Extreme Momentum

MATTS Single Bong 20K Time Trial
April 23, 2006 – Kansasville, WI
Cat 4 – 9th – 32:16.83
261 watts – 22.4 MPH

The race flyer advertised this time trial as the “universally famous Single Bong”.  A few indiscriminate potheads might mistake this event for something other than a bike race.  Then again, I’m surprised that the former planned supersonic bomber base didn’t supplant the Moon Tower as the party destination for Randy “Pink” Floyd the rest of the Lee High’s Class of 1977 (for all of your Richard Linklater fans out there).  Alright . . . enough musing.  It’s back to the real race report.

The MATTS Single Bong time trial really got its name from the nearby Bong Recreation Area, which is the site of an airfield that was supposed to be a Cold War era supersonic bomber base.   To the good fortune of beavers and cheeseheads, the Department of Defense gave up on the plans and relinquished the land of the State of Wisconsin which turned it into a park named after Richard Bong, a World War II ace.  To avoid waking the slumbering beavers, the actual time trial started at the local elementary school in Kansasville, WI.

I’m still adjusting to so many bike races NOT having online registration, however, the race directors I’ve called to register over the phone have been especially cool.  Carl Wilkins from Wisconsin Bicycle Racing was very accommodating to my start time and seemed excited to have at least 1 XXXer participating in the event.  Thanks to all of my teammates for giving us a good name.

Finding the start of race was fairly simple, it was just about 12 miles off I-94.  With the Lemon cranking 3500 rpm, it took me about 1 hour to get there from Uptown in Sunday morning traffic.  I found the parking lot to be especially crowed with racers as well as worshipers from an early morning service at the school.  The thing that surprised me was the number of folks on their trainers (the racers, not parishioners).  Hello?!  This is not one of the ABD indoor time trials.  There were miles of good country roads to warm-up on, but these dudes were pedaling furiously in the parking lot.  Who died and made them triathletes?

After getting my number at the quiet registration table (everybody was out on their trainers admiring each other’s new Zipps), I started my warm-up on the back roads.  With a newly built up TT bike, I knew I was in trouble.  No matter how well you build them, you’re bound to get a mechanical.  With no team sag vehicle, the biking gods were with me.  My big problem was a loose screw on the computer mount for my aero bars.  Ha!  Screw the mechanic and Fiat wagon, that’s why I always carry a 5 mm Allen wrench (no relation) with me.

After some stretching and minor bike adjustments back in the parking lot, I got in line at the start only to find out they were a few minutes behind.  This corner is where you really felt the conditions.  Mostly cloudy, Windy, and in the low 50s.  Ah, nothing like a few 20 MPH gusts to keep you warm.  I had studied the Bong course thoroughly before the race (it’s a big trapezoid) to know that I would have a headwind and tailwind.  The race started south, downhill with wind at our backs.  I had a woman start in front of me and I soon caught her on the first turn.  That’s when the pain began.  The first 2 miles were fast, but the enxt four were rolling, westbound, and straight into a 15 MPH headwind.  Ouch.  I had been averaging over 24 MPH, but soon ground to a halt.  I was dogging before Turn 2 at about 16 MPH.  From the corner of my eye, I saw a woman closing on me.  Nothing like a gender war.  I dropped the hammer on the next 2 mostly uphill, northbound miles.  That’s when ecstasy hit (I’ve got to throw as many drug references as possible in here) with Turn 3.

Now I know how the pros feel in a TT.  Normally, we amateurs are ecstatic to hit 25 mph for a 40K TT.  Now, I know the elation of hitting 30 mph—uphill!  That’s right, the headwind that plagued me earlier in the race got my flying on the last section.  My legs recovered and I was maxed out on my 53-12 gearing.  So, this is how David Z. feels for an entire TT?  As Tamara Sheetz said after we finished, “I was hoping to catch you after the final turn, but you really got the afterburners going.”  That’s right.  Consider it years of learning that negative splits win races, but I was pretty happy with my time considering the conditions.  Ninth place in the Cat 4 group with a time of 32:16.83.

After an easy cool down on the roads around Kansasville, I packed up the car for the ride home.  My main thoughts were on taking a double hit of this course come the MATTS Double Bong in June.  Giddy up.

ED NOTE:  In the week following this race, I collided with a runner on the lakefront path in Chicago as I was biking home.  Ironically, we were both eyeing the idiot triathletes going southbound in the aero position.  Thankfully, I had my hands on my brake (as riders always should between the Oak Street and Belmont).  The runner jumped across the path, but stopped right in front of me.  Bam.  Luckily, she was OK, but I landed on my wrist and broke my scaphoid.  There goes 2 months of the racing season and hello Computrainer.

MATTS Single Bong TT Results

ABD John Fraser Memorial Time Trial
April 9, 2006 – Maple Park, IL
Cat 4 – 31st – 25:48.20
270 watts – 21.6 MPH

My train of thoughts (pun intended) on the way to the John Fraser Memorial Time Trial (10 miles) began with how cold it was going to be in the country vs the lake, how bad the wind and hills were going to be, who the hell designed the Illinois Tollways, and, finally, how every American Legion in the USA smells the same.

For those of you who haven’t been to Maple Park (pop. 788), don’t look for an exit off of I-88 since civil engineers years ago thought you would only want to go to De Kalb. Nevertheless, ABD picked a nice quiet location for the JFMTT and had positioned enough volunteers to direct traffic and guide you to the registration area. Despite warnings on the ABD website, there was plenty of parking around Maple Park. Registration was in the local American Legion post and was fairly organized, but someone else got my number.

The temperature was pleasant and there was only a slight wind. There were plenty of roads to warm-up on, though I was frustrated by running late (having thought like a Wisconsin driver and not an Illini local) and had to cut my warm-up short. Luckily, I ran into fellow XXXer Strewart Pratt on my warm-up and he gave me a few tips on the course. The starting line was a breeze to find, though a Union Pacific line ran right through town so you wanted to make sure you were on the right side of the tracks in time for your start.

I found my number on the back of the rider in front of me, Erik Arntzen from Alberto’s Sport, but we got the situation corrected with the organizers. I was offered a hold by the official for my start, but I decided to start with a foot on the ground. I might have a lost a few seconds, but this was my first outdoor TT. The start was nice and straight and I was able hammer and get tucked right away.

ABD did an excellent job with course marshals, so there was no question with where to go. The course was decent with a couple nicely banked corners and two turn arounds. The first turnaround was down an extremely bumpy, narrow road (worse than most city streets). I was happy to get back out the main highway. The hills weren’t too bad, but the last 2 miles were slightly uphill and into a head wind. At this point, I had been a holding a consistent 23 MPH, but I started to really die.

The finish line was short so the course was only about 9.3 miles. I was able to get my time right away. Not bad for my first outdoor TT, but was a little disappointed with my performance. I was ranked 13th in the overall ABD TT series, and my 31st placing in the JFMTT dropped me to 17th overall (I was hoping for Top 10). Oh, well. I learned the importance of getting in a longer warm-up and pacing yourself despite the wind and hills.

I don’t plan on doing any Ironman distance tris, so I only need to look forward to 40K of this pain the future. And speaking of pain, I’m going to avoid the Illinois toll roads.

MATTS John Fraser Memorial TT Results