Road Bike Racing - First-ever TT looms Sunday; seeking advice and encouragement

The State Time Trial Championships will be held in Wisconsin this Sunday morning. I plan to enter in what will be my first ever time trial event, and only the second organized race I have been in.

I have to buy a one-day license that morning.

It's a 40K route with rolling hills....out and back.

Having never done this before, and seeing as I will be all alone there trying this, advice?

I'm used to training at 26 miles....rolling hills.

--Morning meal?
--What to do as a pre-race warmup on the bike?
--Big chain ring from the start?
--Pace early on?

Look, I'm not kidding myself here about winning anything, even in my age bracket, but I don't want to look like a fool in over my head either!

Thanks.
Hip

Did my first TT ever this past Sunday. So, FWIW, here are some thoughts from a recently deflowered TT virgin:

I didn't warm up enough -- 9 miles of toodling around the course didn't do it. I never cranked it up faster than 20mph and never got *warm*, so my plan of trying to ride 24-25 the whole way was shot to hell. After about 4 miles into the race, the protestations from my legs ceased and I could crank it up, but I'd lost a lot of valuable time from not being ready to roll from the very beginning. Next time, I'll do a better job warming up. Some people bring their trainers and use them in the parking lot to get warmed up; looks like a good idea to me.

I ate a normal breakfast (two bowls of cereal, a banana, and some OJ) two hours before the start. Had a Diet Coke en route to the race. Next time I'll probably add more caffeine.

Biggest thing I'd do differently is to go harder than I did. I didn't know how much to hold back, and I think I held too much back. I went gonzo at the 1-mile-to-go mark, but could have amped it up a bit over the entire course. I don't know what advice to offer here; this is probably something that comes with experience....

Good luck and have fun!

Try to keep your pre-race meal light. Allow at least 2, preferably 3 hours between eating and racing. Stay lightly hydrated. The bulk of your drinking should take place Saturday.

This is a biased, but informative little booklet (http://www.e-caps.com/downloads/fuelinghandbook.pdf) that Hammer Nutrition puts out. It's worth a read.

Most importantly, set a goal. Doesn't matter what it is ... a time, an average speed ... whatever, just be realistic. It'll give you something to shoot for.

Best of luck and remember to have fun!!!

Mark

In preparation: Hydrate. Not with Coke. That's garbage. (How do you know if you NEED caffeine if you've never been here before? It affects different people in different ways.)
Get a good warm up.
Don't miss your start time.
But also, don't obsess about every little thing; don't burn energy unnecessarily.

On the bike...
Focus. Don't let your mind wander.
As you tire, start changing your position on the saddle. Find new muscles that have been hiding.
When the pedal comes up, push it down again.
Always remember: you can always go faster than you're willing to put out.

Oh, and when you're done, don't ask the officials what your time was.
They'll have their hands full with 400 other times.
They'll post it when they have it.

Have someone else clock your time.

Get a good warm up. I had my first TT ad i got stuck in traffic, and i got about half the warm up i wanted. My first 5k or so was pretty slow, and then i got into my groove and started turning out a fast pace. Make sure to do some high intensity stuff in the warm up as well.

Take advantage of the rolling stuff to get out of the saddle and get into the drops to use some of your other leg muscles and to shift around some.

Don't miss your start time and have someone else pin your number right.

Eat a good breakfast. I had a banana, some light apple pastries, and some orange juice. Obviously, don't forget to hydrate.

The hardest part is pushing yourself when your body starts to hurt and run out of fuel. You just have to tell yourself to keep pushing and to keep turning the pedal over.

Also, try to keep a fairly constant cadence. Ride at whatever you're comfortable with, but i have read a lot of articles and heard from a lot of racers that have said somewhere between 85-95 was an optimum cadence for time trialing.

Most of all, don't worry too much. TT's are a lot of fun and a really cool experience. Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

Hydrate. Not with Coke. That's garbage. (How do you know if you NEED caffeine if you've never been here before? It affects different people in different ways.)

Hydration is critical. Didn't mention it as I thought it was obvious. Most importantly, pay special attention to hydration in the several days before the event. For the event itself, I use Gatorade cut 1:1 with water.

As for caffeine, I'd say don't use it if you don't regularly use it. It can upset your stomach, especially in large doses. I use it regularly in the long-distance riding that I do (randonneuring). Next time I do an ITT, I'll use more of it than I did here. I think I'd do better if I were more jacked at the start than I was, but YMMV....

I would highly recomend staying as relaxed as possible. You do not want to blow up before you even get started. Be sure to warm up (be sure your warm up also includes some stretching) don't rush it. Give your self pleanty of time to get to the race. I like to arrive at least 1.5 to 2 hrs early so I can warm up, do one last check of the bike and enough time to try and relax. Also take into consideration that you will have to stand in line for your license and to sign up if you can not do it over the phone or internet.

As for morning meal, that is hard to say. I usually have a protien shake made with fruit, nothing solid and at a minimum of 3hrs before my start time. The night before I will have a good dinner of meat and pasta.
What and when you eat will depend on what works for you and what you can handle when nervous.

As mentioned, HYDRATE!! Start now if you have not done so yet. You do not want to try and get enough fluids the night or day of the race.

Oh yeah, almost forgot, besure to give your self enough time for the pre-race poop/piss :D You may find your self hittin' the head a few times prior to your start and you definitly do not want to line up trying to hold a load in or with a full bladder ;)

Have fun and use it as a learning expiereance

:beer:

I just want to say good luck, have fun! :D

Great stuff...keep it coming.
What about this big chain ring issue?

I would normally run the mid ring the entire thing, but I can turn the big ring outside of the hills. Should I start in the big ring???

Start out in the big ring and a 19,20 or 21 in the back. Get out of the saddle until you have that gear spun up to 90rmp and then sit and shift. You dont want to be shifting between chainrings while you are putting out alot of power because you loose power and can loose your chain or maybe it wont shift or something like that.

Agreed with above...

Start in a 53-19, Like a sprint accerate out of the saddle for 5 seconds or so then sit down and spin the gears until you get to the speed you want to hold for the whole time although you will slow and speed up a little. Use the first mile or so to "settle in", i.e. get confortable for your form, etc and if you feel like you can speed up a bit. Ride right at or a few beats above LT the whole time. If you feel comfortable you are not working quite hard enough.

Guage your time 10 minutes or so at a time, concentrate of the smallest time period you feel confortable doing, for me it is 5 minute intervals, then maybe slow for a brief second and start the next 5 minutes or so, etc. On the rollers use your speed to carry you over the top but do not blow up. It is easier that you think to go all out on the downhill then blow up in too big of a gear on the up part.

Once you hit say 10k to go do another mental check and if you can go faster go faster. When you get within 1k or so go all out and if you have anything left sprint across the line. A good TT you will feel like you can not go any more at the end.

There are many many theories about warming up, the best bet is to warm up on a trainer (not rollers) for at least 30 - 40 minutes with some time in the big ring. Incluse a few minutes at race pace. I also like to ride 5 - 10 minutes on the bike on the "open road" to get a feel for the bike itself again, expecially on a dedicated TT bike. This also helps to loosen the butterflies also.

Eat ast least 2 -3 hours ahead of time and drink from the night before. Use a small powerbar maybe an hour or so before the warmup to top of glycogen stores. A gel right before getting of the trainer is perfect. Water is an interesting subject. Anything less that 20k you do not need to carry water. 20k - 40k is is iffy, but I may carry a very small bottle for a very quick drink midway. If you are hydrated you will be fine.

Good Luck and let us know how you do...

I'll be the one to say don't start out too fast. There's a fine line between setting a good opening pace and sending your heart rate up way too fast. Once you make your HR skyrocket, it's hard to bring it down, especially when you're pushing yourself to your limits the entire time. And when that happens, Lactate builds up, your breathing gets heavy, and you feel like you're going to puke...before you're 1/4 of the way through the TT. I made this mistake at my second TT, sprinted right from the line and didn't let up, and the result was tired legs and an upset stomach. I'm sure I could have done better if I had started slower.

Start in a gear you're comfortable starting in. If it's not 53-21 or 53-19, so be it.

And ditto to what others are saying about hydration, warmup, food, and mental state.

Good luck Hippinator

Go get 'em, Hip!

Stay focused. Have fun. Kick some butt.

Is this the thread where I now start discussing RR tactics and bashing TT's?

Seriously, good luck and some of the best tips have been to take it a bit easy early (props to the Killer Penguin). You can loose a lot more time blowing up than you can slacking a bit at the start. Plus it's a lot more fun to finish strong, and isnt that what this is all about?

Is this the thread where I now start discussing RR tactics and bashing TT's? :D
Well, I just want to try one at least once. Road racing would be preferred, but it is much safer for me to TT, considering what could happen with my hip if I crash....which is muck less likely to happen in a TT.

But isn't it the bionic hip? Better, Stronger, Faster!

Really, good luck. You've got more nerve than I, going out and doing this!

Remember, no matter how well you do... you will look fantastic doing it. Kick some butt out there.

Good luck. Watch some TT footage from TDF as inspiration.

you may want to get a yearly license just in case you do well in your age group. In most places, you can not qualify as a state champion with only a one day license. That and it will force you to ride more races because you already paid for it. :)

So, how'd it go? (I crossed my fingers and said 'Allez, allez, allez' three times, but you probably didn't need the help...)

Dagna

TERRIBLE.
I'm ashamed.
I'm embarassed.
I'm confused.
I'm down.

I don't understand why this was different. Why did my thighs simply blow up at mile 19 of 25? This race was the distance I train at. This race was over rolling hills smaller than what I am used to. I drank more prior to this race than I would ever drink on a training ride just like it. The temp was no hotter than usual for me. The wind was nasty....but I've been in that before.

So why in the world did my legs just cramp?
First the right one, the "I-T" band over the hip replacement....then the left thigh. It got so bad that I dropped into the mid chain ring, held on with one hand while I tried to massage with the other hand while going 12 mph!

Both legs began knotting up...and the final four miles were simply a challenge to not get off the bike and walk. This was suffering, and not the good kind of suffering.

Just two days earlier on my final hard training ride I did the same distance, out of the saddle in the end and feeling good, turning an 18.1 average despite all the traffic stops. Then in the race, I do about the same thing and in pain! That's crazy.

I'm afraid to go on the web page to get the final standings, but I guess I will.

I;m not riding for a few days...maybe more....crap.

I am guessing you went too hard...and maybe didn't have the proper nutrients in your system. I went for a VERY sort ride last night and decided to totally hammer it. This ride ends in a bunch of climbs back to my house (as do just about all rides) and with one climb left I was just totally spent and dropped my speed by 5 MPH with 1 mile to go. I simply went too hard and had nothing left...you probably did the same in an effort to do a good time.

Don't let it get you down Hip. Not every ride goes as planned. I give you a lot of credit for giving it a try. Look at it as education for the next one. As you said, now to figure out what went wrong. Don't stay off the bike too long. Get out for a nice recovery ride to remind yourself why you got into this sport in the first place.

Did you take our recommendations too close to heart? I've seen poor performance associated with TOO MUCH fluid intake prior to a race. Perhaps the same thing happened to you.

Regardless ... your worst day on the bike is still better than any day off of it and I don't suppose this will be your last time trial. Live and learn.

Mark

I'm ashamed.
I'm embarassed.


You did it. That's accomplishment in its own right. You deserve (and get from me) much respect


I drank more prior to this race than I would ever drink on a training ride just like it.

Maybe this is mistake #1 (changing something). I understand the thinking though; I mighta done the same thing


Just two days earlier on my final hard training ride I did the same distance, out of the saddle in


I'm thinking (and I was last week when you did it) that such a hard effort two days before the event isn't the best thing; basically you peaked for your training ride. Two days isn't enough time to recover for another hard effort like that. :(

You get much props from me, Hip. Lessons for next time, right?

Hip
Don't feel bad, my legs cramped/knotted real bad yesterday on 60 mile ride. Wasn't sure I'd make it home :eek: I had to lay down when I got home for an hour they hurt so bad. First 40 miles were hammer time, last 15-20 I was like WTF?

Hip, im guessing here, but when you do a similar traning ride do you move around on the bike a bit (tops, drops, standing, sitting)? You may have tried to lock into too rigid an Aero postion (a common mistake) that can lead to the symptoms you describe.

From my other post of the road cycling side.


Well first sorry to hear about your troubles, like every race, ride, new experience there is the chance that something will not go right. I know it does not feel good, and forever it seems you will be wondering why.... and sometimes there is no answer.

I have never experienced exactly what you have gone through with your hip, I am sure very few here have. I find through that with with new stress on your body the reaction is not always favorable. For me it is my right knee, for the first few crits after about 15 minutes of pushing a very high gear it would just hurt, no other explanation. I learned to spin a little more and I have got "use to" the feeling, and it has subsided mostly.

Reading your original post it seems that one thing that is different is that in your training ride you had stops/breaks. You also pushed yourself beyond what was considered normal intensity wise. Recovery is a great thing, but it does not help when you get little to none in a race situation. Adrenaline is an interesting thing as said above. It can push our body to the limit and beyond whereas in a normal ride we would stop here we do not. We keep pushing to our very limits, until one of two things happen, we finish or our body finishes and we crack. Honestly that is what seems to have happened here.

The best advice anyone here could give is to mind your nutrition, watch the adrenadine and go do it again. Next time it will be better and you will get faster... go get some rest...

Good Luck with round two!


You have to also think about one more thing, pacing. One interesting thing I learned is that when you are going about 3 - 4 MPH faster than normal you should save a little... because the return trip is going to be pure pain...

Hip, im guessing here, but when you do a similar traning ride do you move around on the bike a bit (tops, drops, standing, sitting)? You may have tried to lock into too rigid an Aero postion (a common mistake) that can lead to the symptoms you describe.

This is very true.
I tried to duck the nasty headwind by staying in the drops a lot longer than normal for a training ride. In fact, come to think of it, in between the cramp pain I noticed even my arse was hurting, which is very unusual????

On the rivet???

This is very true.
I tried to duck the nasty headwind by staying in the drops a lot longer than normal for a training ride. In fact, come to think of it, in between the cramp pain I noticed even my arse was hurting, which is very unusual????

On the rivet???

could be. When I get really aero, the front of the saddle gets pushed up into my gooch and is pretty uncomfortable. Sorry to hear about your TT Hip :( but don't get too down. Use it as mental fuel for your training.

This is very true.
I tried to duck the nasty headwind by staying in the drops a lot longer than normal for a training ride. In fact, come to think of it, in between the cramp pain I noticed even my arse was hurting, which is very unusual????

On the rivet???

Working the muscle in a more stretched position (eg Glutes when on the drops) can make a difference. It is well known and studied that how muscle groups work together varies with ammount of Flexion. Iron heads have used this for years, sometimes referred to as "positions of flexion" training.

I would suggest giving some thought to either Training more often in an Aero position, changing your position for TT's (some of the TT experts here might have better advice than me on this) or sacrificing some Aero in your next TT and moving around a bit.

At the risk of sounding like a Pollyanna, look on the bright side: it was your first TT, and no matter how bad a day you had, it doesn't sound like it was as bad as poor Rasmussen's in the final Tour de France ITT. :o

Dagna

Hey man, almost nobody does well in their first race. You'll do better in the future. You'll amaze yourself at how quickly you'll pick stuff up, and at how much speed you'll gain from race to race.

Right now, just recover and get back into the swing of things. Try and figure out what went wrong. Once you have, train like you fight, man. Train like you fight.

Cole

I'll be the one to say don't start out too fast. There's a fine line between setting a good opening pace and sending your heart rate up way too fast. Once you make your HR skyrocket, it's hard to bring it down, especially when you're pushing yourself to your limits the entire time. And when that happens, Lactate builds up, your breathing gets heavy, and you feel like you're going to puke...before you're 1/4 of the way through the TT. I made this mistake at my second TT, sprinted right from the line and didn't let up, and the result was tired legs and an upset stomach. I'm sure I could have done better if I had started slower.

Start in a gear you're comfortable starting in. If it's not 53-21 or 53-19, so be it.

And ditto to what others are saying about hydration, warmup, food, and mental state.

Good luck Hippinator

I second the idea of not starting too fast. Just as in running you have to be careful at the beginning of a race not too jump on it too much. I did the very same thing tonight in out weekly club TT. The first 500 meters I seem to really hammer it. Be sure to allow yourself the proper amount of time to work up to your cruising speed. From running, and riding, I know it can have a very negative effect. Good luck!

TERRIBLE.
I'm ashamed.
I'm embarassed.
I'm confused.
I'm down.

I don't understand why this was different. Why did my thighs simply blow up at mile 19 of 25? This race was the distance I train at. This race was over rolling hills smaller than what I am used to. I drank more prior to this race than I would ever drink on a training ride just like it. The temp was no hotter than usual for me. The wind was nasty....but I've been in that before.

So why in the world did my legs just cramp?
First the right one, the "I-T" band over the hip replacement....then the left thigh. It got so bad that I dropped into the mid chain ring, held on with one hand while I tried to massage with the other hand while going 12 mph!

Both legs began knotting up...and the final four miles were simply a challenge to not get off the bike and walk. This was suffering, and not the good kind of suffering.

Just two days earlier on my final hard training ride I did the same distance, out of the saddle in the end and feeling good, turning an 18.1 average despite all the traffic stops. Then in the race, I do about the same thing and in pain! That's crazy.

I'm afraid to go on the web page to get the final standings, but I guess I will.

I;m not riding for a few days...maybe more....crap.

Doh! I should have read the entire thread befor posting, sorry. I don't think you should be embarassed at all. I'm sure in a few days you'll be thinking about what you need to do to improve and setting new goals. You gave it a shot, and I might say you did pretty good. Take what you learn from this TT and improve on the next one. And more, as a friend told me years ago, you did better than the people that never clicked in and gave it their best. Congratulations and good luck in the future.

Glad you came out, dont feel bad. Everyone has good and bad races. Hope you heard us cheering for you.
I would also like to apologize for the long wait, we had four times the number of people we were expecting so our only computer was overwhelmed trying to get start times. Hope to see you there next year!