30:22

I didn't realize I hadn't posted in so long! The Monroe time trial was last Sunday and I did okay for the panic I went through before I zoom-zoom'ed down the course. I cranked out a 30:22 for the 12.4 mile distance which is about a 24.8 mph average, and I'm actually okay with that considering everything.

Jonnene and I left town about 5:15 Sunday morning for the drive to Monroe and we got to the race site around 7 am or so. We signed up when registration opened and got on our bikes to recon the course. Outside of an old smelly deer carcass laying across part of the lane on the return side of the course, everything seemed fine out there. We got back to the car with about 20 minutes to go before the first rider was sent off (but we had our warmup done!). I switched out wheels on my bike, aired them up, and got prepped up....but I forgot to do some things I always do before I do a TT and that should have been my first clue that things weren't going right. Then, as I started to ride off, I discovered my freewheel wasn't freewheeling...it was acting as a fixed gear and it hung up when I stopped pedaling and would force itself off the front chainring! That was unbelievable and as I was trying to find a way to fix it, I heard my name being called to the start line. I yelled to Ricky, the official, that I was having a mechanical problem and I requested a later restart. An official does not have to grant a restart but good ones do try to find a way to help out the rider. Ricky said he had an opening in ten minutes that I could have. Get it fixed or get a new wheel, he said.

I got back to the car, telling Jonnene that her name was being called out to the line and to get herself out there. She was surprised that it was so soon and she told me later that she got there with about 30 seconds to spare...no worries! Meantime, I pulled off the disc wheel I was hoping to use and put on my regular road rear wheel...not as aerodynamic as the disc by a long shot but it would have to do. Jason saw I was having trouble and he calmed me down a bit by telling me that it did no good to think about this....just go do the ride. No thinking.

It helped. I was less rattled when I got to the line and finally started. It was a good start, I popped up to 27 mph in about 100 meters and held that for a mile before I started feeling the effort and the speed began to drop bit by bit. My goal was to keep the average speed above 25 miles per hour and that worked all the way out to the turnaround. My turn was slower than I'd have liked but it wasn't bad...however, getting up to speed afterward took some effort. There was a slight headwind at this point and picking up the speed was starting to be a chore. I had wanted to beat 30 minutes on this course and I ended up with a 30:22. It was the second fastest 20K I'd ever done and I had to remember that I did it without the disc wheel. I was told later that I would have knocked about 30 seconds off my time if I had the wheel. So I was encouraged to get the time I had with the regular wheel I ended up using.

Jonnene turned in a 35:03 time, good enough for 5th in the women's division. It was not bad since she had spent little time preparing for this time trial. Overall, it was an interesting day...the Wife and I got to talk about things and that was good. I hope I'm halfway ready for the district 40K TT championships this weekend! I fixed the problem I had with the disc and the freewheel is freewheelin' now.

Our kitchen renovation isn't going near as fast as I want it to...probably typical for most everyone who does this, I guess. The electrician is coming over tomorrow to relocate some plugs and light switches for us, about two days after we thought he was first coming over. Long story but that's life. We're also being delayed on getting the final order done for our countertops. I think I could almost build them faster myself during all this time! But it'll get done...we still need to find a plasterer for the walls as well as a few other things.