TT post for real

 But first lemme be proud dad for a minute:
https://usrowing.org/news/2023/7/7/team-usa-usrowing-announces-camp-selected-boats-for-2023-world-rowing-under-19-championships.aspx

Just a little proud. It has taken a while, and a lot of support and not insignificant amount of fiscal resources (Thanks Dad) and it is just the beginning but, hitting a goal you've been aiming for for three years is unimaginable. Well for me, these kind of achievements are unimaginable to me, a big deal. 

That out of the way (oh and yeah, we've got tickets to Paris, better brush up on some basic french, although I feel like I might be as bad as I was when i was there nearly 30 years ago, can make myself understood but completely unable to comprehend the response).

TT. So while I'm waiting for another money pit (this has been an expensive few months, again, thanks dad), and with the black blue having a rear flat AND skipping in the 17 (whole drive train is trash except for the shifters and rear der)...  I took the fragile 23c tires and wheels off (aka no more carbon front wheel) the Paramount and took the set of 10sp Ultergra wheels I got from Golberg off the Quantum Pro and put them on the Paramount, tires are Durano DDs, heavy, strong, durable, not ideal for going fast. Nothing aero. No wheels, no frame, no carbon, hell there's even downtube shifters and a 40 year old bar on there. No aero helmet. Nothing. Two bottles, and no feedback. No HR, no speed, no cadence, no power, nothing. Because the Wahoo headunit screen started delaminating and they warrantied it and I'm still waiting on the new one. 

No feedback in a TT is tough. I don't know how slow I'm going, both good, and not good, good in that I don't get the negative feedback, bad, I don't have the extra motivation to push harder. I think for me it almost is better w/o feedback. That's how much the negative weighs on me. 

I was late, a protocol took WAY longer on thursday and I left 20 minutes after I had planned and, well got there just in time to pay up and get lined up. Again, up front. 4th. 

Was thinking back, 10 years ago, i was there, aero helmet, aero front wheel, disc cover rear wheel, aero bars, bar end shifters. And I was riding a ton with Becca. It was peak GeWilli TT. Hitting a strava clocked 18:24 or something silly. Nothing near the 16ish minutes John Harris clocked on Thursday this year but, he is a freshly retired pro on full world tour level TT gear. I still look like a cab over kenworth on a bike. 

Aero gear is unquestionably valuable in a TT. Even over an 8 mile course. 

I started off, went hard, got up to speed, then, just clicked down in gears. It felt good, was able to drop down all they way, wasn't super stable on that pavement with that fork when I reached down to shift but it was okay. Pushed it hard. kept it in that gear well past agricultural's second crossing, clicked one, then down one more on the rise, went back after jumping on 118, and pushed. It hurt and I was going hard, and it felt good. Had to remind myself to push it up the little rises, but made the turn on to Reynolds into the headwind and oof, that was hard. I tried to catch the next person up ahead but was making up no ground. So one of two things, aero, or too hard on the first 5 miles. Bounced back a little on the hill on Peck and was able to push it and cut the distance to the people ahead, but not totally catch them.

Made the turn onto 118, and was able to push and almost sprint for the line, legs were dead but not like last year. 

Finish time was at least faster than last year. And that's with zero aero wheels and much much slower tires. So. I'll take it.

It sets a baseline and we'll see what next week brings, even if I don't have the new bike ready to go.

Danny brought chips and beer (no water), chips were great. And we hung around I got a Bikeworks waterbottle isntead of a 3 pack of 20oz beers, and then Tine, Michelle, Colby and two other really fast guys headed home. And well, it started off just fine. Everyone talking, me just hanging on to Tine's wheel, going fast I think, and then? I dunno what the fuck happened but suddenly it was full fucking gas. Segment? Dunno, but it was all I could do to stay on the wheels. Everyone on their aero road bikes with deep carbon wheels and beep boop shifting. And me on my 1986 paramount with 8 sp downtube shifters. And me being SLOW. 

But I managed to hang on, until a turn and an acceleration and there was a gap and I couldn't close it and left Colby on my wheel and he went to close it and totally dropped me but instead of closing the gap and riding with everyone else, he dropped back and gave me a wheel to follow and a draft all the way home. He kind of fucked up and added a few miles to the end by missing the road to the white church off new medow but I didn't care. I wasn't really ever going that much slower on his wheel than I was in the TT. 
My legs were trashed, in a good way I think. But still. wicked smashed.

The ride home racked up more PRs on the road than I've seen in forever. Last year I was getting dropped riding slowly home, legit, like they weren't going fast and I couldn't hang.

Will be interesting to see what the difference is in equipment. More or less significant than predicted?

I guess I'd have to predict and I don't really want to, I'm honestly hoping for a minute faster, but potentially 2. More than 2 and i'll be amazed, less than 1 and i might be angry. Again though, weather and conditions are variables outside the bike. The headwind and the heat and humidity thursday night were not insignificant factors.

Well, best get my ass in the car and headed to 'Gansett. Gotta work.

heddwch
G