools anyway, and a second stop watch, which I don't need since I'm going solo this time. The torque wrench and allen keys might seem to be tools (and they are) but since I store them separately from my bike tools I account for them separately. Some of these things are not things but directions, such as turning my watch (so I can see it when I'm in the aero bars). Every item has a function. The hair ties hold down the flappy parts of my watch and helmet straps. The pillow case contains all the clothes. The blue bin is home to the tools in the broadest sense, the pillow case and contents, iPod and papers. Why CDs if I'm taking an iPod? The CDs are for car use; the iPod and headphones are for the trainer.

About 37 hours remain before I head to Charlotte. During that time, I will check the list twice. At least.

Chains of fool

I pulled the 2100 off the trainer yesterday morning so I could do two hours in the 100-degree heat. My chain squealed so badly after 3/4 mile that I turned around. The sad, embarrassing fact is that I'd rusted out the 113-link heart of my drive train. The 2100 went in the back of the car to The Spin Cycle. My hope was to have it back by Wednesday — no bike, no time trial. Carl was pedalling a beach cruiser outside the store. I sheepishly admitted my problem, expecting rolling eyes and a stern "maybe" for Wednesday. Instead, what I get is an enthusiastic $3 fix: a couple of chain pins and a pint and a half of kerosene. After all, I have all the tools, only needed a few dollars of parts, so why not? I left the shop as pumped as Carl.

I got home, used the chain tool on my Taco Tool to pop out a chain pin and get the chain in the coffee can full of kerosene. Popping out that chain pin all the way was a big, big mistake. Leave that chain pin in until you are ready to insert the new chain pin. The new chain pin, will, after all, drive out the old one and the chain will disassemble with the old one flush to the edge. Otherwise it's impossible to determine the orientation of the chain when it was taken off. That's critical so that you get the chain back on the drive train the same way it came off. Realizing this morning the magnitude of my error I went to the local Performance Bicycle and bought an SRAM 991 chain. Fortunately I had enough points on Performance Club card that I got the chain at a huge discount. Part of the SRAM magic: not only is it Shimano compatible (it mates with my chainrings and cassette) it comes with a manually assembled "Powerlink" so I don't have to drive another chain pin.

When I got on the 2100 late this afternoon I could not only hear but feel the difference. Ahhhhh. And should this ever happen again, I have a clean, clean, clean Shimano chain waiting — if I can ever figure out how it came off. Even a spare chain into the adventure, I'm ready to go for Wednesday.

Rollapaluza

Now this is something I want to try. These sorts of races — basically, two bikes on rollers that drive distance calculators — have been around for decades. As reported in this month's issue of Cycling Plus (disclaimer: not identical to hard-copy version), Rollapaluza is catching on again in England. Basically it's a momentary stationary time trial. Really attractive elements: even the incredibly slow are done in less than a minute and lots of beer is involved. Now we just have to bring it over here.

My race against time

Lowe's Motor Speedway is the coolest closed circuit I've ever ridden a bike on. So what if it's the only one. The Charlotte sojourn for the 10-mile time trial with my buddy Matthew achieved all of my objectives. With a time of 26:01.4 — 23.06 mph — I came in 13th out of 20 in the age 45-49 age group and 163rd out of 291, crappy form and all. After my concerns of the business casual rehearsal, I was relieved that handling the bike was a piece of cake. The big lesson: I can go faster, perhaps fast enough to pull at least into the top half of my age group and overall. I wasn't breathing nearly hard enough when I finished.

The experience was surreal and exhilirating. Richard Petty and I have shared the same track. And maybe the same garage. Want to warm up? Go to garage, pull the door open, set up your trainer. Who's been in that spot before? Dale Earnhardt? Bobby Allison? The sense of place is so strong that it's an inspiration to go fast but it is so intense that it was distracting. Maybe that sensation will pass with time.

Cool feature: high-end bike maker Cervelo brought every model of their bikes in every size. Before my warmup I got to do laps on a very expensive bike that I have coveted for some time (actually two, since I rode the aluminum and carbon models). Even though the fit was off, the performance was everything I'd ever read about. This experience was the equivalent of going to an amateur car race and having Ferrari say, "go for a spin in whichever one of our ridiculous and legendary vehicles you'd like." Indeed there was talk of loaning the bikes for racing.

I stuck with the 2100 because it fits so much better and I know it so well. We started early, with the slow riders, and passed a whole lot more people than passed us. When we crossed the finish line and started checking, one of the volunteers asked me what I thought. I said I thought I wanted to do it again. Next likely opportunity: June 11. Matthew has agreed to serve again as my second. So much for my assertion that I have no interest in racing.

Business casual rehearsal

I still have a lot left to learn about aero bars. My brother in law — props to him — and I went out this route so I could try 10 miles with the aero bars and skin suit. I also pulled off the seat bag and the bottle cages. My legs aren't shaved because over the 10 miles at Lowe's Motor Speedway the hair amounts to 2.4 seconds. If I come in behind somebody by 10 seconds or fewer once I've been to Lowe's, I shave. Also I don't have a time-trial helmet yet.

Anyway, the bike is harder for me to handle with the aero bars. I also came out of the aeros when I was going up hill or had a car tailing and not passing. I slowed myself several times by not shifting into a higher gear before I went back into the aeros. My posture was pretty crappy (evidence forthcoming) and the wind was not favorable. Bottom line: 27:41.1. I wouldn't have been last with that time at Lowe's but I know I can go faster than that — without aerobars. At least two more rehearsals are planned before April 30 and I hope at least one of them can be dress. The most significant variable is the bars so I'm convincing myself that speed is just a matter of settling in and learning how to use them.

Gearing up

I picked up and installed aero bars, Profile Design Airstrykes, today. The installation was cool because I got to use my torque wrench and buy some hex drivers for it. I also tweaked my seat height and position. The good news so far is that my hands don't fall asleep the way they do when I'm in the drops for prolonged periods. Nevertheless, using the bars will take some getting used to. Based on my trainer ride, I'm going to be slower before I'm faster. I also really notice when I'm not keeping my knees aligned. I also have no idea about my posture. For all I know I still look like Quasimodo. Anyway, it's pretty official now: I've spent too much money preparing to time trial not to do so. If I get anything else, it'll be shoe covers and perhaps a spare razor to shave my legs. The goal is still to not finish last in my age group. We'll see what happens. The next event is April 30.

This time — I'm serious — I think I mean it

Many of you know that I've been threatening to participate in the time-trial series at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Well, my skinsuit — the garment at right — arrived today. If nothing else I can say that I can fit into a men's extra small garment. The scientist said I don't even look close to ridiculous. Though very tight — there's reason it's called a skinsuit — it is amazingly comfortable. To supplement a response to ladymacsquish, the conventional wisdom about bibs and singlets fitting better is true. I wore it tonight while I did an hour on the trainer and it felt good even though it was straight out of the package. Getting it over my shoulders, both on and off, was a challenge but not even close to insurmountable. I have a few more investments to make and many more hours on the trainer and road before I spend a Wednesday in Charlotte but I think the day is approaching.

My day at the speedway

The roar of engines is interminable at Lowe's Motor Speedway just outside of Charlotte, N.C. I spent five hours at the facility's media center this afternoon at a time-trial seminar sponsored by the Carolina Cycling Time Trial Association. For $27.50, I got a T-shirt and advice from pro mechanics and coaches. I've been to conferences that my employers have paid exponentially more for at which I which I have learned exponentially less. Not ever having participated in a time trial, I wouldn't know one if it bit me in the ass. Nevertheless, it was heartening to learn that I already knew to show up way early, strip my bike of all extraneous crap like bottles and cages and be pissing clear by the time I hit the track as well as the basics, if not specifics, of how to eat on race day (light and balanced). There was lots and lots of stuff I didn't know and probably won't know even if ran the whole season — which I already know I can't. Ignorance aside (or perhaps embraced), I believe that at this very minute I could turn in a time that would not put me last in my age category. We'll see about that. I think a cheapo heart-rate monitor and perhaps some coaching advice are in my future. After all, I want to know how to make the 2100 sound like what I was hearing on the track today.

Talk sense to me — I beseech you

This is what comes of having customized Google subject feeds. Earlier tonight I saw an item about a rather ridiculous, obsessive event at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte — the Tar Heel state's time-trial capital — on Feb. 9 about hows and whys of cycling time trails. Moments later I pressed send to spend $27.50 to sign up for the the event. I'm interested in this seminar (?) even though I'm told there's no reason to bring my bike (which means a day off the road) and I'll get to drive 360 miles round trip. I really hope I can find time trials closer to home. If this isn't proof that I need to be saved from myself I don't know what is.

Twenty miles in less than an hour

In fact, 20 miles in a few ticks less than 59 minutes. To make the most of this shamelss bragfest, I'll add that I averaged 20 mph for more than 28 miles. Then I coasted home the remaining 27 miles. I'll leave it to you to check the provided link showing the route to judge if the chest beating is justified.

A dash of humiliation goes a long way

I turned in a 55 miles ride in just a hair over three hours today. Worth bragging about, as I just have. I took the Old U.S. 1 route (Googlemaps appears to be down; once I can get to it you'll see the route). As I crossed over N.C. 55 in Apex I saw two cyclists ahead of me. Good. Maybe someone to ride with or maybe just riders to chase. The first guy made a quick left but the second continued straight. I noticed after a minute or so that the gap wasn't closing and I was doing 23 mph. Never letting up, as the front man did from time to time, my speed varied between 22 and 26 mph (how cool is that?). I figured I make up room as the road became more rolling and I did. As I got closer I noticed a handlebar setup I wasn't used to seeing — was this guy a time trialer? Just east of New Hill I noticed the widest tires I'd ever seen on a road bike. But they weren't so wide on a mountain bike, as this was. With front and rear suspension. West of New Hill, after about six miles, I caught him. He was gracious enough to let me lead for a while but it was obvious I was an impediment. He politely excused himself and left me in the dust.

The other retirement

The valve nut for my front inner tube bent and then broke off this afternoon as I was preparing for another go at my own private time trial. This situation necessitated replacing, after two-and-a-half years and how many thousands of miles I don't know, the original tube. After putting on the new tube and several attempts at refitting the original front tire, it became clear that the bead of the tire would not seat properly. The tire, like the tube, served me extraordinarily well. Both will be missed.

My own private time trial

As I mention in this post, this 9.35-mile back-and-forth fills the bill when I want to ride hard — for me — but not long. In the original post, I said I wanted to bring this one in 30 minutes or less, with emphasis on less. Today I came in at 27:51.9: 20.13 miles per hour, after two rides last week that blasted through the half-hour barrier. While for an overaged schlepp I'm thrilled and proud of my 20.13 mph, I'm also willing to put my effort in some context. David Zabriskie holds the Tour de France time-trial record at 33.97 mph over a course of 11.8 miles in 2005. I don't expect to race Zabriskie any time soon. Even with his longer route he will have finished his first beer by the time I join him. Figuratively, anyway, since he probably hasn't enjoyed a beer and cheeseburger in a much, much longer time than I have.