Time Trial advice

first time the primary thing is to have fun.

Serious business... your race comes down to 3 things
1.) warmup
2.) pacing
3.) suffering

Know your start time, and roll up to the line straight off of your warmup (so you haven't cooled back down) for a short race a long warmup is desirable.

Everyone feels like superman(woman) the first mile of a TT. It's also where most people ruin their time. Pick your goal watts and stick to them.

The last couple of miles should be everything you have left and then some. If you can do anything but slobber and pedal as you cross the line you didn't do it right

but mainly...have fun.

There is a weekly 10 mile time trial series here and I LOVE it!!

Generally speaking, 20 minute FTP tests are estimated to be roughly 5% higher power than your 1 hour threshold, so a 10 mile time trial would take most people at our local event somewhere in the 22-32 minute range.

Targeting 3-5% above FTP should get you pretty close to your potential, depending on how fast you can go, but it will also partly be about your fitness level in holding above your ftp for as long as the race will take.

20 minute FTP tests are a learned skill similar to time trials, and I use them as a workout before the season starts just to get used to the pacing and suffering. If you are good at these, then the time trial shouldn't be too bad. Then it's just a matter of adjusting to the terrain if it isn't dead flat as opposed to just going straight on, on a trainer.

That being said, once I am in full on time trial mode, I don't use power, after doing multiple 20 minute tests, and a few time trials, i know how hard I can push myself, and if anything watch my heart rate, if it gets too low, make sure I am pushing a bit harder, and the closer I get to the end, the more I leave it all out there.

How long until the time trial? Do you have time to do some simulations on your own?

First of all, it's a blast!!! No need to be nervous.

The key to a good TT is the warmup… the shorter the distance, the longer the warmup. Plan to spend at least 30 minutes on a trainer with pickups and a 5min section at race power in the middle. Make sure you finish your warmup at least 10 minutes before your start time to have time to get your race wheels on, hydrate (you're not going to drink much if any during a 10miler…) and get in the zone.

Be very careful the first mile, it's easy to go out way too hard. After that, be ready to suffer. Most TT's I cross the finish line completely cross eyed and unable to talk for 10-15 minutes. You'll wonder what the heck you've done and when's the next one! :-)

I assume this is your first dance with TT's or any kind of bike race? You really don't know how it's going to work?

Given that, you'll be assigned a start time likely based either on the time you sign in on race day, or assigned by your category. Know what that time is, and how the official clock varies from your personal watch. You'll be send off at usually 1 minute or 30 second intervals, so you'll be riding alone (unless you pass some one or some one passes you). Like a tri, drafting isn't allowed (and is pointless anyway). Driving the course before the event is a good idea.

Check out the start area, and find out how the start will be handled. Will there be a holder, or is it a foot-down start? If it's a foot-down start, it's simple -- treat it like taking off from an intersection. If there's a holder, this is where a lot of newbs struggle, and shouldn't. More on that in a bit.

So you're out warming up, whether that's riding around the area or on a trainer really doesn't matter much. You won't (or at least shouldn't) be able to warm up on the race course. Keep an eye on the time and roll up to the start area 5 minutes before your start time and line up in the queue. If you're going to time yourself, start your clock when the person in front of you starts (so 30 seconds or 1 minute early).

As soon as the person in front of you rolls out, roll up to the line.

For a holder start: Get to the line and unclip one foot, the other being at the bottom of the pedal stroke. The holder will (usually) straddle your back wheel and hang onto your saddle rails. They'll tell you they're ready, and you can get on the bike. Don't struggle against them. Get on the saddle, clip in your other foot (they've got you, don't panic), level the pedals at 3-an-9, and then settle in -- tell them to move you right or left to get you feeling upright. Their job is to hold you up, not keep you from rolling forward (though some do). If you're going off at 1 minute intervals, you'll likely get a 30 second warning, 10, and a countdown of the last 5.

Relax and breathe! Hold your brakes on so you don't roll forward, stand up at 3 seconds to go, and when you hear the "go", release the brakes and roll out. The holder shouldn't just let go at the "go" mark, just in case you hesitate on the roll-out.

As stated earlier, you're going to feel like superman in that first half mile, so resist the urge to go all-out at the start. Settle in.

At the turn around, sit up, keep the outside foot at the bottom of the pedal stroke, and accelerate out of the turn. This is gonna hurt, so expect that.

Finish with everything you've got.

And have fun.

Edited by briderdt 2015-05-26 7:35 AM