Any tips for 1st 10mile TT please?

[DanPrice]

1st of i hope this is in the right section?

Ive been a member on here a little while now and just recently started riding on the road regularly.

I took many peoples advice and have joined in on a few club runs now and really enjoy them. I cant make as many as id like as i work most Saturdays, but it makes a change when i can to ride with people instead of by myself.

Im going to take part in there club evening 10's.

So i thought id ask (as there seems to be some very knowledgeable and helpful people on this forum).

For any tips, advice, or anything else you'd like to pass on to a newbie.

Just for the record, ive rode the course once after 3 days straight of extremely early starts at work and 12 hour days, went off track 4 times so ended up doing 10.99 miles, and did it in mid 28 minutes (a few of us worked out without going off track etc would be on a 26 minute-ish schedule).

Although personally i feel i could do better.

I found that once at speed i would be hunched up quite a bit right at the front of the seat, let my breathing get a little out of hand (are small breaths best, or controlled deep breaths?), and was always in 2 midns whether i should be spinning a little more than just churning away on the pedals (but understand higher cadence raises heart rate).

Anyway if anyone has any useful advice that would be great.


Many thanks

 

[peanut]

good luck. I have long wished to do a TT but not been fit enough for years.
I've just read this from another first timer. You may find it as amusing as I did.
let us know how it went.
http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/news/article/mps/uan/3817

 

[Dave5N]

Yeah. Do it as hard as you can. When you have finished, relax.

DOn't worry about it. It's your time, no-one elses.

Get your breath back before you start analysing, and above all enjoy it.

I think you have a good understanding of pacing already. DO a few, and then think about getting some times.

 

[yenrod]

Give it your best go !

 

[mondobongo]

Keep hydrated during the day.
Give yourself plenty of time get signed on early, allow yourself time for a warm up and aim to arrive at the start 5 minutes before you are off.
Go hard but keep a little bit back for the final kick for home.
I have my computer on Average Speed I know then how hard to push it 23.5mph will get you inside 26 mins.

Above all enjoy it.

 

[aran20]

1st of i hope this is in the right section?

Ive been a member on here a little while now and just recently started riding on the road regularly.

I took many peoples advice and have joined in on a few club runs now and really enjoy them. I cant make as many as id like as i work most Saturdays, but it makes a change when i can to ride with people instead of by myself.

Im going to take part in there club evening 10's.

So i thought id ask (as there seems to be some very knowledgeable and helpful people on this forum).


-When you get to your HQ, make sure once you have signed on and got your number yo sit and relax, keep sipping water.

-About 45 mins before your race, get changed (thats if your not already changed into your cycling kit). Keep sipping water.

-Before warming up, go to loo. As you don't really want to be coming back to the HQ.

-Don't take a water bottle with you... not really required for a 10.

-Ride to the start point so that you're sure you're happy where it is. Wear a track top to keep warm if it's chilly.

-Make sure you have a good warm up... 10 to 20 minutes. Ride quite hard to get your heart rate up.

-3-5minutes before your start time get back to the start position of race and wait.

-5,4,3,2,1 you're off. Start hard but not flat out, work up to your top speed and just try and maintain it.

-When you've finished you will/should be really 'hanging out'. A 10 is the hardest, physically time trial there is. It's basically a flat out effort.

-The more you ride the more you get to know your abilities and so the better you'll become.

Hope this helps. Give em hell and best of luck to you.

Let us all know how you get on.

 

[DanPrice]

Thanks for all your reply's

Mondobongo - Thanks for that helpful bit of info regarding speed, if i can get inside 26 minutes ill be in top 5 (the course isnt the easiest, so ive been told). After reading your post, i see were i messed up, all out straight away at least 33mph, then blew up and finished at about 18mph.

aran20 - Thanks for such an in depth response, thats great.

Anyway, its tomorrow evening so ill take all on board and update tomorrow.


Again thanks everyone, much appreciated

 

[Aperitif]

Yes good luck. Make sure you beat yourself Dan - the rest will be easy!

 

[Dave Davenport]

I'd say at least a 30 - 40 min warm up including some hard efforts and don't go off too quick, try and settle into a rhythm and then build your speed. Good luck.

 

[aran20]

How did you get on then??

 

[DanPrice]

Hi everyone,

Sorry for such a late reply.

Took on board what everyone said, and all went really well. For 1st experience, i was pleasantly surprised, ate well, prepared well, warmed up well, felt excellent, and full of excitement.

I was #4.

Down to the race, started off really well, 1st 2 miles were as if i was riding in a pack, not at 26mph on my own. Passed rider 3 that started 1 before me. (1 minute intervals, sorry if this is common knowledge)

Then up to 4 miles, still felt fine, still on the flat at around 24.7-25mph. Passed rider 2 the next.


This is were it gets complicated, at around 4.3 in i was passed, by someone on a full carbon TT bike with disc wheels (found this out after), in a skinsuit, and TT helmet, #5 to be precise.

Ok, fair enough, kept my head down and kept up with him (within 15-20metres), still plodding along, had a really good rhythm, and still felt surprisingly good.

On the other side of the road there was another rider now and again, o.k people riding there bikes on a nice evening, another rider, o.k coinscidence?

After about 1.2miles (5.5ish in) i went past a turn, "i swear thats the turn i take", but the other rider had gone on, "just follow him". So i did, up a small incline to the brow of a hill, only to find loads of other riders waiting on the other side of the road, and he sat up as he finished.

"O NO", i slowed right down and asked someone what was going on, "our evening 10's he replied, then i looked at a sticker on his bike, another club's name.

"O dear", i had to ride right to the end of this road as there was a high central reservation, turned round and rode back, and down the road i should have and found my way around the course to the finish. Looked at my computer and i had done 14.1 miles.

The only thing i can go on, is that when i looked at my computer at 5.61miles i was at 12:19.

I felt like a fool, and started to beat myself up about it.

This isnt an exscuse, but on every single junction or turn there was a marshall (which i was told), except what i class as a very major turn (the one i missed), regarding "newbies" and "day riders".

And regardging the other club, i was then told at the end when i explained what i had done, that "O yes, we share part of our course with another club for the 1st few weeks of the evening 10's".

So a big disappointment, my 1st TT was a complete failure .

O well, theres always next week, i learnt alot, and gained some experience, that will do me for now.


Again, thanks everyone for all the "good lucks", and the advice.

All greatly appreciated.

 

[Dave5N]

No.

It wasn't a failure. You prepared well, you rode well.

You will have learned some lessons for sure, but equally, you know you can do the physical side, and that's the hard bit.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Courses overlapping sounds like a recipe for disaster, what number was it?

 

[palinurus]

Not a disaster. You know the course now, you know how it all works and you'll be ready for the next one.

 

[Blott's Mate]

Did my 1st 10mile TT last night. target was sub 30mins(48yo female).did 29 57 so Yehhh! BUT - crap ride paced it badly & chose too higher gears for level of fitness. Also first go on tri-bars & tried too higher gear.

I drove the course 1st to visualise/learn it before the event. Will do this for every event.