Zachary Hilton
Placing: 7
Field: 14
Field: 14
Walnut Creek, CA
Teammates: None
Weather: 70 degrees avg. Sunny and temps rising, windy at start
Start Time: 9:23 am
Total Time: 00:31:08
Power: 255 W avg, 683 W max, 260 W NP
Average Speed: 11.8 MPH, Top Speed 28.6 MPH
Average HR: 184 Max HR: 188
Elevation Ascent: 1,673 ft
Training Peaks Data
This is one of my favorite events. It's you vs. the clock and Mt Diablo! Mt Diablo is where I first got challenged into cycling, and eventually learn how to be a racer. It's a mid year marker for me. I had a good week of training leading up to the race including a massage. I woke up early and had my standard breakfast. Katie and Avery were coming to join me, and we were heading to a family birthday party in Berkeley after. My goal was to go sub 30. Many factors affect a time trial. The right weather, food, rest, and amount of training volume leading up to race. I'm riding my 2009 Specialized Tarmac with the new Ultegra 6800 11 speed group set. I ride Race Rim wheels now. I chose the 32mm Carbon Tubulars for this race. It's a climbing time trial
I got a long 45 minute warm up on the trainer while Avery helped me with my Hammer feeds :) My #SJBCRaceTeam Voler speed suit was the uniform for the day. I carried one small bottle of Hammer Heed with me. The start line is about a mile from where we warm up and register. I chose not to carry a bottle last year. I drank some on the way and had half a bottle for the climb. We are all 30 seconds apart and start on a ramp at the Northgate Rd Pay Station. I'm lined up and ready to go behind my 30 second guy. He tries to take off and pops his chain off. You have to get your gearing right before the ramp! It took the guys 15 seconds to help him go. I was up with just 15 seconds to clip in both pedals and go. I managed it, but that certainly didn't help the heart rate from the get go. It was windy from the right and front for the first 1.5 miles or so. I should have been paying attention to my Garmin power output in this situation to make sure I don't over compensate for the wind. Settling in and not going out hard, is sometimes hard to do. The wind seemed to slow everyone down. It was my 2nd fastest time through this section. After that I began to really start crushing at my times. I wasn't looking at power because I was trying the virtual partner on the Garmin :) I was essentially chasing myself down. I PR'ed through every section till the end. I was standing up on the bike for the steep sections and digging deep. My heart rate was able to get up to threshold and stay there with no cramping, and loss of power. Perfect!
I was so close to getting sub 30. That's what I needed to get on the podium. I was 1 minute away from 3rd place! If I was faster in the beginning, I would have made it. The competition was tough, but it was nice to know that most everyone wasn't any faster than last year.
I set a new FTP (Functional Threshold Power) of 260 Watts. Thats a huge accomplishment for me this point in the season. That was my peak FTP at the end of last season! Training is paying off!
My next challenge is the Death Ride Tour of California Alps in July 13! 126 miles over 15,000 ft of climbing in one day, and my next race is The California Firefighter's Olympics Cycling Stage Race July 22, 23, 24th.
This is one of my favorite events. It's you vs. the clock and Mt Diablo! Mt Diablo is where I first got challenged into cycling, and eventually learn how to be a racer. It's a mid year marker for me. I had a good week of training leading up to the race including a massage. I woke up early and had my standard breakfast. Katie and Avery were coming to join me, and we were heading to a family birthday party in Berkeley after. My goal was to go sub 30. Many factors affect a time trial. The right weather, food, rest, and amount of training volume leading up to race. I'm riding my 2009 Specialized Tarmac with the new Ultegra 6800 11 speed group set. I ride Race Rim wheels now. I chose the 32mm Carbon Tubulars for this race. It's a climbing time trial
I got a long 45 minute warm up on the trainer while Avery helped me with my Hammer feeds :) My #SJBCRaceTeam Voler speed suit was the uniform for the day. I carried one small bottle of Hammer Heed with me. The start line is about a mile from where we warm up and register. I chose not to carry a bottle last year. I drank some on the way and had half a bottle for the climb. We are all 30 seconds apart and start on a ramp at the Northgate Rd Pay Station. I'm lined up and ready to go behind my 30 second guy. He tries to take off and pops his chain off. You have to get your gearing right before the ramp! It took the guys 15 seconds to help him go. I was up with just 15 seconds to clip in both pedals and go. I managed it, but that certainly didn't help the heart rate from the get go. It was windy from the right and front for the first 1.5 miles or so. I should have been paying attention to my Garmin power output in this situation to make sure I don't over compensate for the wind. Settling in and not going out hard, is sometimes hard to do. The wind seemed to slow everyone down. It was my 2nd fastest time through this section. After that I began to really start crushing at my times. I wasn't looking at power because I was trying the virtual partner on the Garmin :) I was essentially chasing myself down. I PR'ed through every section till the end. I was standing up on the bike for the steep sections and digging deep. My heart rate was able to get up to threshold and stay there with no cramping, and loss of power. Perfect!
I was so close to getting sub 30. That's what I needed to get on the podium. I was 1 minute away from 3rd place! If I was faster in the beginning, I would have made it. The competition was tough, but it was nice to know that most everyone wasn't any faster than last year.
I set a new FTP (Functional Threshold Power) of 260 Watts. Thats a huge accomplishment for me this point in the season. That was my peak FTP at the end of last season! Training is paying off!
My next challenge is the Death Ride Tour of California Alps in July 13! 126 miles over 15,000 ft of climbing in one day, and my next race is The California Firefighter's Olympics Cycling Stage Race July 22, 23, 24th.
Thanks for reading!
Thanks to Race Rim Wheels!
Thanks to Race Rim Wheels!
Thanks to Hammer Nutrition!
Thanks to Voler!
Thanks to SJBC Race Team!
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