Time Trial Commute

I popped a 15t cog on the rear the other day- what a difference it made on this inaugaral ride. The 16 is too easy, the 14 too tall on hills, but the 15 is just right. It was sunny and windless and I was eager to ride to work- so eager that a block away I needed to return for my back pack. I thought I was traveling a bit light. I'd have no flat kit, no keys for work, no cell phone, no repair tools.

Normally my commute takes roughly an hour and fifteen minutes. I ride like a diesel engine- smooth and steady- heart rate in the 110-120s. My goal today was to make the 20 mile trip in under an hour. I've come within a handful of minutes in the past, but have never been successful. I'm sure I could do it with relative ease on my geared bike. Riding fixed only adds to the challenge.

The other challenge is stoplights. Part of my game involves following the lights. Unfortunately, I hit a few long red lights on Minnehaha Parkway. I figured I could make it up later. I made great time and was at Warner Road at 50 minutes with nothing between me and work but a long light at a busy intersection, two huge hills, and the mess of crossing I94. At the light at Highway 61, I spied I guy on a Litespeed. He served as a nice rabbit as I flew up the hill. I checked my watch, and it wasn't looking good. I was lucky to catch all greens on the series of lights to cross 94 and rolled into work at 1:04. I'm guessing I spent four minutes stopped- that if I had a computer I'd show an average speed very close to 20 mph.

One of these days I'll make my time.