The Chronmetro Time Trial

A cyclist with a race under his belt is relatively common.  What's rare is for someone to do his first race a week before his 61st birthday.  Here's the story.

As a kid I have many fond memories of biking.  A bike gives a kid a sense of freedom he doesn't get from many places.  For example, it can take him far from problems at home.  It's clearly a better option for carrying a bowling ball 3 miles than walking.  A date without a car or public transportation was not option with that girl who lived 5 miles away.

Although the memory of early biking is clear the exact equipment is not.  My first bikes were used and probably Schwinn, made in America.  We stuck Mickey Mantle Rookie baseball cards in the spokes to make it sound cool.  We had horns and bells to warn everyone that we were there.  My friends and I rode where we were allowed and a few places we were not.  In Kindergarten I rode to see a girlfriend, who didn't know she was my girl friend.  It was an adventure, but we never found her house.  We carried friends on handlebars and on rear fenders.  We never wore helmets because nobody said we had to.

Here's some other things kids shouldn't do on a bike.  Ride behind mosquito foggers and then crash into a truck mirror which we couldn't see in the fog.  Ride on the handlebars of a cousin and then fall off and hit your head on a curb with a concussion.  Ride on the median of a busy 4 lane highway to meet a girl. 

Things kids can do on a bike, deliver newspapers, carry a 16 pound bowling ball to the lanes, and get to just about anywhere faster than walking.

How can a 13 year old deliver 40 newspapers a day without a bike?  Mom's didn't drive much back then and who could afford more than one car anyway?  Walking was not a viable option, except during the winter, but Black ice was tempting to ride.  The Sunday editions of the Chicago Tribune and Sun Times crammed with advertising were carried in the huge front basket.  When the bike slid to the ground the papers spread for what seemed like miles.  

This bike was a Schwinn given one Christmas, discovered one day in the attic.  It was shinny and NEW, which was unheard of in our family.  How my Dad got the bike up there was beyond my comprehension, but I knew I wasn't supposed to find it.  There was also a cart in the attic destined for my brother.  It had a handle to pull back and forth to propel it.  Or as I told my baby brother "a handle to pump back and forth."  At dinner my brother gave up our "secret" by asking Santa for the "cart with a handle."  The eyes of my parents were immediately directed to me who was not supposed to be climbing ladders.

In 1962 a Schwinn 3 speed was state of the art, but within months the gearing didn't work so it became a single drive bike, but it could fly like the wind.  A ride on raw cold day without gloves on a bike this fast is unforgettable 50 years later.

Bikes inevitably lead to bike wrecks.  Boys learn quickly why "girls bikes" have no center bar and wonder why don't OURS have a center bar?!?  Falls on grass were ok but on gravel or blacktop they are "expletive deleted."  The memory of nearly frost bitten hands and smashed gonads remain, but those of a concussion have faded. 

For a few decades I didn't own a bike, which was traded in for a '55 Ford.   Girls are impressed by 16 year olds with cars, not 17 year olds with bent up bikes.  The 40 year drought ended last March with the purchase of a Cannondale Six13 road bike.  Little do we know what we are missing until we step in another's shoes.  To be a cyclist, a competitive cyclist requires new skills.  To be a rookie a newbie at something again is to live for!  There's a whole new language to learn, "the drops","The Nationals","Time Trial" "The Peloton" "How much tire pressure do I need."

In December I added a Cannondale Six Carbon 3 in Texas with the thought of training and racing with it.  There are several concerns with old folks racing besides the obvious: brittle bones with age, slow healing, slower reflexes, loss of muscles, old injuries.  It's different for a 60 year old to take up the sport versus a 16 year old.  But I'm a fit 60 year old who rides 2-3 times a week, runs 5 miles at a time, plus lifting weights 2-3 times a week.  I burn roughly 10,000 calories in a week of hard training and 7000 training easy.  I ride a 40 mile loop in about 2 hours 15 minutes for base building.  I'm 185 pounds with 14% bodyfat.  This is good for the general population but too heavy for a top cyclist.  Nevertheless, I can hold my own running or cycling in my age group.

Getting into competition with a bunch of testosterone laced 20 and 30 somethings or riding in huge Pelotons has little appeal after watching the Pros crash all over each other breaking all kinds of body parts.  The key is choosing a safe yet challenging routine and to find the right kind of race.  This is why I chose the Chronometro time trial.

The Time Trial categories were organized by women, men, age, and type of equipment.  I chose the 60+ group which had 5 participants.  The course was 12 miles on open mostly smooth country roads through farm land, horse ranches, and run down houses.  There were a few small hills about 150 feet of climb and descent and a couple railroad tracks to navigate.  Roads were not closed but corners were patrolled by local police to hold traffic.  The locals were polite if not annoyed by our seizing of their roads.  The weather conditions were ideal, dry, cool, with just a slight breeze.

The start included a ramp...not quite pro-like, but cool anyway.  The field starts one at a time with 30 seconds between riders.  Therefore, there's no packs to contend with.  The various categories were filled with some great racers from the Austin area.  A 16 year girl, Avery Visser had won a large local Triathlon when she was 14.  A 40-49 year old who nearly beat the best young guy who averaged over 27 miles per hour.

My hope was to not fall off the bike, or otherwise embarrass the family.  I was leery of the starting ramp.  The riders who chose the help of the ramp had to deal with the potential for serious injury if the starter somehow lost his grip.  My goal was to break 20 mph.  I finished at 20.9 MPH and exceeded my expectations.  That was good enough for 2nd in my age group.  The winner had a Time Trial bike and I ran without TT bars, but my Cannondale was stripped of all but essentials.

Things I learned:
1. I could peddle at 88% of my maximum heart rate for more than 30 minutes, and hit a maximum of 172 half way out without going Anaerobic.  This means I could run faster than I did....
2. A water bottle in the upright post is more aerodynamic than none.  But an empty bottle is better yet.  Took off the other holder and covered holes with painters (blue) tape.
3. When it's 60 degrees out I didn't need to drink on a 12 mile ride or 40 minute hard run.  However I drank about 10 oz. of NUUN water before.  Carried the rest on the bike but only once felt the need to drink.
4. I could spend most of the time in the drops despite not practicing much there.
5. Aerodynamic position is key for more speed...that and 20 pounds less bodyfat.  Aerobars get you in best position, but need time to develop necessary flexibility and muscle.
6. I'm fast for any age, but fast on a road bike, but 20 pounds too heavy to be anything better than above average for my age.
7. Find a carrier for the bike...not good to lay it on it's side...messes the brakes.
8. Include gloves on the pre-ride check list.
9. pump the tires to 120 F and 125 back.
10. Take daughter along to take great pictures...wife was taking video but turned it off by accident cheering me at the start ramp..  It was nice to have them there cheering me on.
11. Removed all lights and bags...no need for spare tire here.
12. Eat a Lara bar 30 minutes from the start for energy.
13. TT bikes are pretty! and expensive.
14. Buy a used TT bike but not a used Triathlon bike, which get beat up.
15. Good athletes get about a maximum benefit of 1.8 MPH for a TT bike...based on results from those who ran both TT and Road bikes (2 races over same course.)  Average or below athletes get no benefit.  Not sure why!
16. Some bikers are extremely friendly and eager to share experiences.  Others are not eager or friendly.
17. I could win my age group with about 15-20 fewer pounds and a TT bike. 

This day ranked with one of my all-time favorites on a bike.  I felt the freedom, the accomplishment, the family of racers.  I felt a few years younger, and next year will feel younger yet.