Neva TT's at SBW's Baxter Series

There are many benefits of being affiliated with a 200+ active member cycling club and one of those benefits are club races. This is my 3rd year with SBW and 3rd year cycling and I never have attended a club race-and I can't really say why. But as fate had it, due to a flat tire scenario, I missed a key workout Saturday and was in need of a high-test workout. I remembered an email had gone to the club from our president Cary Alpert regarding the Baxter TT series being held on Sunday- this might fit the bill for what I needed.

I threw a kit on, had my TT bike in the car, and drove down to the Carson course 7:00 Sunday morning. I am the last to arrive and I see what is a real pre-race scenario taking place with close to 20 riders. Riders were warming up on trainers, everybody in full race gear with discs, TT helmets, booties, etc. Me...well I had my Hawaii water cages still on with a pump attached to them, a bento bag of extra tubes, training wheels that had near 60 pounds of air, my Rudy regular helmet, and no thought of a warm-up.

I quickly begged the race crew to let me start last so I could pull myself together and I asked if I could be behind Lynette Rock by a few places so chasing her would keep me honest. Lynette is a State and National TT champ and is an animal when it comes to the TT. I would be lucky to see her today with a minute head start but I knew keeping her ahead of me would keep me focused on task at hand- riding a strong 10 mile TT.

The course is a .9 mile rectangle and as I was riding it, I felt like I was on a really big outdoor velodrome. I had a solid well paced race finishing with around a 23:30 and most importantly was able to see some mistakes I need to correct before next week's State TT. I also had a blast. The competition was great, the support of Ted and the SBW riders continuous, and realizing what a great benefit the Baxter TT series is to my fitness and racing was invaluable. You have to be a member of SBW to do the race series and the cost for the event is $5 which covers everything and they even gave me splits by lap!!

Thanks SBW for putting these races on, you'll see me again very soon at the next Baxter TT.