Silver Creek Time Trial

The Silver Creek Time Trial is billed as a practice run for next week’s Ski to Sea multi-sport relay from Mt. Baker to Bellingham. The Silver Creek TT is organized by NorKa Recreation, which also does the Mt. Baker Hill Climb.

There were two courses: A 7-mile out and back and a ~22-mile out and back that incorporated the 7 mile route. The 22-mile course started with a slight uphill followed by a fun downhill, which was a not-so-fun uphill on the way back.

Riders had the option to try both, which I did. I’d never cycled back to back races like this, and I was curious about how that would feel. Plus, I’m experimenting with a some clip-on aero bars and an “endurance aero” position on one of my bikes and wanted to try the new position in a race setting. Whether or not I was actually racing is questionable.

Race organizer Charlie Heggem launches a racer at the start of the 22-mile TT.

The race was very low key, with about 30 competitors, most of whom had full-on TT setups: Skinny carbon bikes, disc wheels, skin suits; the whole nine yards. I heard the names of a few top Seattle racers as I chatted with others. There were also a few riders in standard cycling gear, and from their flushed skin tone during and after the race it looked like they were pedaling their hearts out.

The weather was brilliant–a bit cooler than in Seattle–and distracting.

During the second race I realized one reason I’m not a racer:

Instead of smelling blood and trying to reel in the riders ahead of me I was captivated by the brilliant blue sky, glimpses of the snowcapped Cascades, and the deep green fields along the course.

There are times to stop and smell the roses, and times to race. I don’t think I’ve quite figured out how to know when to do which.

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