Posted by Dan on 22. June 2010 19:03
Following our monster race on Saturday was the Peter Teeuwen Memorial Omnium 23-Mile Time Trial (#1) in Chesapeake. Steve M. volunteered to be the Time Keeper which is fine as he doesn't care for TTs anyway. Frank and I were joined by teammates John Lomogda and Jonathan Harris of Running Etc. An early arrival gave plenty of time to get a good warm-up in under the tent and away from the sun's melting rays. Frank and I would be riding against our fellow Cat 4s in the combined 1/2/3/4 category while John would be doing the Masters 40+ and Jonathan went off with the Cat 5s.
I was the first Cat 4 off the ramp. There was a slight southerly breeze, but mostly it was just hot. Ten minutes after my start, I rolled across the flattened remains of tiny grass snake. Poor thing would be run over a bazillion more times that day as it lay there, slowly baking away. Lots of caterpillars and a small frog of some sort had also been run down and left to fry. The ditch held the rotting carcass of a deer. Not a good day to be an animal out on Shillelagh Rd.
Aside from the plethora of road kill, the rest of the ride was rather unexciting. The fifth turn almost got exciting as a car that had pulled onto the road in front of me made it to the intersection first. The officer working that corner quickly cleared them and my ride went on without having to draw on my creating cornering skills (of which I have none). The final stretch came and went. I returned to the comfort of the tent and enjoyed a traditional post-race Diet Coke while I waited for the rest of the team.
Frank slid across the line in a cyan and Madone blur. John came in a while later. I'd passed Jonathan heading out as I was finishing, so we wouldn't see him for awhile. Results were posted at long last and I placed 3rd in the 1/2/3/4 group, 1st Cat 4 with a time of 0:50:27. Frank was 18th overall, 11th Cat 4 with a time of 0:55:24. John took 3rd in his category with a time of 00:51:45 and Jonathan finished in 1:04:50 for 22nd.
Next weekend is the VB Wheelemen/Team Vanderkitten Smithfield HAMmer Fest 2-Man Team Time Trial. John and I will be doing the 27+ mile course in under 50 minutes or YOUR MONEY BACK!! After that is a little thing up in Reston.