Tonights 25...

disgruntledgoat
disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
edited June 2010 in Amateur race
Will be interesting.

My HR/Speedo battery died on Saturday and the new one has not yet arrived, thus I'll be riding completely blind with regard to pacing, a new experience on me, given how much I love data. It's a really strange feeling that after 10 years of Time Trialling this is the 1st one i'll ever have attempted without such aids.

I feel like a complete idiot asking but... any tips?
"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

@gietvangent

Comments

  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    Muscle memory. If you've been riding TTs for that long, you should have a good idea what the effort should feel like and pace based on feel.

    Some sort of clock (even a watch wrapped around your bars) might help to at least judge elapsed time).

    Ive ridden several on feel - but only 10 milers. And on a course I know well so it;s easy to figure out where to push and where to hold back.


    (Good Luck)
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    I reckon a ten would be loads easier... You just bash as hard as you can, right?

    I forsee this will go one of 2 ways...

    1) I go off way too hard and blow up after 15 miles

    2) I ride the whole thing too easy cos i'm scared of blowing

    Trying to be positive, but I just can't see a good time coming out of this!
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Thick Tester
    Thick Tester Posts: 380
    a new battery perhaps ?
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    a new battery perhaps ?

    See above, it's one of the stupid non-standard Polar ones, so had to be ordered and waiting on it arriving. Would have to go on a BH weekend eh?
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    I'm surprised that after 10 years you've no sense of what it 'feels' like to ride at the right pace. Surely if you ride purely on what your computer says you'll sometimes either be going too hard or too easy depending on how rested/tired you are. Even Boardman says he didn't look at his HRM for the first couple of miles 'til he got into his rythme then used whatever it said as a guide.
    You might find that you actually go better on feel......... :wink:
  • SBezza
    SBezza Posts: 2,173
    Although I have a HR monitor, I don't really ride by it, it is generally too slow to respond. I use the information afterwards, but I will race on feel. I must admit I know what sort of speed I need to achieve, so having speed info is useful, but even this is sometimes pointless if you have a headwind.
  • BeaconRuth
    BeaconRuth Posts: 2,086
    inseine wrote:
    I'm surprised that after 10 years you've no sense of what it 'feels' like to ride at the right pace.
    +1 It's the time triallist's art to be able to judge their pace well on feel. Anything else is 'painting by numbers' IMO.

    Ruth
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Although I use a powermeter I only look at it every now and then on a TT (not least because of the crazy angle it's at!), I ride on feel but it's good sometimes because I may unwittingly ease off.
    That said, I've only ever done about 10 TTs so I'm very much learning.
  • John.T
    John.T Posts: 3,698
    If you can read it you are not trying hard enough. :lol:
  • Pacing for a 25? same as a 10 only longer! Right up to the red line but not in it all the way!
  • celbianchi
    celbianchi Posts: 854
    I decided this season I would ride TT's with no HR, Power, elapsed time/distance at all.
    It was a bit odd at first but I am used to it now. I've had some decent results, I still find it a bit concerning on a cours eI have never ridden as I have no idea how far from the line I am.
    At least in the nationals this weekend there will be mile markers along the way!
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    PB'd it as it turns out... So I must've been doing something right.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Sheptastic
    Sheptastic Posts: 298
    BeaconRuth wrote:
    inseine wrote:
    I'm surprised that after 10 years you've no sense of what it 'feels' like to ride at the right pace.
    +1 It's the time triallist's art to be able to judge their pace well on feel. Anything else is 'painting by numbers' IMO.

    Ruth

    I'll have to remember that one, great bit of wisedom.
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    You might find that you actually go better on feel.........

    [/quote]PB'd it as it turns out... So I must've been doing something right



    See, what did I tell you :D
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    The real challenge was keeping myself interested for an hour (and 4 seconds!). I was first off so I didn't even have anything to chase. Was just a case of... Get to that tree... Get to that layby... get to that village hall... etc etc.


    I overtook a tractor on an uphill drag too!
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Thick Tester
    Thick Tester Posts: 380
    PB'd it as it turns out... So I must've been doing something right.

    Good man....

    54/42 and an Avocet for your next 50 for you my goat
  • a_n_t
    a_n_t Posts: 2,011
    an hour (and 4 seconds!)

    bet you'd have gone under the hour if you'd got your battery ;)
    Manchester wheelers

    PB's
    10m 20:21 2014
    25m 53:18 20:13
    50m 1:57:12 2013
    100m Yeah right.
  • johndoran
    johndoran Posts: 69
    Never raced with a HRM or a computer, I don't need to be told how slow I am going on a drag and I don't need to know when I'm in top gear and pedaling fast. even if i knew what speed i was doing I couldn't go any faster so really they are just extra weight
  • I would like to try using a powermeter, as I often go out too hard, or if its hillyish I tend to blow up oin the drags and have nothing left over the top. If for no other reason to re-calibrate my RPE scale.
  • johndoran
    johndoran Posts: 69
    You've totally lost me.What is your RPE scale ?
  • RPE = Relative Perceived Exertion, usually 1-10 where 1 is getting out of bed, and 10 is wishing you hadn't :D