The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a mans determination
-Tommy Thea
In the time trial, there are no games,” Amber Neben said. “It is just a measure of physical and mental strength on the day. The time trial is actually very similar to a cross country running race or a long-distance track race where you have to pace out your effort over the course of a certain distance or estimated time length.”
-Tommy Thea
In the time trial, there are no games,” Amber Neben said. “It is just a measure of physical and mental strength on the day. The time trial is actually very similar to a cross country running race or a long-distance track race where you have to pace out your effort over the course of a certain distance or estimated time length.”
Ah, season is complete! I always love this time of year to reflect on the season and what I learn and what things I would do differently, and what was learned.
This year I learned not just how to race my bike better and how to work on a women's team but I learned that there are more things in life than racing and riding my bike every day and weekend. I've been there and done that, where I have raced 53 races in one yr and raced back to back weekends and doubling up on races. Sure it was alot and I love it. I learned a lot and loved doing that but this yr was different. Maximizing my racing was important to not just me but family, my health and mental well being. A coach told me" Kim it takes a lot to race just one race, and its not just about racing the race, its the preparation days prior to the race and the time to get ready and drive to and from the races. It's the whole thing, not just the race" Ofcourse I made mistakes this yr but I believe we learn from those mistakes and take from them.
So to end my season, I had planned on going down to gateway cup and racing the criterium series which I LOVE so much! So, the last day before I leave, I had this gut feeling that I personally didn't think going down there would be a good thing for me to do with knowing there would be a potential for rain all 3 days and knowing that my mother in law is very ill and I was going to leave my son with her was just a very non-positive feeling in my heart. Knowing what I knew, I made the decision not to race gateway and turned it into a positive and decided to race up North and TT my heart out!!!!... Yah!! I think TT for some people are either you hate them or you love them. For me it is the ultimate test of your fitness and mental game. It's not like criterium racing where you can draft off of people and maybe wait for the sprint or get in a break away but in a TT it is all about you and the clock. The race of truth. Personally, I feel that if I can time trail, I will perform much better in my road races and criteriums.
Going into Saturday's time trial in Harvard ,IL which was the IL State Championship TT, I felt well rested but I wasnt sure I was really in TT mode fitness and havent really been training with my bars at all. I was more criterium ready than anything so I put that behind me and gave it my all in the TT. I started my TT feeling really relaxed and almost zen like when I got into my flow of cadence. On the back portion of the race course, the wind really hit hard. I slowed taking one corner with gravel on it and then back on my cadence mode I went hard. To my surprise, I felt more earo and relaxed in my drops then anything so I stayed with it and as the wind hit harder I seemed to have a better cadence/power output down in my drops. To my surprise, I had placed 3rd in the TT overall for women, even though the turnout was slim for women. It was fun and pleased with my effort.
Cherry Valley TT ABR.
Cherry Valley is one of my favorite TT 's I was happy they brought it back. In the spring, it is a 40K but this was a 20K, I think the course was a bit longer I heard from others. Good to see my team mate Leah Sanda there. It was funny because I told her I was feeling like I needed TT equipment seeing all these great TT bikes, decked out with top equipment and then there is me with my road bike and slapped on eao bars.. Leah 's repsone was..... I had "Bike Envy." Yes, I was. Thanks Leah. Race started I couldnt beleive how amazing it was to be in the TT zone. I pushed that last few miles and finished fairly strong. I knew I had lost some time getting around the turnaround. Then I had about a 15min rest time til my next start time. I got on the course again and felt a lot more tire for my second race. But I had a good effort made and that's what I was shooting for. My results where 4th overall and I was happy with that knowing I had put for a big effort the day prior.
Thanks to Psimet http://www.psimet.com/ for providing me with racing wheels all summer. I love them!!!
This year I learned not just how to race my bike better and how to work on a women's team but I learned that there are more things in life than racing and riding my bike every day and weekend. I've been there and done that, where I have raced 53 races in one yr and raced back to back weekends and doubling up on races. Sure it was alot and I love it. I learned a lot and loved doing that but this yr was different. Maximizing my racing was important to not just me but family, my health and mental well being. A coach told me" Kim it takes a lot to race just one race, and its not just about racing the race, its the preparation days prior to the race and the time to get ready and drive to and from the races. It's the whole thing, not just the race" Ofcourse I made mistakes this yr but I believe we learn from those mistakes and take from them.
So to end my season, I had planned on going down to gateway cup and racing the criterium series which I LOVE so much! So, the last day before I leave, I had this gut feeling that I personally didn't think going down there would be a good thing for me to do with knowing there would be a potential for rain all 3 days and knowing that my mother in law is very ill and I was going to leave my son with her was just a very non-positive feeling in my heart. Knowing what I knew, I made the decision not to race gateway and turned it into a positive and decided to race up North and TT my heart out!!!!... Yah!! I think TT for some people are either you hate them or you love them. For me it is the ultimate test of your fitness and mental game. It's not like criterium racing where you can draft off of people and maybe wait for the sprint or get in a break away but in a TT it is all about you and the clock. The race of truth. Personally, I feel that if I can time trail, I will perform much better in my road races and criteriums.
Going into Saturday's time trial in Harvard ,IL which was the IL State Championship TT, I felt well rested but I wasnt sure I was really in TT mode fitness and havent really been training with my bars at all. I was more criterium ready than anything so I put that behind me and gave it my all in the TT. I started my TT feeling really relaxed and almost zen like when I got into my flow of cadence. On the back portion of the race course, the wind really hit hard. I slowed taking one corner with gravel on it and then back on my cadence mode I went hard. To my surprise, I felt more earo and relaxed in my drops then anything so I stayed with it and as the wind hit harder I seemed to have a better cadence/power output down in my drops. To my surprise, I had placed 3rd in the TT overall for women, even though the turnout was slim for women. It was fun and pleased with my effort.
Cherry Valley TT ABR.
Cherry Valley is one of my favorite TT 's I was happy they brought it back. In the spring, it is a 40K but this was a 20K, I think the course was a bit longer I heard from others. Good to see my team mate Leah Sanda there. It was funny because I told her I was feeling like I needed TT equipment seeing all these great TT bikes, decked out with top equipment and then there is me with my road bike and slapped on eao bars.. Leah 's repsone was..... I had "Bike Envy." Yes, I was. Thanks Leah. Race started I couldnt beleive how amazing it was to be in the TT zone. I pushed that last few miles and finished fairly strong. I knew I had lost some time getting around the turnaround. Then I had about a 15min rest time til my next start time. I got on the course again and felt a lot more tire for my second race. But I had a good effort made and that's what I was shooting for. My results where 4th overall and I was happy with that knowing I had put for a big effort the day prior.
Thanks to Psimet http://www.psimet.com/ for providing me with racing wheels all summer. I love them!!!
and Thanks to Enzo http://www.enzoscyclingproducts.com/ products for keeping me going all summer. Esp on those long rides and stage races.
Lastly, most of all I want to thank my family, friends and my coach for there support. This year, was truly challenging on the health side of things for me. It's not secret I was struggling a bit with my health being in the ER a few times and then healing my AC shoulder joint. My mother in law was also diagnosis with a rear blood disorder. It has been painful for me to see her in the hospital in tears, but at the same time I knows she wants me to be out there. I'm setting new goals and new horizons for next yr. Really super excited!
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