NVSO 10 KM & 20 KM Time Trial Race Reports

My tenth and eleventh races of 2014 were part of the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics, the same venue where I achieved my first win in 50 years 12 months ago (2013 20 KM Time Trial Race Report). This was a rolling hills loop course through the rural Virginia countryside. This year, we had to contend with uncompleted road resurfacing on the most challenging section of the course that was so jarring that my $60 aerodynamic water bottle was shaken from its holder and lost somewhere along the side of the road.

The weather was chilly. Temperature was 48 degrees, humidity was 100 percent, and the wind was calm when I started my 30 minute warmup routine. When I finished the second race, the temperature had warmed up to 57 degrees, humidity  was 82 percent, and wind was from the north at 6 mph. I wore arm and leg warmers for both races and felt none of the chill.

In the first race, I really had no competition in my new age group. None of my usual rivals were eligible to compete. The guy who won last year finished over a minute slower than me. All I had to do was equal or improve my time from last year. The rough road surface affected everyone’s overall speed, but I was able to finish in 0:17:00 (21.93 mph), 12 seconds faster than last year, for the win. I missed setting a new course record by 22 seconds.

Race replay: NVSO 10 KM Time Trial

In the second race, two laps of the 10 KM loop, I faced the same competitors. I was the first to start. No one passed me. My strategy was simply to reduce my effort slightly and focus on shifting smoothly on the uphills to maintain a steady cadence. It worked and I finished in 0:35:00 (21.3 mph), one second faster than last year, for the win and a new course record. I lowered the old record by a minute and 10 seconds.

Race replay: NVSO 20 KM Time Trial