This is part 1 written by Vaughn Marshall and Bart McCombe will do part 2.

 

Bart McCombe and I did the BCMasters Lake Cowichian-Youbo-Lake Cowichian 80 Km. Time Trial on August 28th as a 2 up team.

 

That is the only time drafting is allowed in Trials and time is stopped by the 2nd rider accross the finish line. Our time was 2:21:33 and we each won a gold!

 

To get warmed up before the racer I used a wind trainer(to make my bike stationary) for 45 minutes listening to Guns N Roses. Good music to get warmed up to!!!!!

 

There was 20 riders altogether and we started 19th-eighteen minutes after the first rider(everybody started a minute apart). The weather was perfect, except for a strong headwind on the first lap out. That's where the advantage of a 2up team, because noone has to work as hard as a single rider.

 

For the first 20 Kms., there is a  1% grade (or false flat) which makes it difficult to get into a good rythmn of pedalling when you are in the aero position.

 

This is the first time either one of us has done a TT as a team, but we worked good together taking our turns at the front for about 2-3 minutes and then slipping back in behind the other guy to take advantage of his slipstream and rest up untill it was your turn again to pull.

 

When we got into Youbou for the turn around and headed back again. It was a little easier because we had more long descents which allowed us to make up alot of time.

 

This year the race organizers made the finish line at the bottom of a long hill, which made for some hairy moments. For instance, when you come up to another rider in TT's, you have to stay either 25 meters behind or off to one side, so when we came to the hill we were able to get up to about 60 KPH and we had to go around slower riders who aren't comfortable descending that fast. Plus, there was a railroad track at the bottom and there were alot of big trucks on the road that day and other traffic too.

 

Bart went accross the line first and I was just a second behind him on his lelt shoulder to stop the clock at 2:21:33. It sure felt good to finally see that finish line and I let out a big YAHOO as we crossed the finish line!!!!

 

I love this race and my whole year is based around this one day!! I usally do this on my own, but it is alot easier to have a team mate and Bart has agreed to do it again with me next year, so we will train together next year.

 

He came in this year just a week before the actual race, so it was pretty difficult for him. But he worked hard taking his turn at the front.

 

I have two radios with ear pieces and a little mike, so we were able to communicate with each other  normally, instead of yelling at each other.

 

Time Trials are my speciality and I enjoy them. Next year I am already thinking bigger, doing a Team Time Trial (4 riders) and Bart has said he would do it with me if we can find 2 other brave souls!!

 

I would like to say thank you to all of our great sponsors for providing our club with the funds so I have a club and team mates to train and race with!! It also allows me to do what I love-racing!!

 

Now for part two from Bart.