Sunday, January 8, 2017

San Bruno Hill Climb

Zachary Hilton
San Bruno Hill Climb
Brisbane, CA 
Category 35+ 3/4's Combined with 35+ 1/2/3's
Place: 9
Field: 9
Teammates: None
Weather:  46 clear, headwind
Start Time: 10:04:00 am 
Total Time: 00:22:06
Power: 265 W avg, 535 W max,  267 W NP  
Average Speed: 10 MPH, Top Speed 23.7 MPH
Average HR: 179 Max HR: 187
Elevation Ascent: 1,194


I'm riding a 2015 Specialized S-Works Tarmac with Ultegra 6800 53/39 11 speed group set with an 11/28 for this race.  I have a pair for Race Rim carbon tubular 32's with 25mm tires for this race.   I am carrying no bottles of Hammer Heed with me and I wanted to wear the Zaavy Custom Speed suit and I've got a S-Works Evade helmet.  I even took the bottle cages off!  This race is over so fast.  There is no time for drinking.  Pen Velo is really helpful and takes a bag of your stuff to the top!  Thanks!

My goals for this are to get a sub 00:18:00!  I love starting out the season on New Year's Day.  Getting the first one out of the way!  I've tried my hardest to stay away from those that are sick, and each year it a struggle with all the family gatherings and parties.  I felt great the week before this race but got sick a few days before :(  This is really going to effect my time!

We start combined with the 35+ 1/2/3's.  Sometimes its hard to tell the numbering and who's who, but it's a small combined field anyways.  When you're combined with a higher category group stay protected and go for as long as you can.  I got in the front of the line after a good warm up on the rollers, plus a short spin around the parking lot.  Race literally starts off going to the left and then the first climb is upon us!  I'm feeling just fine and settled.  A Mike's Bikes guy goes off the front and tests the group.  Several follow and I am glued to a Pen Velo guys wheel.  He's got a good tempo that I can hold.  We reach the first stop light and slight lull in the course.  The front group accelerates through and drops us.  We are now several groups.  The next portion we hit a head wind, or at least I finally noticed it.  It was stronger than in the past.  I'm already noticing that I'm going slower.  My legs feel powerful but the lungs aren't responding to the full gas.  I've got my heart rate right where I want it, and that's at least fully recovered.  My power is right on for this time of year.  We reach the top for the right turn into the park and the wind is howling!  You have to dodge some rough roads from here on out.  Made it to the final stretches of the climb and there's no one in front to chase down.  Kept the pace up and finished strong.

What I learned....live in a bubble for 31 days in December :)  That's almost impossible for me.  Maybe I will walk around with hand sanitizer like we did when Avery was a baby.  It's all good.  I got the first race out of the way for the 2017 season.  I was slower than any of my previous times.  Probably because of the sickness and headwind.  I noticed that many other times were 1:30-2:00 minutes off their PR's.

Hammer Nutrition has come out with a pre-workout drink mix called Fully Charged.  Sponsored Athletes got a chance to try it out first, and it's been getting rave reviews.  If you haven't order from Hammer before you can get 15% off your first order by using me as a referral.  Click on the link in my blog under the Hammer Nutrition 15%.

Time to recover with Hammer Nutrition's Recoverite and get a good night sleep.  Don't forget to recover during your sleep and take some Hammer Whey to boost that HGH.  I've also added Hammer Nutrition's Chromate, and Super Antioxidant to the recovery mix.  Both have great recovery ingredients!  

Next race will be Red Kite's Bump Circuit Race (Winter) February 5th!

Thanks for reading!
Thanks to Hammer Nutrition!
Thanks to Nature's Bakery!
Thanks to RaceRim!
Thanks to iRC Tire USA!
Thanks to SJBC Race Team!