TNT Year in Review

This year I wanted to do some time trials, it's in the goal list. I did it every time it was offered but once, and I chickened out that time due to the weather. Here's the year-end recap. All of these races are through a local spoke of the IC3 group. Overall I think it was fun, check them out: http://www.twincitiesspoke.com/tnt
 

May 7 (First Time Trial)

34:14.62 (19.27 mph)

Category	Place
Age Group	21/22
Aero Bikes	51/52
Overall	62/78

May 21

Cold and rainy, and I didn't know that ahead of time, so I was one of like three people who didn't have appropriate clothing

31:27.51 (20.98 mph)

Category	Place
Age Group	16/17
Aero Bikes	32/35
Overall	40/51

This picture looks downright pleasant - that's not the best description for it

Jun 18

30:06.57 (21.92 mph)

Category	Place
Age Group	20/20
Aero Bikes	49/52
Overall	67/87

July 2

This is the first time I had a handicap, they handicap racers to give them more of a good feeling compared the speed demons that come and place near the top consistently.

29:28.82 (22.39 mph)

Category	Place	Handicapped Place
Age Group	16/19	4
Aero Bikes	43/50	4
Overall	56/84	7

July 16

30:16.48 (21.8 mph)

Category	Place	Handicapped Place
Age Group	15/20	9
Aero Bikes	38/46	17
Overall	50/76	22

Sitting at the start line

July 30

29:42.25 (22.22 mph)

Category	Place	Handicapped Place
Age Group	19/22	9
Aero Bikes	46/50	16
Overall	65/85	20

Another start line shot - hopefully I've already started, cause otherwise I look way too intense

Aug 13

29:31.27 (22.36 mph)

Category	Place	Handicapped Place
Age Group	18/21	4
Aero Bikes	51/57	6
Overall	67/93	10

You can tell it's late into the season. The sun is very low on the horizon

Overall

I'm glad I did it. I causes me to have a few thoughts

• Cyclists are fast. I mean I know triathletes are fast on the bike, and many of these people are triathletes, but many are cyclists and are quite fast. I am, often, at the bottom of this group. I am not at the bottom of a local triathlon on the bike (run - different story.)
• 30 minutes is a short race. I'm only six minutes back from the front, and end up in the last 25% of the group. When I go to a tri where I race for just over an hour, 6 minutes back can still be top 10 overall.
• There's tons of room to grow here, six minutes back in an 11 mile race is 5 miles per hour. If I could get a two mile per hour gain I'd only be mid-pack here, but a much bigger contender at triathlons.

Doing the same course over gives me two thoughts

• First, you can do a sort of apples to apples comparison. I know on the first day I went a certain speed, and then on the last day I did the exact same race and finished 5 minutes faster. That's a fun thing to see.
• Second, it's possible that some of that is just knowing the course better.

At least I got faster