First time trial - Am I ready?
huggy
Posts: 242
There's a time trial coming up soon, just a club only ride. I've been thinking about joining the club for a long time, and this event is making me want to more. However, I'm not that fast and I'm not sure how I would do. I know I can keep up 24mph over 8 miles, but this is 13 miles. I'm not going for a top place, but do you think I would be creamed? The club riders seem pretty serious.
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Comments
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Just do it.0
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Will do.0
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We all started somewhere and we all got creamed once or twice, or in my case, well
lets just move on. If you're going to do this the best advice I can give you is get in a good
warmup ride just before your start time. Don't go to the line "cold". Get your heartrate up
to at least an areobic level and higher if you can. A 13 miler will definately be an anaerobic workout with you riding at near max. There is a fine line between the right
speed for the course and blowing up halfway in. First time out should, and will, be a
learning experience. Try to relax, stay areo, get control of your breathing, and depending on how it's going pick up or slow down the tempo. Don't blow up by riding beyond your
limits and you will find out what they are on a somewhat short race like this. Stay relaxed.
Dennis Noward0 -
Thanks for the tips, warming up first is a top priority certainly. Do you think I should go all out in the last part, or should I conserve energy so I'm not dead by the end of it (by way of looking good at the finish
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Well I know 24mph is fast, but bearing in mind I've only been doing road biking for 3 months (as oppose to MTbing) it just seems strange I'm going like this already. Riders who have been doing it for years must be very very quick.0 -
huggy wrote:Thanks for the tips, warming up first is a top priority certainly. Do you think I should go all out in the last part, or should I conserve energy so I'm not dead by the end of it (by way of looking good at the finish )
Well I know 24mph is fast, but bearing in mind I've only been doing road biking for 3 months (as oppose to MTbing) it just seems strange I'm going like this already. Riders who have been doing it for years must be very very quick.
Sorry to be a bit of a kill joy but don't you think you should blow your own trumpet after you've raced. I think you're in for a real shock. Let us know how you get on.
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I know what you mean, I'm just obsessievely thinking about. I'll probably pay the price for being cocky, but I can't wait. Got to get some more training in before next thursday.0
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huggy wrote:Thanks for the tips, warming up first is a top priority certainly. Do you think I should go all out in the last part, or should I conserve energy so I'm not dead by the end of it (by way of looking good at the finish )
Well I know 24mph is fast, but bearing in mind I've only been doing road biking for 3 months (as oppose to MTbing) it just seems strange I'm going like this already. Riders who have been doing it for years must be very very quick.
A lot of the racers in our club bring a trainer with them to warm up on. Don't kill youself
warming up, do that in the race. Give it hell as you get closer to the finish and you'll
look like death warmed over when you cross the line, but that's how you're supposed to look. There is no looking "good" crossing the line there is only your "time" compared to everyone else's. One of the older riders in our club said "if you're on the verge of puking
when you cross the line, you've ridden hard enough".
Dennis Noward0 -
Mike Willcox wrote:huggy wrote:Thanks for the tips, warming up first is a top priority certainly. Do you think I should go all out in the last part, or should I conserve energy so I'm not dead by the end of it (by way of looking good at the finish )
Well I know 24mph is fast, but bearing in mind I've only been doing road biking for 3 months (as oppose to MTbing) it just seems strange I'm going like this already. Riders who have been doing it for years must be very very quick.
Sorry to be a bit of a kill joy but don't you think you should blow your own trumpet after you've raced. I think you're in for a real shock. Let us know how you get on.
How fast were you after 3months Mr Mike?0 -
Then you really must just get out there and do it. Other riders' times are irrelevant - you're racing against the clock and nothing else. That's why it's called "the race of truth", there's nowhere to hide.huggy wrote:I'm just obsessievely thinking about.
I've been thinking about joining the local club and doing the Tuesday 10 milers. Now I finally have a road bike there's no excuse, and anyway it will motivate me to improve my fitness. I want to get that first time in, even if it's rubbish, because then it will be my baseline - I will want every ride to be an improvement.Aspire not to have more, but to be more.0 -
I suppose you can't start at the top. I've just looked at some pics of previous TTs at my local club - everyone has full carbon, expensive aerobars with the shifters on the ends and TT helmets and disc wheels, I just have a basic roadbike. They all average 30mph as well. I've got to go for it I suppose.0
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What club do you belong to, Credit Agrcole Wheelers? :?huggy wrote:I suppose you can't start at the top. I've just looked at some pics of previous TTs at my local club - everyone has full carbon, expensive aerobars with the shifters on the ends and TT helmets and disc wheels, I just have a basic roadbike. They all average 30mph as well. I've got to go for it I suppose.0 -
azzerb wrote:
How fast were you after 3months Mr Mike?
In my first race I managed a 1.10.42 for 25 miles on the A11 old E1 course in a club event. It was in April and it snowed and I got frozen to the bone. The winner did a 1.06.00. I've never gone slower although I got close when I had statin poisoning.
How about you?0 -
dennisn wrote:Give it hell as you get closer to the finish and you'll
look like death warmed over when you cross the line, but that's how you're supposed to look. There is no looking "good" crossing the line there is only your "time" compared to everyone else's. One of the older riders in our club said "if you're on the verge of puking
when you cross the line, you've ridden hard enough".
Dennis Noward
At 24mph, 1 mile takes 2.5 minutes, and since "anyone" can go all out for 5 minutes, I would start winding it up with about 2 miles left, with the last half mile at 100%, max heart rate, doesn't matter if you are breathing or not 'cuz your totally aneroebic. If you have a pedal stroke left when you cross the line, you didn't go hard enough. The EMT's should be running over with the oxygen tank.
Seriously, TT pacing takes a while to learn and you should practice different distances to learn how your body reacts and what makes you go fastest. I like to keep my heart rate between 95% and 100% of LT until I know that I am close enough to the line to go all out. I don't like to go anaroebic too early, because I don't want to have to take time to recover during the TT; I want to do my recovery when the race is over.
This is your first one, so you are setting a baseline. Don't put too much pressure on yourself to perform and have fun. Don't worry about the guys with the full TT gear. A good position on your road bike will trump a bad position on a Ordu or Plasma every time.It\'s not how many miles you put in, but what you put into the miles that counts0 -
No, but the point I was trying to make is that it's not about you vs anyone else. It's you vs the clock. Other riders' times might be targets but should not be important to you at this stage.huggy wrote:I suppose you can't start at the top.
Fancy bikes and aero skinsuits help bring your time down a little but I'm trying to resist buying fancy kit as it isn't what I'm in it for (though wheels lighter than my DA22s are a possibility). I think the kit is a distraction unless you're taking it quite seriously.
By far the biggest factors are your fitness and, for aerodynamcs, your position on the bike. It's mostly about your fitness, that's where the biggest gains are made. There are numerous threads in the Training forum about 2 x 20 workouts and so on. Good luck.Aspire not to have more, but to be more.0 -
Last half mile at max heart rate? I don't think thats physically possible, even if it was you power output would be drastically reduced after about 20 seconds.jamesblodgett wrote:dennisn wrote:Give it hell as you get closer to the finish and you'll
look like death warmed over when you cross the line, but that's how you're supposed to look. There is no looking "good" crossing the line there is only your "time" compared to everyone else's. One of the older riders in our club said "if you're on the verge of puking
when you cross the line, you've ridden hard enough".
Dennis Noward
At 24mph, 1 mile takes 2.5 minutes, and since "anyone" can go all out for 5 minutes, I would start winding it up with about 2 miles left, with the last half mile at 100%, max heart rate, doesn't matter if you are breathing or not 'cuz your totally aneroebic. If you have a pedal stroke left when you cross the line, you didn't go hard enough. The EMT's should be running over with the oxygen tank.
Seriously, TT pacing takes a while to learn and you should practice different distances to learn how your body reacts and what makes you go fastest. I like to keep my heart rate between 95% and 100% of LT until I know that I am close enough to the line to go all out. I don't like to go anaroebic too early, because I don't want to have to take time to recover during the TT; I want to do my recovery when the race is over.
This is your first one, so you are setting a baseline. Don't put too much pressure on yourself to perform and have fun. Don't worry about the guys with the full TT gear. A good position on your road bike will trump a bad position on a Ordu or Plasma every time.
As some on stated 24mph for a mile means 2.5 minutes so for half a mile would be 1 1/4 minutess at max heart rate, maybe 98% is ok
I am not convinced about all the full TT gear really making much difference for the average Joe Bloggs either, it it is so good, how come the "club " type rider times dont seem to have improved over 25 years?
I am sure Mr Mike can give some good advice about effort required for ride for a short TT for a newbie.
Just go and do it, 13 miles is only slightly longer than 8 so just do same effort for 5 miles longer 0 -
oldwelshman wrote:I am sure Mr Mike can give some good advice about effort required for ride for a short TT for a newbie.
Just go and do it, 13 miles is only slightly longer than 8 so just do same effort for 5 miles longer
Mr Mike? Are you 'aving a laugh?
Going at 24 mph in training over an 8 mile stretch is good going especially if it's a bit up and down and it's a tad windy BUT some questions need to be asked to put it iinto context. Were you riding alone; was it all in the same direction or out and back equal distance?
In training you ride with extra clothing and a bike not trimmed down for racing,(light weight tyres and high PSI maybe disc wheels etc.) Plus in a race you have adrenaline racing through your veins which should mean you will go faster.
I would be very happy to ride @ 25 mph for a 5 mile set which takes 12 minutes whilst doing interval training over a 10 mile TT course. A couple of those including riding out andf riding back is good training in preparation for your event.
In the days leading up to the event taper down your training so as to arrive fresh on the start line. Racing helps get you fit so most riders will use their early season races as part of their training schedule and work towards a peak sometime in the summer so with that in mind I would train normally up to 3 days before your race. Then do some severe interval training; next day very little very easy pedalling, day before race an easy ride but include a 2/3 minute full out blast and then easy ride warm down.
Good luck.0 -
Just go for it! I've just started my first TT season and after my first 2 open events have come in the bottom 4! :? I'm not worrying about it cos i've got a lot to learn about pacing and obviously need to get fitter! Just enjoy - you're gonna get a PB whatever happens! I wouldn't be too worried if you're finishing near the back - these guys tend to be pretty serious. I've been used to entering running events where a reasonable level of fitness puts you the top third of the field, whereas TTing i'm just trying to avoid coming last. Let us know how you get on.
Rich0 -
Richie G wrote:Just go for it! I've just started my first TT season and after my first 2 open events have come in the bottom 4! :? I'm not worrying about it cos i've got a lot to learn about pacing and obviously need to get fitter! Just enjoy - you're gonna get a PB whatever happens! I wouldn't be too worried if you're finishing near the back - these guys tend to be pretty serious. I've been used to entering running events where a reasonable level of fitness puts you the top third of the field, whereas TTing i'm just trying to avoid coming last. Let us know how you get on.
Rich
If you "go for it" then you will struggle after about 3 miles or so, recover and then "go for it" once again requiring another recovery period. Ride within yourself for the first 2/3 miles and build it up so that at the finish you're going like a train. You won't be of course but in terms of effort that is what an even pace feels like.
I rode a club 10 in April last year with not much fitness due an early season crash in March and the rider who started 30 seconds behind me caught me in less than 3 miles. After that he barely got away from me and by the finish was only 15 seconds ahead of me on the road.
Later on in the season he did 20.04 to get club record so he had some good speed in his legs. Pity was that due to an accident the official finish was moved about quarter of a mile from where it should have been so I don't knowwhat I would have done for the full 10 miles.0 -
Mike Willcox wrote:Going at 24 mph in training over an 8 mile stretch is good going especially if it's a bit up and down and it's a tad windy BUT some questions need to be asked to put it iinto context. Were you riding alone; was it all in the same direction or out and back equal distance?
Good luck.
I was riding alone, and it was in the same direction. I usually have my tires at 120 psi, what do you think would be best for the TT?
I'm not joining Credit Agricole - just a team of riders who seem to be millionaires!0 -
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I usually have my tires at 120 psi, what do you think would be best for the TT?
Most riders run at least a bit higher tire pressure at TT's. Those who run tubulars can
really run some high pressures. Clinchers are another story. Too high a pressure and they could blow off the rim. Use whatever the tire says is the max. or maybe just a bit less. If road surfaces are bad drop the pressure a bit more. Be alert for gravel at any
corners on the course. Hopefully whomever is putting the race on has sent someone
out to the corners with a broom to at least make an attempt at getting the worst of it out
of the way. High tire pressure, corner, and gravel??? Take it easy.
Dennis Noward0 -
Mike I did 12miles in about 30mins last year (after a 24mile in 1hour 15) the 12miles not as hilly as the 24miles, though i'd say the overal gradient was slightly negative.
I'm not particularly fast, i ride because i enjoy it. If i get faster then that's nice, but only started cycling last year (Except the odd jaunt mountain biking with my dad though <1 per month). I just asked you as you were very fast in your day (and probably still are) so i was curious to see Mike as a "noob" 0 -
azzerb wrote:Mike I did 12miles in about 30mins last year (after a 24mile in 1hour 15) the 12miles not as hilly as the 24miles, though i'd say the overal gradient was slightly negative.
I'm not particularly fast, i ride because i enjoy it. If i get faster then that's nice, but only started cycling last year (Except the odd jaunt mountain biking with my dad though <1 per month). I just asked you as you were very fast in your day (and probably still are) so i was curious to see Mike as a "noob"
I used to train with a couple of brothers who were very useful riders and I could hold my own after a couple of months or so. The difference was that at the weekend in a race they would kick my ar*e and I finally worked out that I was still hammering away in training the day before the race and they were resting up.
It takes time to build up to your potential. In my first season I only raced about 5 times, but in my second season took it more seriously. I finally did a 59 minute 25 in the May and then in June did 54.13 club record and in the July won our own open promotion 50 with a club record 1.56.01. Two weeks later on holiday I crashed in Devon on a bend on a wet coast road and badly bruised my ribs hiting an oncoming car.
My advice is after you've got your base, focus on speed with Tempo and interval training and when it's the racing season easy riding in the week with high quality interval training on two days and the two days before race day very easy. Keep your performance for race day.0 -
huggy wrote:Mike Willcox wrote:Going at 24 mph in training over an 8 mile stretch is good going especially if it's a bit up and down and it's a tad windy BUT some questions need to be asked to put it iinto context. Were you riding alone; was it all in the same direction or out and back equal distance?
Good luck.
I was riding alone, and it was in the same direction. I usually have my tires at 120 psi, what do you think would be best for the TT?
I'm not joining Credit Agricole - just a team of riders who seem to be millionaires!
You need to ride in both directions and aggregate the conditions if you want to identify your cruising TT speed. As others have said inflate up to recommended PSI for rims and tyres. If the roads are dry then up to max; if wet then slightly less for better grip.0 -
I always doubt people's claims about speed - often they have poorly calibrated computers.
I agree with Mike - don't start too fast.
Also, don't worry about what others think even if they do have expensive kit - remember what Mark Twain said " never worry what the man on the other side of the street thinks of you - he's to busy worrying what you think of him."0 -
You're right, I shouldn't care what others think at all, I've been working myself up too much about not having all the kit. As for speed, I gave up on cycle computers, I just calculate averages from times and distances.0
