Riding my first 10 mile tt, any tips?

nickel

Hey guys,

Riding my first 10 on saturday as a local club is holding early season tts. Just wondered if any more experienced riders have any wisdom they could share with me?

Will be riding the event on my trusty Allez, albeit with a set of clip on tri bars. If I can get under 28 minutes i'll be chuffed.

Cheers,
Nick

Pross

Warm up well and don't go too hard too early. It can be very hard to pace a 10, as it's so short you feel like you really have to push it from the start. Try to time getting to the start so you don't end up hanging around for ages getting cold (its easier on a single carriageway course where you can ride around a bit while waiting, with dual carriageways when you are there you're stuck).

nickel

Thanks, its about a 15 mile ride to the startline so was going to use that as my warm up, the course is on quiet rural roads as well so I can always peddle around to keep warm if I'm waiting.

napoleond

It's your first one, don't worry about it.
Don't overthink it. It is what it is. Simply ride 10 miles as hard as you can. If you start too hard, you'll learn for next time. Keep doing them and start to learn how your body responds and how to pace yourself better.
Don't get hung up on a time or owt, just go for it!

Matt the Tester

it's your first 10, just enjoy it. been able to suffer will help time is irrelevant. you will hate yourself for pushing yourself this hard but once finished you will have caught the bug

rake

ride quickly.

briantrumpet

Don't dress as formally as I did in my first 10 mile TT



Or, if you do, wear proper shiny shoes.

simon_e

Matt the Tester wrote:

it's your first 10, just enjoy it. been able to suffer will help time is irrelevant. you will hate yourself for pushing yourself this hard but once finished you will have caught the bug

Sounds very familiar! The whole point of your first 10 is to set a time for you to try to beat next week.

Would recommend you try to hold back a touch for the first mile or so, it's easy to go off too hard. Don't go into the red but keep asking yourself: Am I pressing on the pedals?

RoadMeridaBen

Go balls to the wall, flat out :P

Frank the tank

Look on it as a line in the sand and you can measure your improvement against it. If you have a HRM use it so you can put in a measured effort.

ShutUpLegs

rake wrote:

ride quickly.

Useful

brettjmcc

Worth riding the course first at your leisure, that way you will know what to expect and how to measure effort better.

markos1963

brettjmcc wrote:

Worth riding the course first at your leisure, that way you will know what to expect and how to measure effort better.

+1 And work out the average speed you need to reach your goal and try to fit it into the course.

Sunderland Supporter

Nik Cube

I rode my first tt this time last year and it was a 10. When I finished I remember thinking that was hard - I could have gone faster!

One year on I have a TT bike and the most of the gear and I'm eagerly awaiting my first TT of the season this weekend.

My advice is ride hard but not flat out, it is only 10 miles you wont need fluids or food on the way round but you will want them after. Beware the bug can bite and your bank balance can head south quite quickly but its worth it

nickel

Thank you all for the advice! I thought I'd update this thread, well I went off at the start at a nice hard but controlled pace and then cranked the effort up over the last couple of miles and sprinted the last quarter mile to the line setting a time of 27 mins 5 seconds, which im pretty bloody pleased with! I know I could have ridden harder as well, I think I might get hooked on this TT thing!

dave35

Well done,good time for your first one.
Best advice i was given to ride a 10 was this, start off like your're doing a paper round and finish like your life depends on it.

simon_e

Nickel wrote:

Thank you all for the advice! I thought I'd update this thread, well I went off at the start at a nice hard but controlled pace and then cranked the effort up over the last couple of miles and sprinted the last quarter mile to the line setting a time of 27 mins 5 seconds, which im pretty bloody pleased with! I know I could have ridden harder as well, I think I might get hooked on this TT thing!

Hey, good time. You'll have to try for sub-27 next week - start a touch harder and crank the effort up a mile earlier.

Hooked? Too late, you already are