Time Trial or Road Race?
Sam Kennedy
Posts: 32
I was wondering whether there was a way for me to figure out if I'm more suited for Road Races or for Time Trials?
I've got a turbo trainer, and was planning on using it 3 days a week to do more intense Interval and Lactate Threshold training. I'm also planning on getting base mileage in when the weather gets a bit better.
Will that be enough or am I missing something?
I'm also planning on following some of the Tacx workouts:
http://www.tacx.com/beleef+tacx.php?lan ... lSubSub=75
EDIT: Seems Tacx are changing their website around at the minute, so the link doesn't work.
Cheers,
Sam
I've got a turbo trainer, and was planning on using it 3 days a week to do more intense Interval and Lactate Threshold training. I'm also planning on getting base mileage in when the weather gets a bit better.
Will that be enough or am I missing something?
I'm also planning on following some of the Tacx workouts:
http://www.tacx.com/beleef+tacx.php?lan ... lSubSub=75
EDIT: Seems Tacx are changing their website around at the minute, so the link doesn't work.
Cheers,
Sam
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Comments
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Can you go balls out for 20 minutes? Or for 2 hours?
20 minutes and you're going to be a better TT rider. 2 hours.... well - you get the idea.
Try both and see what you prefer. Most people do both,0 -
TT's are a steady effort, whereas RR is a more variable effort, with sprinting out of corners, hard efforts chasing breaks, and easier efforts in the bunch. TT's can range from 20 mins to 12 hrs, generally you go hard for any distance, though obviously you can't do 10m TT pace for a 12 hr TT.
Also what is stopping you from doing both, try each of them for a while, and decide what you prefer. Some people are probably better suited to one or the other, though may enjoy both.0 -
Yes.Sam Kennedy wrote:I was wondering whether there was a way for me to figure out if I'm more suited for Road Races or for Time Trials?
Race them.0 -
Sam Kennedy wrote:when the weather gets a bit better.
doesn't sound like you're suited to either. MTFU!
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Haha
I don't mind wind and rain, I just don't like the idea of ice :shock:
It hasn't been too cold but there have been the odd patches of black ice, someone at my club came off their bike, so I've decided to do spinning at least until Christmas where I'll get my new bike, then go out as long as it isn't icy (unless I can get some studded tyres or something but I have no money)0 -
+1 MTFU, not all races are in sunshine with no wind
Ride some races, see what you like.0 -
3 intense interval sessions this time of year really isn't necessary!
Get the base miles in, then start the hard interval work.
ps do you actually know what your lactate threshold is?0 -
No but I have a rough idea how to find it (average heart rate of last 20 minutes of 30 minute time trail). If you know a better way then if you could share it that would be useful 0
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Once_In_A_Blue_Moon wrote:3 intense interval sessions this time of year really isn't necessary!
Get the base miles in, then start the hard interval work.
ps do you actually know what your lactate threshold is?
Why not?
So get the base miles in while it's cold, wet and icy, makes sense.0 -
Is that "icy weather riding" on a mountain bike
You really need to decide sooner rather than later what you want to focus on. It's no good ignoring high cadence work and then being gassed on the first lap of a bunch race when the pace increases and you're at the back of the bunch. I've marshalled a road race and seen people get dropped becuase of this and it's not a pretty sight. I've only ever done time trials but if you go down that route you can always add the other two triathlon disciplines, so even more variety there. And you CAN run and swim in far worse conditions than you can for cycling - I've never heard of anyone running and getting blown off their feet because of a 50mph crosswind :P0 -
You'll find road racing more exciting, and it requires more bike handling skills and race technique, in addition to fitness at a number of levels - so IMHO it's more rewarding.
You won't know what you're suited to until you try them both, although some of the experienced guys in your club can probably advise you. Just go for it! http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/images/s ... iggrin.gif0 -
Which club do you ride for?
As a summary of the clubs I've had contact with in the Merseyside/West Lancashire area, here's a quick guide on what they're geared towards, in order of their priority:
Southport: Road racing, track, time trial
Ormskirk: Time trial, not sure apart from that (apparently they have a few road racers)
Liverpool Mercury: Road racing only (but a cracking group of lads to ride with on the Kenny Hill this year)
Ashurst: Time trial and associated multi-sports (triathlon/duathlon).
Each to one's own. If your current club isn't geared towards what you want to do, consider another one nearby that does.
Of course, what you are available to do also will play a big part, it's no good training for road races if you work every Saturday morning through the year as most of the road races I've heard about tend to take place at this time of the week. Triathlons are often on Sundays, as are sportives, so perfect for me for now and the foreseeable future. You'll be able to work out which of the clubs listed above is a good matchup for me and which ones didn't match up quite so well.
(presses submit and goes off to browse running shoes and wetsuits for next season........)0 -
PianoMan wrote:Which club do you ride for?
As a summary of the clubs I've had contact with in the Merseyside/West Lancashire area, here's a quick guide on what they're geared towards, in order of their priority:
Southport: Road racing, track, time trial
Ormskirk: Time trial, not sure apart from that (apparently they have a few road racers)
Liverpool Mercury: Road racing only (but a cracking group of lads to ride with on the Kenny Hill this year)
Ashurst: Time trial and associated multi-sports (triathlon/duathlon).
Each to one's own. If your current club isn't geared towards what you want to do, consider another one nearby that does.
Of course, what you are available to do also will play a big part, it's no good training for road races if you work every Saturday morning through the year as most of the road races I've heard about tend to take place at this time of the week. Triathlons are often on Sundays, as are sportives, so perfect for me for now and the foreseeable future. You'll be able to work out which of the clubs listed above is a good matchup for me and which ones didn't match up quite so well.
(presses submit and goes off to browse running shoes and wetsuits for next season........)
:?:
Sunday mornings.0 -
Maybe because my current club uses Sunday mornings for club rides in the winter and then fits the Sunday rides in summer around sportives and triathlons
Incidentally, even if you DO plan to do road racing, nothing to stop you having a go at some time trials. They are good for sharpening up your speed. Most clubs I know of hold their event on Thursday nights.0 -
Just do both, as a beginner in racing try everything and see which is more enjoyable (it's road racing BTW ). Most people I've raced with at amateur level do a bit of both. If you find the increases in pace don't suit you in a road race but you are a very good tester then go for a lone break. Many of the countries top time triallists also road race at a decent level.. 0
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Chris- where have I stated to train when it's icy? Cold and wet so what, layer up!
3 intense interval sessions are very demanding and should be done closer to the start of the season, when said cyclist is fit after the winter. Who can seriously manage 3 hard interval sessions a week and recover fully between each one at this time of year?
Or do you suggest riding hard intervals over the winter and getting the miles in over the summer, during the racing season? Makes no sense to me!0
