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Riders Club member update, Time to TT...
posted by id* at 12:10 PM on June 09, 2008
Favoring Time Trials over most cycling disciplines, I was really hoping to do well at this race and win a State Champion jersey. On the Thursday prior to the race, I arrived at my house after coming home from my full-time job as a 14-year Navy Weather Forecaster to find a bike box outside my door. Thanks to the folks at Specialized, I would be rocking the State TT on a fully-pimped Specialized Transition! With the help of my three year-old daughter, I quickly put the bike together and adjusted it based off my current TT bike position. After riding it around my house for about 10 minutes, I put the bike in my car for the race. On the way to Palmdale, I stopped off at my local Specialized dealer to have them dial in the shifting and brakes and loaded it back into my car.
We got into Palmdale around 7 on Friday night and checked into the hotel and headed off to dinner and bed. So, prior to riding the Transition on the trainer during warm-up Saturday morning, I had about 10 minutes of riding on this awesome bike in flip-flops! With 15 minutes to go before my launch, I hopped off my trainer and put on my helmet and Specialized Arc II sunglasses before rolling to the start ramp. Let me tell you, with barely any time on my bike and no speed work on it, I was surprisingly calm!
I hit the gas when the countdown reached zero and my pursuit of a California State Time Trial Championship had begun. Since I had no time to get my computer working perfectly, I rode solely on feel; no heart rate, no cadence, no speed, and no power. And still I remained calm... after all, this bike won the Ironman World Championships! I quickly settled into my rhythm and marveled at the speed that the Transition carried. It was fast and smooth. I was thankful that it came equipped with Rotor Q-Rings since I use Q-Rings exclusively. I started picking off the guys starting in front of me and passed both my 30 second and minute man within the first 5 miles. The stability of the bike allowed me to stay in the aerobars and on the power through the first corner. On the backside of the course, the road is super rough, but the carbon ride of the Transition took the harshness out of the road and allowed me to concentrate on keeping up my speed. At the next turn, I had to come out of the aerobars, but I didn't have to brake and I kept pedaling through it. As I got back down into my rhythm, a headwind picked up and I hunkered down to hide from it. This was where the aerodynamics of the Transition really came into play. I was able to pick off 2 more guys on this section which included a small rise which I was able to easily power over with the stiff, responsive ride under me.
As I hit the third corner, this is where thing got a little interesting. As I said earlier, I had barely any time on this bike, so I didn't know what it could do. Coming into the third turn, I had to come out of the aerobars and grab some brake for the first time. Upon making the right-hander I stood up to do a quick acceleration to get my lost speed back. And that's when I nearly lost it. I was NOT ready for this bike to accelerate like that! I gave three hard pedal strokes and for the first time in my cycling career, a bike out-accelerated me! I nearly crashed off the back of this Transition as it jumped away from me. This thing was AWESOME! I got control again and let out a "Whoop" because I was having so much fun. I regained my rhythm and headed for the fourth and final turn. This time I was ready and really threw the power into it and the thing took off like a rocket out the fourth turn. I rocketed towards the finish line and crossed with a time of 47:10 for the 23.5 mile (38K) course.
Rolling back I sat on the bike marveling it and its performance. Never before had I felt unworthy of being on a bike, but that acceleration made me feel like a kid riding on two wheels for the first time; a little scared, exhilarated, and fast. Now I hoped my performance made me worthy. Results went up and I did it! California State Champ for the 30+ Category! I also posted the third fastest time of the day right behind the current Elite National Time Trial Champion (Karl Bordine) and the 2006 World Time Trial Champion as well as 1984 Olympian (Thurlow Rogers). Thanks to some hard work and a kick-ass Specialized Transition with Rotor Q-Rings, I am now the proud owner of a California State Champion's Jersey.
Time over 38K (23.5 mile) course = 49.10
Average speed for 38Ks = 28.8 mph(46.5kph)
California State Jersey = priceless
Coming up on June 7th, I will be going after the Team Time Trial title in the 2-man open category with my good friend and teammate, Gary Tingley. My wonderfully supportive wife and two kids will be there to cheer Daddy and Gary on as we hopefully win ourselves another title. With a Transition under me, it is a definite possibility.
Cheers!
Shawn Olin (aka NASCAR)
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