Traning for first ever TT Season

hothead

Hi,

Whats the best way to train for TT's? I plan of doing 10's and the odd 25. What is the best type of training for a novice? I have a turbo and been doing work on this as well as trying to get out (Work and family permitting). I suppose I need to just find out how to prepare and should I be doing anything that perhaps I am not?

andrewgturnbull

hothead wrote:

Hi,

Whats the best way to train for TT's? I plan of doing 10's and the odd 25. What is the best type of training for a novice? I have a turbo and been doing work on this as well as trying to get out (Work and family permitting). I suppose I need to just find out how to prepare and should I be doing anything that perhaps I am not?

Hi there.

What kind of training have you been doing so far, and for how long?

Cheers, Andy

J2R2

Based on my limited experience (two seasons racing), but also on what my coach is telling me to do, I'd sum it up in a few bullet points
- structured, progressive turbo sessions (building up the intensity week on week, short sharp intervals rather than just chugging away)
- quality rather than quantity (though you need to get in a 3-4 hour ride once a week)
- rest and recovery to allow your body to recover from hard training
- plan your season and set some quantifiable goals

andrewgturnbull

J2R2 wrote:

Based on my limited experience (two seasons racing), but also on what my coach is telling me to do, I'd sum it up in a few bullet points
- structured, progressive turbo sessions (building up the intensity week on week, short sharp intervals rather than just chugging away)
- quality rather than quantity (though you need to get in a 3-4 hour ride once a week)
- rest and recovery to allow your body to recover from hard training
- plan your season and set some quantifiable goals

Hi there.

I do agree with everything you said, except for the need for a 3-4 hour ride. How is that going to help with 10m and 25m time trials?

Cheers, Andy

overthehill

There never a single answer to this sort of question, and my own advice would be to just keep doing what ever you are currently doing as regards training, enter a few low key races (i.e. club ones put on by your own club or other local clubs where you just sign on on the line, as opposed to open events where you enter in advance) and see how you get on. It's all a big learning process and you have to find out what works for you. Plus you get to make friends with the local guys who favour time trialling and you find out how they set about things. You can then start making educated guesses about what suits you best as regards training. Turbo intervals, road intervals, chain gangs, 2 time trials a week, 5 time trials a week, endurance rides, hill climbing repeats, no. of rest days you need etc. Even after a season you'll still be only that little bit wiser as regards this as it takes years, but just have fun!

Bronzie

hothead wrote:

What is the best type of training for a novice?

- the long intervals (2x20's - see the thread on here) are good for TT training
- ride your TT bike (or road bike with aero bars if you have them) at least once a week to get you used to the more stretched out position. Riding it at or near race pace will help you get used to the sort of effort you'll be making in a race. Gradually build up over a period of 6-8 weeks before your first 25 to the hour+ long efforts you will have to make.
- some glutes, back and hamstring stretches (if you don't do them already) will help with your position on the bike.

SteveR_100Milers

The hardest part fo riding a 25 or longer TT for the first time is backache, and glute ache so practice riding in the aero position and avoid the temptation to mash a huge gear, at least until you are used to it. IME training is nothing like actual racing, you will be surprised how much harder you can push yourself in the race, which will hurt like hell towards the end and certainly afterwards.

Alex_Simmons/RST

Practice pacing - one of the most critical skills in time trialling. The biggest mistake for most novice testers is going out too hard.

See here for an example of what I mean:
http://alex-cycle.blogspot.com/2008/02/hour-of-power.html

Apart from that, assuming an out and back or loop course, go slightly harder into wind/uphill and slightly easier with wind/downhill.

Mike Willcox

Develop a smooth pedalling action by using a high cadence, ensure good form with knees and elbows tucked in, and use your gears.

Adamskii

Thought I would join in on this discussion as I have my first 10 mile Time-trial coming up in a couple of weeks. I bought a clip-on aero bar and I've been practicing holding my position on flat sections with a sustained effort for the last couple of weeks.

However I'm finding that my lower back and the tops of my legs start to hurt after only a couple of minutes. I also don't feel like I'm outputting as much power as I usually would. Even on the turbo trainer I have to sit up on the tops after around 15 minutes. I've been stretching but this isn't having much of any affect. I'm actually considering removing the areo bars for the time-trial and just riding normally. Any ideas?

inseine

ADAMSKII I think that if you want to have a serious go at time trialling you'll have to find a good position on the aerobars eventually, but for your first few you could ride your road bike just to get into the swing of it. You'll improve naturally just through learning to pace yourself. As for the bars, I never really felt comfortable over longer distances until I got a specific TT bike but even on your road bike you may need to adjust it more than just clamping on the bars. You may be too bent over so you could try moving your saddle forward and the armrests aswell to lessen the angle body to legs. You might find that you'll need to raise your saddle a touch and even dip the nose very slightly down, but there lots of experimenation possible.
Good luck, you'll get comfortable eventually, and faster too!

Bronzie

Agree with Inseine - sounds like you need to sit further forward. Have a look at this recent thread:
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12557563

Also agree that finding a good TT position that is both aero, comfortable and allows you to still generate the power can be time consuming and fiddly.

A forward angled seatpin is a quick way to make a big adjustment to your position and you can swap it easily with your normal seatpin if using the same bike.

Adamskii

Thanks for the info on positioning. I've moved my seat forward angeled it down a few degree's and also increased the height by 10mm. It feels more comfortable just sitting on it but I won't really know until I've been out on a ride, I'll let you know how I get on.

Just one other thing. My knee's almost touch my elbows during a pedal cycle at the upper most forward point in the stroke. Is this normal or should my aero bars be further forward?

cheers. I'll get used to it eventually, trouble is I have less than two weeks :shock:

guv001

Like as has already been said you could do a few in road bike mode and then slowly convert to full on TT position. The advantage of this is that you will be able to speak to others for advice and see their setups at your first few events...

Adamskii

Well I think I've got my position well and truly sorted. I'm sitting further forward on the saddle and leaning into more of a tuck position with my knees close to my elbows. I did some training on the road in that position last night and it felt great. I'm certainly more confident now of meeting my target and riding a sub 30 minute time.

Bronzie

Adamskii wrote:

Just one other thing. My knee's almost touch my elbows during a pedal cycle at the upper most forward point in the stroke. Is this normal or should my aero bars be further forward?

Glad you've found sitting further forward more efficient. I used to ride with my elbow pads so low that my knees actually rubbed against my triceps, but this was just too extreme so I fitted a higher lift stem. I can also see where I am going now, which is nice!

hothead

Bronzie wrote:

hothead wrote:

What is the best type of training for a novice?

- the long intervals (2x20's - see the thread on here) are good for TT training
- ride your TT bike (or road bike with aero bars if you have them) at least once a week to get you used to the more stretched out position. Riding it at or near race pace will help you get used to the sort of effort you'll be making in a race. Gradually build up over a period of 6-8 weeks before your first 25 to the hour+ long efforts you will have to make.
- some glutes, back and hamstring stretches (if you don't do them already) will help with your position on the bike.

What are glutes stretches? :oops:

Bronzie

hothead wrote:

What are glutes stretches? :oops:

http://www.drillsandskills.com/stretching/Glute/gt001

Sit on the floor, one leg out straight. Cross the other leg over so that your foot is outside the knee of the straight leg. Use your hand to push the raised knee away from you toward the floor until you feel the stretch in your glutes (butt muscles) and hold for 20 secs. Repeat with other leg x 2.