Union City Time Trial and Crit

by Trish Albert

Race: Union City Omnium
Date: 6-21-2003
Place: Union City, GA

Time Trial
Distance: 8.1 miles
Speed: 18.5 mph
Time: 27 minutes 45 seconds
Division: Pro/1/2/3 Women

The Time Trial course was an 8 mile out and back along South Fulton Parkway. Three large hills, too big to be called rollers, were featured on the course. On the way back, one was nearly a 3/4 mile climb. One lane was closed to traffic, and marshalls were at all of the intersections.

I knew that I would either feel really good or really bad. I felt great last Sunday when I peaked for the NORBA National race. I felt really bad, weak, and tired and had been riding at an easy pace most of the week to try to recover.

I got a good warm up in despite forgetting my trainer. I pushed myself a few times on the flats to bring my heart rate up and spent about 30 minutes pedaling easy. Since there was a small mix up at registration where they had me with the Pro/1/2 Men, I was put near the end of the Women's start times. I prefer to be in the middle, so that I can chase people and not be at the very end of the race after everyone passes me. I'm still getting the hang of time trials and trying to get used to my aerobars. This was my fourth ride in them. I got to the start line and waited for the 10 second count down. With a go, I was off...sort of. My left cleat would not clip in. I probably lost about 5 seconds trying to get it in. Finally, I was clipped in, so I stood up and started to crank. I sat and settled in for the first downhill. I was in my aerobars and big ring grinding away. I hit the first climb and was able to stay in my big ring although I started to move around a lot on the bike, which is a sign that I'm tired. The second hill took its toll on me. I dropped into my small ring for a minute and sat up to put my hands on the hoods. I was breathing heavily and putting in a hard effort for the little speed that I was getting out of it. The second downhill was a nice relief. I approached the third hill and was able to stay in my big ring. I flew through the turn around and stood up to sprint to get back up to speed. My legs were crying that they'd had enough. After the downhill at the turn around, I was back up on my hoods for the first return climb. I felt like I was riding much harder than I was. I wish I had my heart rate monitor on to see what I was at. I was able to go aero again on the second downhill and most of the final climb. I was spent after the time trial, and I felt like I did not even go hard. My legs were toast.

Based on my sad performance in the TT, I was not recovered. Somehow, I was suckered into doing the crit a few hours later, so it was off to Subway for lunch and to the Shannon Mall parking lot for a few hours of relaxing before the crit.

Crit
Distance: 15.3 miles
Speed: 18.1 mph
Time: 51 minutes

The 1.0 mile course was in the parking lot of the Shannon Mall. It started out with a slight downhill to two semi-technical right hand turns. The back side was a flat half mile to another small hill and right hand turn. The finish straight was slightly uphill and into a headwind. Twenty five women lined up for the 1/2/3 time trial. Among them were Tina Pic (Diet Rite), the current crit national champion, ever fast Candice Blickem (Genesis), and Christina Underwood (Fuji). This was going to be fast, and it was right from the start. Candice and Tina went to the front. I started on the front row, so that I could stay with the peloton as long as possible. My goal was two laps. The first lap the group stayed together with me sandwiched in the middle. I found a good wheel and held it. When we came through the finish line the first time, someone picked up the pace. The pack strung out a little bit but regrouped as the pace subsided on the far side. Up the hill, the pack surged, and I stood up and stayed with them. My lungs were screaming and sending the first inclinations of a VCD attack. My breathing was shallow. I clung to the back of the pack as we sped along the finish straight. As we crossed under the finish banner, someone picked up the pace to nearly 30 mph. I fell off the back with a VCD attack. I sat up and spun slowly through the back side and up the hill. Another lap of recovery, and I started to ride harder. I'd been dropped, but I was going to finish my workout since I had paid to enter. After a few laps of riding hard, I saw the group approaching. I sat up to recover for a minute and hopped in at the end of the pack. Things had settled down a little bit I hung in until the next time around when Candice finally wound up and got off the front. Her lead would grow to almost 3/4 of a lap by the end of the race. I sat up again and recovered for a lap. After that, I put my head down again and drove it hard. The cheers from a few of my friends helped my spirits. I was crushed that I could not stay with the group longer. Being one of the first hot days that I've race, my VCD acted up in the beginning when the pace got high. I saw Debbie (Roswell Velo) a little ways behind me. A lap or two later, she caught me, and I hung behind her until we got lapped by the pack. We both jumped back in. I was able to sit in for about a lap and a half until hard attacks started to come. My legs were dead. On the backside, Candice flew by me. Up the hill, a spectator yelled at me that she only had 20 seconds on me. I laughed because she was really about 3 LAPS ahead of me. I waited and waited for the pack to come by, but it was about 2 laps later before they passed me for the final time. I was done. My legs were too tired to try to jump back in. I finished on the same lap as them a few laps down, but at least I finished with a good workout. I was 20th of 25 riders.