First TT

kacknar0800
kacknar0800 Posts: 19
edited May 2011 in Amateur race
Yep another "First TT"

Due to take part in first TT on tuesday evening with my local club, Never done anything like this before and don't currently have aero bars or anything.
Anything I should worry about beforehand?

I am fairly fit can average 20mph on a flat road but where I living at the moment is fairly hilly so don't have any times due to lack of flat roads
My newbie cycling blog - PLEASE READ -
http://kacknarwillr.blogspot.com/
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Comments

  • P_Tucker
    P_Tucker Posts: 1,878
    Anything to worry about? Utter boredom and pointless suffering.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    P_Tucker wrote:
    Utter boredom and pointless suffering.

    And that's just reading P_Tucker's posts ;)

    Just turn up and have a go, nowt to worry about other than directions! If you can ride 10 miles you can do a club 10...
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    P_Tucker wrote:
    Anything to worry about? Utter boredom and pointless suffering.

    :roll:

    At OP, just rock up and have some fun :D
  • ratsbeyfus
    ratsbeyfus Posts: 2,841
    NapoleonD wrote:
    P_Tucker wrote:
    Utter boredom and pointless suffering.

    And that's just reading P_Tucker's posts ;)

    Just turn up and have a go, nowt to worry about other than directions! If you can ride 10 miles you can do a club 10...

    Did my first 10 mile TT on Friday, and got a DNF as I managed to get lost, so definitely make sure you know where you're going! :oops:

    I had one of them red bikes but I don't any more. Sad face.

    @ratsbey
  • Nik Cube
    Nik Cube Posts: 311
    I have done 3 tt's this year up and down the A303, just get along and enjoy it. The best adivce for a 10 mile tt is go off hard and keep going it's all over in under 30 mins good luck!
    Fcn 5
    Cube attempt 2010
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    Nik Cube wrote:
    IThe best adivce for a 10 mile tt is go off hard and keep going it's all over in under 30 mins good luck!

    Bad advice that.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    5mins of getting up to speed then freaking CANE it.
  • celbianchi
    celbianchi Posts: 854
    danowat wrote:
    Nik Cube wrote:
    IThe best adivce for a 10 mile tt is go off hard and keep going it's all over in under 30 mins good luck!

    Bad advice that.

    Agreed - that is not good advice.

    As mentioned in the post from Nap, start off at a pace that feels like it is way too easy (don't worry, you will be going at a suitable pace but the effort doesn't catch up with you in the first 2 - 3 mins). You need to get up to speed over the first 20 secs, but thereafter the next couple of mins should have you head saying to you "I'm not going hard enough". But ignore it.
  • mroli
    mroli Posts: 3,622
    Don't ride on the hoods - ride in the drops. You will be more "aero" and that may shave, oh, seconds off of your time. Pump your tyres up to the max, take the bottle cages/seat packs off your bike. Take the pump off your bike. Zip up your shirt. Have a hair cut. Go to the loo before you start.

    Enjoy it!!! BTW - slower you are the first time, easier it is to improve the second time!
    http://www.georgesfoundation.org
    http://100hillsforgeorge.blogspot.com/
    http://www.12on12in12.blogspot.co.uk/
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    I messed up my pacing this weekend, did a ride 2 secs shy of a PB (although 12 secs faster than my course PB), because I went off too hard and had to pull back a bit at 3.5miles because there was no way I could have maintained the pace for the duration :roll:
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Also along with knowing the course, make sure you know what time your supposed to start. Some clubs will set you off in the order you sign on, whereas others seed riders, maybe setting slower riders off first. Easy enough to find out when you turn up.

    Hope you do a good ride, it won't be long until you have a pointy hat!
  • Chip \'oyler
    Chip \'oyler Posts: 2,323
    P_Tucker wrote:
    Anything to worry about? Utter boredom and pointless suffering.

    I take it from that comment that you're not very good at TTs?
    Expertly coached by http://www.vitessecyclecoaching.co.uk/

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  • Nik Cube
    Nik Cube Posts: 311
    celbianchi wrote:
    danowat wrote:
    Nik Cube wrote:
    IThe best adivce for a 10 mile tt is go off hard and keep going it's all over in under 30 mins good luck!

    Bad advice that.

    Agreed - that is not good advice.

    As mentioned in the post from Nap, start off at a pace that feels like it is way too easy (don't worry, you will be going at a suitable pace but the effort doesn't catch up with you in the first 2 - 3 mins). You need to get up to speed over the first 20 secs, but thereafter the next couple of mins should have you head saying to you "I'm not going hard enough". But ignore it.

    Don't agree I went of way steady on my first 10 miler (after listening to advice on fotrums) and had way to much left to give at the end. Go hard its only 10 miles - now if we are looking at 25+ I agree pacing is required the last thing you'd want to do is blow up but over 10 it's just not going to happen lme
    Fcn 5
    Cube attempt 2010
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    It is VERY easy to go out too hard on a 10, if you look at power profiles compared to RPE you'll see that for the first mile or so, your RPE is a heck of a lot less for a given power, and if you go too fast to start, you'll definately pay for it later.

    I used have the mindset of "GO HARD GO HARD" on a 10, once I realised that reigning myself in for the first few mins my times came tumbling down.

    I think pacing a 25 is easier than a 10 personally, but thats just me.

    This graph shows it quite well, same course, same conditions....blue line, went out too fast, started to pay around 3 miles, lost more time over the final 7.
    Red line, started out easier, crossover at 3 miles, gained much more time over the final 7

    Image3-1.jpg
  • kacknar0800
    kacknar0800 Posts: 19
    All good info guys really appreciate it! :D

    I personally don't feel I would last long if I booted it from start I have only been on a road bike for 2 weeks and I doubt my fitness would take such a thrashing.

    I have been interval training so I haven't got concerns on sprinting just concerns on destroying myself at 8 miles and being dissapointed when I don't finish
    My newbie cycling blog - PLEASE READ -
    http://kacknarwillr.blogspot.com/
  • P_Tucker
    P_Tucker Posts: 1,878
    Chip \'oyler wrote:
    P_Tucker wrote:
    Anything to worry about? Utter boredom and pointless suffering.

    I take it from that comment that you're not very good at TTs?

    Correct. I'm absolutely useless, I usually get about halfway and realise how much I hate testing, then go home. Excluding stage races, I've DNF'd more than I've finished.
  • kacknar0800
    kacknar0800 Posts: 19
    Also not sure of what time I should be expecting I have averaged 16.2mph over 11 miles before so took me 38min but I wasn't sprinting or really pushing it and the route was fairly hilly so im hopeing for a better average tomorrow as I believe the course is flatter
    Plus there won't be any annoying traffic lights or cars to slow me down just as I build up to speed :evil:
    My newbie cycling blog - PLEASE READ -
    http://kacknarwillr.blogspot.com/
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    If its your first, have no expectations, just go out and do your best, then you've got a time to beat next time :)
  • kacknar0800
    kacknar0800 Posts: 19
    Well Just finished, turns out it was a 8.5 mile TT not that I was complaining after the work day I had finish time was 22:02

    No aero gear

    Happy with it know I can do better as my confidence is still fairly low ( only 10th time iv'e ridden a road bike)

    good fun tho!
    My newbie cycling blog - PLEASE READ -
    http://kacknarwillr.blogspot.com/
  • ratsbeyfus
    ratsbeyfus Posts: 2,841
    Well done kacknar0800 - seems like you'll get decent time for a 10 with that showing.

    Another cock up I made (from a seemingly endless list) is to do a reccy of and a practice run on a completely fictional course!

    [long boring story]
    Our club TT starts at a place called Wineham lane. I don't know the lane, but I do know a nearby village called Albourne. The course is simple all left turn rectangle, so I set off to Albourne with a mental map of the route in search for Wineham lane. Find Twineham lane at just about the right place in my mental map, and as the name is close enough I assume that I have 100% definitely got the right place. Do a reccy of the route - surprised to discover it is only about 9 miles long, but just assume that the start and end must be staggered. Chuffed that with a strong headwind on one section I get a time of just over 30 mins - I go home sure I'll crack 30 mins come the day of the TT which is all a fat mamil like myself can wish for...

    Turn up for first TT the following week with plenty of time to spare, and feeling pleased with myself that I'm all recceed up and raring to go. Pootle up and down the lane for 20 minutes or so of warming up, and in search of the start and meeting point but get increasingly anxious when nobody bleedin' turns up! Feeling pissed off and frustrated I race up and down Twineham lane in search of and cursing my useless club mates whilst getting increasingly tired, hot and bothered... just about to set off home when I get chatting to a passing roadie, who knows the TT course and points out that Twineham lane is not the same as Wineham lane (the clues in the name)!

    Anyhow, kind roadie stranger basically tows me the few miles at a decent speed to the real TT start... I arrive knackererd, sweaty, confused and thirsty but just in time to register, pin on my number and be the last of 12 to go on a completely un-recced and novel course. And then I got lost...

    There isn't an emoticon which can accuraely show how embarassed I was when I finally arrived back at the start coming the wrong way around the course.

    [/long boring story]

    Curse the f*@kwit who put Twineham lane and Wineham lane parallel to one another. May be asking for a Garmin for chrimbo.

    I had one of them red bikes but I don't any more. Sad face.

    @ratsbey
  • rebs
    rebs Posts: 891
    hehe unlucky but least you'll know last time.

    I got lost at a TT last year. I hadn't been able to make it back to the event after that because of work commitments. People possibly think I've wussed out but am keen to get back. But the course was done on a friday which was often tricky to get too.
  • Chinley Churner
    Chinley Churner Posts: 313
    Although I've raced triathlons and duathlons, I rode my first TT last night with Buxton CC and loved it.

    It was a windy evening and the four lap course had a total of 132m of ascent and four sharp turns per lap... my seat-post also slipped 1.5" on the first lap so I felt a bit like I was riding a BMX! (carbon assembly paste on order!)...

    Despite all that I was pleased with my time of 24:40 for the 10 miles and rode pretty even splits for the four laps with the last being my fastest.

    Looking forward to next week, a non-slipping seat-post and seeing if I can go faster.
  • richrock
    richrock Posts: 77
    Rode my first 10 TT last night, it was my first ever competitive ride (again clock, self, whatever). I clocked a 29:44 on my road bike (Carerra TDF from Halfrauds) and with a nasty headwind on the return leg.

    I reckon I could have gone faster but my saddle was set up wrong and my feet and a**e went to sleep :(

    Really enjoyed it though, but gonna invest in proper saddle fitting before aero kit :roll:
  • bigpikle
    bigpikle Posts: 1,690
    did my first 10 (well 11.4 really) TT tonight. Sporting course, monster headwind and out & back course made it really tough going but I really enjoyed it - especially the wind assist on the way home!

    Didnt do a great job of pacing it as I fought the wind and hammered the hills a little hard but set new power PB's from 11 to 33 mins so am happy with my performance and certainly didnt embarrass myself with a 20.2mph av on the lumpy course :)
    Your Past is Not Your Potential...
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    ratsbeyfus wrote:
    And then I got lost...


    Don't worry - A_N_T got lost on our club's course last year. And it's a simple out and back!
  • a_n_t
    a_n_t Posts: 2,011
    :)
    Manchester wheelers

    PB's
    10m 20:21 2014
    25m 53:18 20:13
    50m 1:57:12 2013
    100m Yeah right.
  • thiscocks
    thiscocks Posts: 549
    mroli wrote:
    Take the pump off your bike. Zip up your shirt. Have a hair cut.

    Long hair makes you go faster

    fignon.jpg
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    thiscocks wrote:
    mroli wrote:
    Take the pump off your bike. Zip up your shirt. Have a hair cut.

    Long hair makes you go faster

    fignon.jpg

    Not in a TT. It slows you down by approximately 9 seconds per 25km.
  • ratsbeyfus
    ratsbeyfus Posts: 2,841
    thiscocks wrote:
    mroli wrote:
    Take the pump off your bike. Zip up your shirt. Have a hair cut.

    Long hair makes you go faster

    fignon.jpg

    Nah... He would've beaten Lemond in '88 if he'd've ditched the pony tail.

    I had one of them red bikes but I don't any more. Sad face.

    @ratsbey
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    ratsbeyfus wrote:
    Nah... He would've beaten Lemond in '88 if he'd've ditched the pony tail.

    Do keep up 007. (and it was 89) ;)

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