Barb takes 3rd in PA State Elite Time Trial
Pennsylvania Elite State Time Trial Championships
June 12, 2010
Harrisburg, PA
I must say I love time trials. It is just you and the bike and the road: no one glued to your wheel to worry about, no chess games, nothing but go fast but not too fast. I am on a good roll this year, having turned some good times at the Erie TT in late April and a lightening storm shortened Friday night TT, so I was looking forward to the PA State TT. I’ve done the State TT just about every year it’s been held – I went back through my training logs and counted them and I think it’s at least six. I’ve been pretty consistent in placing top 3 most of those years. At least four of the races have been held at the Clark’s Valley venue, about 20 minutes north of Harrisburg. An out and back 40Km course that starts out with some false flat and rollers and then becomes a series of short but significant hills. The 20Km outbound is also a net uphill which adds a certain element because you can get to the turnaround and think you’re having the worst possible day based on your time only to find yourself flying back – and making up at least 4 minutes. The last time I did the race I won, by precisely one second, so I was both confident and determined to try to place well again. Race day was hot and humid with no wind – not perfect conditions, but it was better than the chilly rain at Erie or the thunderstorm back in early June. I got off to a good start, kept it steady on the climbs, popped it in the biggest gear I had on the downhill, and passed one rider at about the 5 km mark. Just before the turnaround, the woman who started 2 minutes behind me flew past – dang ! – made the turn and kept going. Then just after the turn a man and the woman who started one minute behind me passed – dang again! But on the little climb they both faded, I passed them, they passed me, I passed her, and then finally stayed ahead for good. With all this see/sawing back and forth, though, I’m losing seconds here and there as I try to keep my focus, stay out of their draft and maintain my steady pace. The race moto was behind us, too, no doubt watching for drafting and hopefully not seeing any. Once I got clear of the one minute woman and the other rider stayed ahead it was back to just me and the bike and the road. Knowing she was lurking back there was a little extra incentive, I must admit.
I passed the 35km mark and started to feel the heat and effort – and when I rolled over the metal bridge which is about 2 miles from the start/finish, all I could think about was the finish and how it must surely just be around the next bend! I gave it all I had left in my legs driving it to the line in as big a gear as I could turn without mashing, then rolled around for several minutes to settle my breathing. I ended up 3rd overall and a mere 2/10 seconds ahead of 4th place. That is the closest time difference I’ve had and is about as close as I want to be. I’ve had a few races where I was on the opposite side of a close time, finishing 3rd at Masters Nats, just 1/2 second out of the silver medal, so I was relieved to be on the 3rd place side this time.
Of course the best thing about the Clarks Valley venue is the home made ice cream store, 3-B Ice Cream, conveniently located just yards from the start/finish line which made for a most refreshing post race ‘recovery snack.’ I highly recommend the coffee and chocolate, although the mint chocolate chip is good choice, too!
