Round And Round

"Tim Maguire."

"Coming."

It was the 4th of July. Not terribly hot, not humid either. And it was seemingly peaceful when it came to the wind. With about 40 other people around, we all waited our turn to get on our bikes to launch, what we would think, a nice 40k time trial.

I pulled up to the start line, mounted my bike, and waited to take off. With the official time of launch at 11am, my start time was at 11:03:30.

"Are you ready?" asked the OBRA ref.

"Yes," I stated confidently.

"You'll take off in 30 seconds." If you've ever done a TT, this is time where you better flush your head about EVERYTHING! The road ahead is your goal, your problem, your fantasy, your demise. "Five.....four.....three.....two.....you're off!" as the ref's voice and hand counted down.

I push down on the pedals, and begin a no-look-back, expect-the-best ride. A few seconds into it, a checklist immediately went through my head:

--"What is that clicking sound?" (a cyclists nightmare of something gone wrong). It was my speedometer's magnet hitting the receiver. Of all the things I go over on my bike before I launch, I missed that one! So I tuned that out over the entire course.

--"Crap! I forgot my gloves!" It is said that one can be more aero without gloves. That is why almost all the pros where them, isn't it? And after having some nasty crashes, gloves are a skin saver. It was getting hot anyways. So, let that go at that.

--"The longest TT's I do at home is Foothill (11 miles or 17.7k), and Market Lane (10 miles or 16k), not 40k (24.9miles)! It is going to hurt coming home!" But lack of TT distance training was only going to be a part of my time trailing concern. Of course, of any time trail I do, I tell myself, "Keep it steady," "You are feeling good," and "You'll take any time that you get today." As that race goes on, those statements are definitely turning false. As my butt and forearms cramp, my speed yo-yo's. I start to complain about my butt, arms, butt, legs, butt...... And I start to get antsy the closer I approach the hour mark--"get your arse in gear!"

The turn around finally came and went. I saw a guy carrying his bike back to the refs there. He flatted. Not cool for TT's. I passed a girl--the only pass I did. I was passed about half a zillion times! Have I ever mentioned how much I dislike the wind! It was not even breezy at the start, so where in the heck did this wind come from? This was the final nail to seal the coffin of a tough TT.

The 1k mark approached. No go for full throttle. But as I rounded the last corner and could see the finish line's flag, that is when I hit it! I passed over the line at 1:08:20. That is 1:13 faster than my best time on that course! For being a short guy, with a low center of gravity, I was/AM totally excited!

The total tone of the TT was crushed by the unforeseen wind. Back at the start, there was no wind. Everyone suffered. The beast must have lied inside the banks of the Willamette River, waiting to pick off it's uneducated prey. Non of the airports/weather stations had records of the winds that we put up with.

But, I will be back in August, armed to take on the savage wind beast. Round and round.....