Have been persuaded (aka talked in to) doing some time trials this year. Never done anything like this before, am fairly new to road cycling, and have never raced. But my local club have a weekly time trial series of 10, 15 and 25 mile one’s and I’m going to give it a go.

I know the basics – it’s just you against the clock, set off at one minute intervals etc. But I’ve no idea about any preparation. Is it worth me practicing a few flat out 10 mile rides in advance to get an idea of my average time?How much of a difference does it make to have someone a minute before / minute after you? Most importantly, any advice on finding the right pace? I don’t want to blow up part way, nor do I want to finish with energy to space, so how can I train / prepare for finding the right continuous speed?

Anything else I should know?

Is it worth me practicing a few flat out 10 mile rides in advance to get an idea of my average time?

Yes

How much of a difference does it make to have someone a minute before / minute after you?

None really, concentrate on your own performance and don’t be put off by trying to catch or being caught.

Most importantly, any advice on finding the right pace?

As fast as you can without blowing up and then the last mile or so a little bit faster. 😯 I used a HR monitor back in the day when I used to do TTs and worked out where my anearobic threshold was (190bpm) and then rode with my heart rate just below that. It hurts if you’re doing it right.

I remember my first club 10. I went off like a rocket, sprinted away from the line and was doing 30+mph for the first mile or so then blew up big time. Don’t do that. 😉

Good luck.

I’ve only done a few but that won’t stop me weighing in with an opinion in the stw fashion. The advice I was given was

Start off fast, go faster through the middle section then as fast as possible at the end.

How fit are you? Do you have any idea how fast you can ride 10miles? The only way you are really going to know is by giving some a go and seeing how fast you can go. 20mph is a good starting average or 25mph if you are feeling fit. If you think 30mph is possible then you should be offering us advice.

I incorporated a few 10mile TT sections into training rides and decided I wanted to get round (and that I could) at an average of over 25mph. I put the average speed up on my computer and pedalled harder if it started to drop below 25mph. I found it worth having something to focus my attention on because there was a very strong desire to ease off as it wasn’t comfortable.

You can prepare as much as you like but the adrenalin kicks in when you start your first TT and you are guaranteed to go off like a rocket.

The best advice I can give you is to eat strawberry jam sandwiches about 90 mins before the start. When you have to swallow your sick (to stop it going all over your bars and making your hands sticky) it doesn’t taste too bad.

I used to do a few local club TTs when training for XC racing. Is good for finishing off top end fitness.

But yes, you think folk are joking when they say ride as hard as you can until you vom on the bars but it’s all true. If it doesn’t hurt you aren’t doing it properly.

Make sure you get a decent warm up ! Do a few prints.

Most TTers I know train on turbos btw, it means they don’t have to talk to other people so much.

Get a computer that does average speed, decide what you want to aim for and keep an eye on that, don’t set it to display speed and time. You won’t get it right straight away but will get the hang of it.

And please please please watch the traffic, I know more than one person that has got so far in the zone they have found themselves in the middle of the road and been hit by a car.

If you can, reccie the route at normal speed.

And please don’t ride with your head down either. Several TTers have died after riding into the back of parked cars – even cars in lay-bys where they have followed the kerb.

Bit of a list, in no real order, some basic but worth repeating;

Don’t start off too fast, if you blow you’ll loose more time than if you had started slower and picked up as the race went on. I use a hr meter and limit my effor for the first 3-5 minutes at a comfortably fast pace then pick it up.

Know the course, both the profile and the route, club 10’s can be unmarshalled and you don’t want to be fretting over the route when you should be racing and will aid your pacing stratergy knowing how long till the end, etc. Make sure you know where the signing on is and where the start is.

Numbers pinned on your bum not your back so the time keeper can see them when you finish.

Try not to ease off on the climbs if there are any, push on these reocver if you need to on the descents.

Don’t worry about whose behind or in front of you if they catch you they’ll go past just resisit the temptation to sit on.

Make sure you’re happy being held clipped in for the start.

Make sure you have snug kit and no flapping jerseys etc. If you can borrow some tri bars make it easier, tyres pumped hard.

In the last couple of miles bury yourself, cross the line in pain, unable to speak and spent (but resist the temtaion to do some sprint that makes you weave across the road), then go and find some cake

This may help;

http://ctt.org.uk/Beginners/YourFirstTimeTrial/tabid/82/Default.aspx

BigJohn – Member
And please don’t ride with your head down either.

+1 heads up – times down

Used to do lots of 10s, 25s and 50s in my ‘yoof’ If you have time, it is well worth practicing, especially if you can do it on the course that the TT will be run. Pacing is very difficult to get right and will come with practice/experience.
Having riders 1 minutes either side of you used to motivate me, I always tried to keep ahead of the one behind, the one ahead was a magnet and I always tried to catch/pass them. The skill was having enough energy left to stay ahead of them to the finish. It is easy to go off like a hare and then blow before the end.
If it is a club run event, try to get yourself a starting time near riders with similar fitness level.
Try to enjoy it (as best you can when you are ful of lactic acid and your lungs are falling out!) it is a great way to increase speed/stamina and as hels said, keep you eyes open as you are on open roads full of other idiots!

The hard bit is staying focused for all that time. It’s surprisingly difficult mentally to keep your head in the right place.

TBH if this is for your own clubs weekly time trials, I’d just dive straight in rather than bother training.
They’re usually cheap to enter and weekly, just seems silly to spend other free time buried in training for a ’10’

I’d just say for a 10 just focus on every detail of your riding and position. It’s pretty hard to die on a ’10’so go for it. Though I did a little sick as I crossed the line on my first ’10’

Try if they do them a 25 2 up TT

Edit, beaten by samuri

You get extra points for swallowing the sick too, rather than dirtying the bike. And you will need the calories.

Gulp! Thanks (I think!) for all the advice and info. I guess it’ll be a change from my usual ‘steady pace / long ride’ approach.

Right, will try to practice my sick-eating technique as I’ll be on my “best” bike and there’s no way I’m going to get the bars all dirty 🙂

oldgit

It’s pretty hard to die on a ’10’

Wrong, I’ve done it many times! Used to do a course near Milford Haven, it killed me everytime 🙂

Sue, watch out TT are quite addictive, especially when you see your times improving! Don’t try and push too big a gear, better to spin fast all the way round, apart from the big finish of course.