(Long Distance) Ramblings

Jack Frost Time Trial

Joanne and I rode our Meridian Tandem at the Jack Frost Time Trial. This is a 38 minute, ripe out your lungs ride on a very flat course in Vancouver, Washington. This year, the race was slightly altered. A new starting location was needed as the usual starting location, a park, was closed due to budget cuts. So, we started at the Port of Vancouver, where no photographs were allowed due to National Security concerns.

This year, we brought our stationary trainer for us to warm up on. And we did need to warm up as the morning was very cold and very clear. We "rode" the tandem on the trainer for 20 minutes before heading out onto the road. Experience has taught us that OBRA time has no relationship to reality. This year was no exception. But instead of OBRA time being in the future, it was about 20 minutes in the pass. Joanne and I found ourselves waiting at the start for a long period of time. At least it was in the sun.

Tandems took off every thirty seconds, and the only team that we beat last year was our 30 second rabbit. But, it soon became apparent to me that due to my lack of conditioning (due to my broken leg), we had no hope of catching them, and we watched them slowly ride away from us.

None the less, Joanne and I put forth our best effort and we did ride hard. My heart rate was about 10 bpm below prior years, but we did not lose that much in speed - only 0.5 miles per hour when compared to 2009.

Posted 7:56 PM by John Henry