Race report: Warp Speed ITT & TTT

[Roland]

[Dave Spiers]

Thats funny!

[Plawless]

its crazy funny.

The 2 races were awesome. The ITT was really tough and a bit slower than I would have liked (but who isnt going to say that). Stats here: http://connect.garmin.com/player/32801330

The TTT was fantastic. We lost a guy when the start got pushed later in the day than was planned and thankfully Shawn C. stepped up and offered (was told) to ride with us. How fun was that Shawn! We ended up placing 2nd by ONE SECOND!!!! in the cat 3/4 race so kudos to TS. Plus Jen and Glen had a great 2Up tt for glory.

Stats for the TTT: http://connect.garmin.com/player/32801327

[shawnc]

I find the stats for the TTT really interesting. Particularly in the first quarter of the race, there's a fairly rhythmic fluctuation in speed. I suspect it's due to Peter and Josh's stronger pulls and my weaker ones (though when I was out there it felt as if it was roughly the same speed).

I think the lesson for me is: when riding with the big boys, take shorter, harder pulls and get off the front sooner. Even though I didn't feel tired at the end of each one, it seems pretty clear my speed had dropped off.

Great racing guys and girls - I had a blast yesterday and I was honoured to ride with the TS crew.

[Roland]

I don't think those dips are you. Compare Peter's heart rate to speed, you see his heart rate spike when the speed drops. I think that it is gusts of wind, since they don't seem to correlate with elevation. I would have expected to see bigger differences between pulling and drafting, but because of the wind, I don't think we were getting as much benefit from drafting.

My stats:

ITT: http://connect.garmin.com/player/32802716

TTT: http://connect.garmin.com/player/32802713

[shawnc]

Hmm....

Roland, I notice that your heart rate spikes early in the race, and then settles down (and even stays constant in the ITT). Do you know why it jumps up so early on?

[Roland]

I'm pretty sure that's a glitch of some sort, if my heart rate was really that high i'd be dead.

[Plawless]

I don't think those dips are you. Compare Peter's heart rate to speed, you see his heart rate spike when the speed drops. I think that it is gusts of wind, ...

I dont think so Roland. I think it is the pulls by Shawn. remember that HR "chases" effort so its not unusual to see a HR "spike" after a major effort. As I remember things (and I spent a lot of time cross eyed so I could be wrong) I followed Josh for most of it so was worked by him as he stepped up the pace and then tried to keep it going for a bit when it was my turn so when I pulled off each time I was pretty worked. Plus the few times that I pulled back into the pace line early there was a significant increase in my effort to get back in line. I really dont see it as wind as the dips are too regular and the wind wasnt that gusty.

Just my thoughts. Josh?

[Josh.E]

I think Peter and Shawn are both right.

I was pretty consciously trying to step up the pace each time I came to the front, as it felt like Shawn was slowing a bit on his pace during his pulls, even though he didn't look like he was killing himself. More of a perception thing than a fitness thing. My impression was when I moved over after a pull I wouldn't let off my pace much at all, and Peter would always pull through, so I don't think his pulls were falling off pace at all.
If you look at the heartrate spikes in peters data, they start to ramp up just before the speed dips each time, ie right before he hands it off. Then his heart rate peaks as he works to get back on the back, and recover.

It was an awesome race though. Tonnes of fun. Shawn did great for his first ever TTT, and turned himself inside out to stay on the entire time. I really like the "on the fly" team tactics of these races too.

If we had a couple better turnarounds, and I had paid attention and did a lead out out of the last corner, instead of gapping my team, we would have had 1st place.

[Plawless]

here is some video of Roland, Shawn Josh and I in the TTT:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUEyBjV2eeA

[Roland]

I found a few actual photos from the TT: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carelledun ... 917675189/

Karen at the start:


Shawn:


Me:


Josh:


These guys were fast:


Looks like photographer left about half way through, no photos of Jen/Gleno or the TTT.

[shawnc]

Don't forget the one of our Fearless Leader and a random spectator ducking their heads to avoid getting hit by the plane

[BearPope Recruit]

Gleno's actually in the shot with the tandem in the background! We started our TTT a couple of minutes behind them, and they were fast, no joke! Just goes to show that it's all about training and not equipment sometimes - we never passed them! My only excuse is that they were only doing 20k vs. our 40k...

[BearPope Recruit]

Results are posted! But I only see ITT, not any TTT??? http://www.escapevelocity.bc.ca/warpspeed
And Gleno would have won WMerkcx by a second (with fenders to boot!) - yea!

I think there's been enough Garmin data posted so I'll try to supply some entertaining moments from Sunday.

First, 7am ferry... and there's an overboard drill just as we are within sight of the docks. Boat swings around surprisingly fast and the zodiac is deployed. Cool to see but I guess the captain didn't know we were hoping to be in Abbotsford asap!

Second, following Josh on the highway out to the race rather than Roland's GPS... yes, he drives like he rides. The only way I could keep up to him is with a car, and even then I just about got chewed up and spit out the back in Langley by his rental minivan!

Third, in the first lap of the TTT, kissing a bee at 35km/hr! Good for a temporary distraction from the pain in my legs - brushed the stinger off, kept pedaling, and hoped the stinging would subside...

And first time in 2010 without arm/knee/leg warmers - a nice sunny day for racing!

But most importantly is how fun & cool the TTT was! It was great to have Glenowyn there to work and suffer together with! With just the 2 of us, it was either on or off. Definitely nice to have an opportunity to recover a bit vs the ITT. I highly recommend everyone get a team together and give the Nanaimo TTT a go on June 13th! It's a great way to experience road racing where you get to work together, where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, it's against the clock, and there's a low risk of crashing as you near the finish line! Only 31 days to go!

Cheers, Jen

[shawnc]

Results are now up for the TTT as well. The men's team came in second at 0:55:22, which was one second behind the first place finishers in Cat 3/4, and the women's team did the 20k in 0:37:22. .

Does anyone know if the men's team will get upgrade points based on our results?

[Roland]

There is something wacky with those results. Jen/Glen did 40km. There is no way they did 20km 4 minutes slower than they did their ITT. Was team death star really 2nd?