Racing season is over

I had a two-month hiatus from racing, but have had four in the past six weeks, including three in the past ten days.  The first one was a race up Lookout Mountain.  The US Pro Cycling Challenge used this climb on the last day of the tour recently.  Tom Danielson, who finished third in that race and ninth in the TDF this summer, holds the course record at 16:03 for a 4.5 mile climb.  This old guy did it in 28:16.  It makes you appreciate how fast the pros can ride (and also my long-ago youth).

My cycling club puts on a late-season TT series.  I did the first two races and averaged 20.6 and 20.5 mph for the 7.9 mile course.  I think it was superior to my spring TT efforts as the recent TT series features three 180 degree cone turns and more climbing.

The club had its member-only TT hill climb in Deer Creek Canyon this morning.  We started at one-minute intervals.  The results will be published in a couple of days.  I averaged 10.1 mph for the 5.75 mile, 1388 foot climb, an average 4.6% grade.  I had to miss last year's climb as I was touring on the West Coast.  I did it as a hard solo effort the previous week and I am pleased that I rode 2:15 faster this year.

Racing season is now over and we leave for CT on Sunday for CrossRoads training.  We drive the vehicles to Maine on Tuesday.  There will not be much rest as we prepare for the start on Thursday.