The 2012-2013 time trial season is now in the books. It ended with the State time trials on Memorial Day weekend.
Last summer Paul L and I set out several goals for the season. Our purpose in setting these goals was to make Canyon Velo a factor in the Southern California Racing scene. Here are the goals we set:
1) It was our plan to get out of the gate fast at the beginning of the time trial season by planting the flag for Canyon Velo at the prestigious Fiesta Island Team Time Trial (TTT) in September.
2) It was our goal to make a mark for Canyon Velo by winning the four man 50+ category at the Stagecoach 100 mile TTT in January.
3) It was our goal for both of us to finish on the podium in our respective age group categories in the Southern California Time Trial Series, Paul in the 45+ and me in the 55+ categories.
4) It was our goal to bring back at least one State Championship Jersey to Canyon Velo for 2013.
So, how did we do? Incredibly, all of the goals were accomplished. It wasn’t easy and was not without trials and suffering, but it was accomplished.
Looking back now, the Fiesta TTT seemed to come together rather easily. The result? We rocked the island, winning the 180+ four man category with an impressive time of 53:03, at an average speed of 28.3 mph. Our team consisted of three Canyon Velo riders (Paul , “Pastor” Bob B, and me) along with Ernie L from Team Pinnaclife (check out the race report).
The Stagecoach TTT was anything but easy. It was my single toughest day on the bike for this year. We actually managed to win in a record time for our category, but it was a sufferfest. Our team was made up of Paul, me, Pastor Bob, and Ryan M. Canyon Velo also had a number of other riders in that event, so check out the story.
For me, my biggest accomplishment of the year was to finish 2nd overall in the 55+ category in the Southern California Time Trial Series, a series of 18 races from September through April, with the top ten results counting toward the final placing. The winner of the category is an elite racer who is in a class of his own. I, however, faced stiff completion from a couple of riders from San Diego riding for the San Diego Cyclo-Vets for the podium. I would say that it was my consistency that carried the day and in the end, I actually tied with the winner of the 45+ category for the most podium points for the entire series of races.
Paul had an incredible fight in the 45+ category to finish on the podium. In fact, the final place on the podium was still unsettled on the eve of the final race of the series. In the 45+, the top two places were held by elite racers. Paul held a slim lead over two other very good time trialists for 3rd with one race to go. If either of these guys finished ahead of Paul on the final race, they would have overtaken him. So what happened? Paul crushed it, placed second on the day to the elite winner, and clinched 3rd overall in the very competitive 45+ category for the Southern California Time Trial Series.
The State Championships are an altogether different matter. A State jersey is very difficult to come by in any given year. With Hans (who had become somewhat of a State jersey machine) moving out of California, our goal was for someone on the club to bring one State jersey back to Canyon Velo for 2013.
We didn’t get just one, we got three! First Dr. Bill L won the 65+ category at the Super Masters individual time trial in San Diego to win the first State jersey for CV for 2013. Then at the State individual time trial, Paul won the tandem men 70+ category with Dave G of VeloSport for his first State jersey. Then finally, Pastor Bob also won his first State jersey in the two man 120+ TTT with “friend of Canyon Velo” Keith Peters who has raced many times with us in TTTs.
It is always satisfying when you make plans and then see them happen.
Finally, a couple of other great things occurred this season.
One is that my wife, Susan, decided to become a bike rider/racer. We raced five races this year on our tandem and got on the podium at the State TT in the open mixed tandem class (the story of her beginning in the sport is here).
Another is that our 4 man team placed second at the State TTT in the four man 240+ category with a time of 52.14, over a minute ahead of the third place team and within less than a minute of the winning team. That team consisted of me, Paul, Dr. Bill, and Paul’s dad Bill L. It was a fun experience and we gave it a real effort.
Now that the season is over, it is time to rest, relax, celebrate, and just have fun on the bike. That is, after all, the reason we do this. Riding a bike is just plain fun.