Jul242022July 24, 2022July 31, 2022by Masters TTRacer

2022 Race Report #3: Midwest Regional Time Trial Championship

Posted in Race Reports

My third race of 2022 was officially titled as the Dr. C. Schultz Memorial 20 kilometers (km)/40 km Time Trial. It was also the American Bike Racing (ABR) Midwest Regional Time Trial Championship. It has been three years since I raced this venue, a rolling out-and-back course roughly 151 miles west of Chicago on the opposite side of the state on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River. This was a three-hour drive one-way.

The weather was warm (82 degrees) with high humidity (70%-90%) and strong gusting winds (13 mph gusting to 20 mph) – again. The wind was a tailwind from the west-northwest at 16 mph gusting to 20 mph on the outbound leg. On the inbound leg, the headwind was 13 mph gusting to 17 mph.

I completed a warmup on a side road for 5.16 miles in 0:25:25. Average speed was 12.2 mph; maximum speed was 27.9 mph. Average power was 169 watts; maximum power was 314 watts.

I moved to the start line on schedule. In view of the tailwind for the first leg of the course, I wanted to start fast. I averaged 17.47 mph. Inbound, with the headwind, I slowed to 14.77 mph. Overall, average speed for this race was 15.95 mph, better than a half mile per hour increase over my first race on the new trike a month earlier.

The race officials allowed the two of us in the recumbent category to choose either the 20 km or 40 km event. I chose the 20 km race, while my fellow competitor chose the 40 km race. Consequently, we raced, finished, and were both awarded first place in our respective races. This is my first win since August 18, 2020, when I captured age-group victories in the 5 km and 10 km time trials at the Wisconsin Senior Olympics.

There were several encouraging takeaways from this race. First of all, I was marginally faster than my first race on my new recumbent trike. My handling of the trike is slowly improving. Second, my peak power performance and intensity factor were practically identical to my first race. Finally, I replaced my front tires with heavier ones but with better rolling resistance and substantially better puncture protection. I will explore additional ways to make my trike lighter and faster.

BY THE NUMBERS:

  • Race Distance: 12.01 miles
  • Time: 0:45:31 (h:m:s)
  • Finishing position: 1 of 1
  • Avg Speed: 15.9 mph
  • Max Speed: 21.9 mph
  • Avg Power: 246 watts
  • Max Power: 336 watts

UPDATE: My next race is another 20 KM time trial on Saturday, July 30.