Improved more than 1 minute in 15k TT!

A LBS has been running a 15k (9.3 mi) ITT on Monday nights for the last
20+ years, though I just found out about it late last year. I've run 3
of them this year just for fun and to test myself; I have no illusions
about winning one with the amount of training I don't do. From the first
one to the second, I improved a whopping GG 1.1 seconds, from 29:04 to
29:02.9. This week I changed things a bit in how I ran it, and improved
more than 1:09, to 27:53.

The biggest thing I consciously changed was to go out a little slower at
the start, and to drop my cadence a bit throughout the race. Instead of
pushing myself to maintain 85 rpm, I let it drop a bit more before
shifting, and it seems to have helped a lot. What I really need, though,
is closer-spaced gears. I often find myself jumping back and forth
between 8th and 9th because 8th needs me to spin 90 rpm while 9th pushes
me down to around 76 or 77. The other thing I did was to stay down in a
pseudo-aero position more than I did before. I don't have aero bars, but
by resting my forearms on the bar tops, I can simulate it fairly well.
That position also forced me to drop my cadence a bit; I found it very
tiring to spin fast while bent over that much. If I can lose 10lbs or
so, that should help keep my legs from hitting my belly, even though I
don't have much of one even now. Some improved flexibility in my
hamstrings would probably help some, too.

This course is on the wide shoulders of a 50mph divided highway which has
little traffic at that time on Monday nights, so we don't lose any time
waiting for a break in the traffic to make the turnaround, and the
pavement is very nice. I was worried about sharing the road with fast
traffic (it usually moves at 60mph), but the drivers appear to be used to
bikes on the shoulder, and don't honk or yell or anything. Of course,
since they've been doing this race for 20+ years, they should be used to
it by now!

There's one more week in the series; I'll have to see if I can improve
some more next Monday, too, though I doubt I'll get another minute off my
time.

Thanks for letting me boast just a bit!!

--
David Kerber
An optimist says "Good morning, Lord." While a pessimist says "Good
Lord, it's morning".

Remove the ns_ from the address before e-mailing.

Congratulations.

I don't know how old you are, but just so you have some comparison:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?.../usamasters031

In article ,
says...
Congradulations! thats over30 k and hour!

Thanks! I was amazed at how much difference just some small changes made
in my time.


take care
Liz



Hey! Look what David Kerber wrote :

A LBS has been running a 15k (9.3 mi) ITT on Monday nights for the last
20+ years, though I just found out about it late last year. I've run 3
of them this year just for fun and to test myself; I have no illusions
about winning one with the amount of training I don't do. From the first
one to the second, I improved a whopping GG 1.1 seconds, from 29:04 to
29:02.9. This week I changed things a bit in how I ran it, and improved
more than 1:09, to 27:53.



--
David Kerber
An optimist says "Good morning, Lord." While a pessimist says "Good
Lord, it's morning".

Remove the ns_ from the address before e-mailing.