Tripleshot Cycling

So Terra and I rode up to check out this event in Duncan.

First thing in the morning at the mustering station at the golf course I meet a guy from Vancouver who flew over for the event in a helicopter. He tells me that he always flies to these events as it saves him time. Quite a site with his sweet ass TT bike in the back seat of a chopper sitting by the registration area. Nice to have that option I guess

The rain (drizzle really) kept some riders away I am sure but we had a crowd all the same. Triple Shot was well represented.

Terra and I decided to find the Trans Canada Trail on the other side of the river as our route home. We ended up carrying our bikes across the river and boony bashing to achieve this.

Some Pics of the day

"No, Peter, I am NOT going to pour goo into my flat tubular and hope it holds long enough to attempt a TTT. No. Really. I am not. No."

Well, that was fun. I turned up to marshall, thinking I might try to squeeze in a TTT run if I could find some people to ride with. Turned out there were sufficient marshalls, so Peter Lawless convinced me to enter the solo TT event “as a warmup for the TTT”. I’ve never done a dedicated TT, and don’t own a TT bike. I did a couple triathlons a few years ago, but didn’t know much about cycling back then. I guess I don’t know a whole lot more now, but at least I’ve read some of Anika’s blogs, so I know things like “Don’t go out too strong” and “pain cave”.

Neil and I got lost on the way to the start/finish line, but showed up just in time for our runs. Neil was 35th to start and I was 36th, so we were near the end. As I was just about to push off, I turned to Sig nearby and said, “What percentage of max heart rate should I be targeting?” He rattled off a range and as I started the race I started doing arithmetic in my head to pick my target.

The start was mostly uphill for the first couple km, so I tried to rein myself in a bit and not go too hard. Within a few minutes I started focusing on the heart rate monitor (my new toy) and settled into the high side of my target range. I figured if I made it to the halfway point and felt OK, I could ramp things up a bit. It was raining which was a bit of a drag, but I slogged on.

I was feeling decent at the turnaround, but tired enough that I didn’t want to push things too much yet, so I waited until the 30km mark, to ramp up a little. The sun came out and I started pushing myself harder on the downhills and gunning slightly for the rider I could occasionally spot in front of me down the road. Having the computer was great for pacing myself. I wanted to drain my energy by the finish line, though I had to keep fending off the little voice in my head that said I should save a little for the TTT. As the finish line loomed, I could definitely feel my speed dropping, my energy waning, and my legs hurting. It was great to hear some familiar voices cheering at the finish. It felt like I’d paced things pretty well.

After this “warmup” I had about 10 minutes until our TTT team was set to go. My legs were hurting (not pain cave hurt, but hurt enough). Neil had recruited Keith to join us. About 1 minute before our start we strong-armed Alan, the “Bollard Buster” to join us—in spite of his still feeling some ill effects of jousting with inanimate set-in-concrete objects. We’d never ridden together before, so the first few km were chaotic with lots of chatter and “steady!” and “rolling!” and “shorter pulls!” being hollered around as we broke apart and came back together again. After a few km Alan dropped his chain and the rest of us (being ruthlessly competitive Tripleshotters) pushed on. Things eventually settled down and we started to find a rhythm. Neil was awesome on the downhills. I had been harping on about short hard pulls on the downhills, and so he took a short hard pull on one particularly long downhill on the way back, and pulled to the side about halfway down. That put me in the lead and I simply couldn’t pass him. I was going as hard as I could, and Neil was soft-pedaling and I couldn’t drag myself past him. I finally blew up and let Keith—who was more aero and stronger—take over. In retrospect we should have put Neil out front more on the downhills.

Anyway, we managed to put in a respectable show, I think, with me barely clinging to the back (yelling “Steady Steady Steady!”) as we crossed the finish.

As icing on the cake, I learned at the awards ceremony that I got second place in the 40-44 age group individual TT. And Alan, Keith, Neil and I got third in the TTT (we were referred to as the "Tripleshot youngsters" at the awards presentation). Don’t ask me how many people/teams competed in each of those categories. It’s my first time ever on the podium in any sport, and I’m going to savour it!

Peter Lawless got gold in 40-44 individual TT (jerk), and Joe Barrett got gold (I think) in his age group and his TTT team (with Steve Keillor and someone else?) got silver (?). There may have been others—fill in my blanks. More people should turn up for these things—for the fun and for the bling.

Thanks to all the organizers and volunteers and TSers who showed up to cheer!

Martin

It was an interesting 40K time trial for me. I figure I am stronger than 2 years ago, but maybe I was better rested 2 years ago going into this event than yesterday.

Here is some interesting stats:

in 2012: time for first 20K 34:51, 2nd 20K 33.13, overall 1:08:30. I remember there was Ritchie Hughes and Jim Lucas starting behind me, and hoping to catch me, but that didn't happen. The one guy who did catch up with me in the last 5K was Duane Martindale, who helped me set a better pace for myself in finishing it.

This year, 2 years later, starting 3 mins ahead of me was 44 year old Peter Lawless, 2 min ahead was Kate Weber (who was carefully aware of me starting 2 mins behind her), then 79 year old John Smith starting 1 min ahead of me. Starting 3 min behind me was 65 year old Ray Morrison.

Ok I caught up to John Smith while we were climbing in the first 5K.

In the second 5K the eventual race winner passed me, and I know he started 2 min behind me. Great in 10K somebody got 2 mins on me already, hey but I'm use to younger and older doing that to me!

I think I spied Kate far ahead, and estimated by the time I got to where she was she was about 1:15 ahead of me, maybe, but certainly ahead of me time wise.

at 15K, given that I started 9th, started to see the riders that started first, coming back. I figured I would estimate how well I was doing relative to Peter Lawless, he comes by me and my clock says something like 33:28.. Ok, a minute or so later Kate comes by at about 34:20, ok that means that Kate has about 8 sec on Peter at this time, could have been the other way around, who knows, but what I do know is I think I'm going to get chicked! Well I'm next at the turn around and the split was 36:38 as it turns out, so it would appear that she is 8 seconds ahead of me, and if she is doing what I am doing she knows it.

As I turn around, great I see two others about to catch me. The first one does pass me almost immediately after the turn around, Ray Morrison. Oh well I figure I'm doing good as I seem to be pacing with Peter and Kate. Later when I looked at the results, I'm apparently slower this year than 2 years ago: 36:38 vs 34:51. I'll blame the light rain and wet socks!

Well fortune did shine on me, as I was able to get my mind better into the event with Ray about 5 or 6 bike lengths ahead of me. I stamped on those pedals and work to try to keep up with him on any rise. And that is how it staid for most of the 2nd 20K, I did pass him once (extended flat or false flat portion of the road), but that was short lived. He really made me push those gears, I thought I might see Kate up ahead, with this man guiding me... After all he went 3 min faster than me on the first 20K!

With about 8K left, we passed Kate who had a flat. (I was ahead of Ray at this point), Kate looked like she been assessing her situation for a bit, so she was probably keeping ahead of me still.

My final time was 1:07:13 this year: 36:38 out (32.8 KmH)and 30:35 back (39.3KMH).

A six min negative split this year vs a 1.5 min negative split 2 years ago. This was all because of Ray Morrison, inadvertently giving me lessons in pedal power.

I'm happy with the results, still would like to see a faster time on this course but that is for next year now. Almost under 1:07, next year to get under 1:06.

I'm pretty tired at the end, and what does Peter do, but recruits me for a 20K Team Time Trial, sure ok, I figure everyone is a glutton for punishment, then what do I see as push comes to shove, Peter, toweling off and packing his helmut and getting set to relax while some us go out on the course a 2nd time.

What a guy!!!

A thoroughly enjoyable day mixed with some drama.
Arrived and registered for the individual and to join Martin to form a team.
Went out to the start and missed the first turn somehow, and then route to the start line got a flat.
Feeling very rushed, fixed the flat and headed off out on the individual TT.
About 8km in, and I hear that familiar rush of air being expelled at an alarming rate from my back tyre. Bugger!!! Another flat. That was the end of my race.
Walked back about 1km towards the start line, when the Pro City guys stopped and very nicely loaned a rear wheel. Got back to the start line and handed it back.
I thought my day was done, but Peter Lawless said that I could use his rear wheel to do the team event.
I managed to convince Keith to join Martin & I, then "encouraged" Alan B to join up too.
The first kilometre was a little scrappy, but with good communication between us got into a really good rhythm.
Alan had an issue with his bike, which left three of us.
No issues at the turnaround point, and downhill most of the way back.
Good pulls from all three of us got us back way quicker than the outward stretch (or it certainly felt like it).
Back at the clubhouse, the awards were being handed out.
Helen called out the Tripleshot Youngsters which to me meant the kids.
When she pointed to Martin, Keith and me, I was a bit shocked to say the least.
3rd place for us, which is great for a first TT event for both myself & Martin.

I would like to thank Peter and the Pro City guys for the loan of rear wheels, and to Martin, Keith and Alan for joining up and representing Tripleshot.
Thanks must go out to Steve and Terra and the other marshalls, and to Sidney Velo for putting it on.

I can wholeheartedly recommend doing time trial events. The third place is a start to justifying a TT bike to the wife

Great posts everyone. I have to correct the record ... it was strong Michael Stoehr, who took gold in the 55-59 age group. Michael continues his time trial wonders at the Sydney Velo Tuesday night TT's. Check out their posts for the 2014 results ... wow. I managed a fluky tie with John Guthrie (he beat my actual time but when compensated for the standard age handicap .... I'm two years older .... we were tied to the second). These TT's a true test of pain mangement, focus, lost focus and re-focus. There's only room for improvement. My time of 1:07:26. Well I can say it's my PB for that course, the first time on that Cowichan Lk. Rd. It was a tough course and conditions .... basically uphill for the first 10K and drizzly. But what a fast 10K's to the finish.
The Masters races are a hoot. Bill Yearwood, President, often flies in on a helicopter, totally dedicated to furthering the spirit of fitness and the fun of needling us on with friendly competition.
Only two more races on the Masters' Island schedule. The next one, a RR, starts in Cowichan Lake on August 23rd. The last race is a rolling and rock'in great course in Cobble Hill followed by a wrap-up dinner at the Cherry Point Winery, August 31st. There's also a 32K ITT in Abottsford for those who want some more pain management (August 3rd).
Full results, with times, will be posted on the BC Masters website in the next day or so.
http://www.bcmasterscycling.net/
Many many thanks to all those who organized from Sydney Velo (Larry, Ian, Willie and co.) and to the BC Masters stalwarts ... Duane, Helen, Bruce and to the Tripleshot volunteers, all of you.
Joe B.

Results up for the ITT: http://www.bcmasterscycling.net/wp-cont ... esults.pdf

So...silver or last place depending on whether you like your glass half full or half empty! Still…fun!

Martin