No drug like adrenalin

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A few weeks ago I was warming up for a 5K time trial. It was a straight out-and-back course, and during the warm-up I wanted to see what the maximum speeds were that I could expect to hold. On the out leg, which was into a pretty strong headwind, 21 mph seemed hard but sustainable, while 22 was too hard, so I planned to try to keep it between 21 and 22 during the race. On the way back, with the wind, 26 mph seemed like a worthy goal.

During the race, on the out-leg I look down and see that I'm holding 23 mph and higher. And coming back in I'm doing 27-29. I wouldn't have believed that possible, based on my warmup testing.

So now that I know what adrenalin can do, I'm thinking of putting a time-bomb on my bike for time trials, that will go off unless I finish the race under some preset time. If it works, I plan to market it: "Better than 'Roids - It's the Bomb!" If it doesn't work, I'll be a sore loser.

A few weeks ago I was warming up for a 5K time trial. It was a straight out-and-back course, and during the warm-up I wanted to see what the maximum speeds were that I could expect to hold. On the out leg, which was into a pretty strong headwind, 21 mph seemed hard but sustainable, while 22 was too hard, so I planned to try to keep it between 21 and 22 during the race. On the way back, with the wind, 26 mph seemed like a worthy goal.

During the race, on the out-leg I look down and see that I'm holding 23 mph and higher. And coming back in I'm doing 27-29. I wouldn't have believed that possible, based on my warmup testing.

So now that I know what adrenalin can do, I'm thinking of putting a time-bomb on my bike for time trials, that will go off unless I finish the race under some preset time. If it works, I plan to market it: "Better than 'Roids - It's the Bomb!" If it doesn't work, I'll be a sore loser. Could it possibly be that your muscles are just a little more efficient warmed up:rolleyes:?

I have one of them Garmin 305s on my commuter bike and use it everyday. I have found on my daily commute if I get a car driver with the specific intention of sending me to the great bike shop in the sky that it can knock well over 10 minutes from my expected time. (Bicycles in Copenhagen are faster than cars so it can be safer to outspeed them than stop with the vain hope they will then go away) Good cardiovascular work out, and the cadence is as good as on a race. :D

Could it possibly be that your muscles are just a little more efficient warmed up:rolleyes:?
I really don't think that explains it, K, because I warmed up for a good hour and I did the "speed test" at the very end of my warmup. Then I had to "cool my heels" for about ten minutes waiting in line at the start before going off. So I was actually more warmed up and primed during my test.