A Big Step Ahead.

Savannah, GA.  The Georgia Cup Savannah Omnium, February 26,27, race turned out to be a big step ahead for me in the early season of racing. 

I have been having trouble getting quality training time since December, some physical setbacks, and feeling like my fitness has been stagnant.  I would say, and my coach probably would also, that my barriers have largely been mental.  Consistency has been key for me.  With setbacks, I have been consistently on the bike.  Starting the week I traveled to Clermont, FL, I have logged some great time on the bike but still not up to the volume I really need to be riding.  This is not as important as my mental barriers to working out at the intensity that I am capable of training. 

The Individual Time Trial in Savannah was a welcome eye opener and big step ahead.  Even though this was my first time mounting the TT bike since August of 2010 (meaning that I had a low specificity to training and familiarity with my equipment), I performed well against my competition.  I won the (ProAM) Catagory 1,2 ITT!  I rode about 13.4 miles in 29min29sec and would have been significantly faster if I rode the hills smarter --I have much to learn and I am still a relative novice at the discipline.  This victory was to my utter suprise.  I did not fancy myself a time trialist, I knew I did not ride the end of the course well and started to crack up a bit and lose time.  I was already headed back to the team house for a shower and recover for the Criterium later that day when I got a call from my teammate telling me I won the TT.

The time trail's influence was two fold.  The win and the intensity of the effort.  I generated about 10% more power for the effort than I believed I was capable.  My coach really does know what he is talking about.... Duh!  To add even more weight (or less, as it is) to this breakthrough is that I have lost about 4 lbs over the past few weeks and did not lose any power output.

The Savannah race weekend was the team's first race weekend.  All racers made the trip down to stay in a house on Tybee Island.  It was a great chance to get everyone together and focus on cycling.  I followed up the TT win with a 5th in the Criterium and 6th in the Circuit race.  Giving me a 3rd place in the overall (omnium).