Road Cycling - My first TT in 8 weeks!

Hi all,

OK, I've never road raced before but am trying my first 5mile TT in April. There's about a foot of snow on the bike trail and the streets are pretty gnarly.

Any advice on how to prepare? Any and all type of advice accepted.

Thanks!

P.S. I did the bike geek thing and bought the LA training program by Carmichael but any other real world experience would be appreciated.

This will sound strange but it is sincere: Don't prepare.

What I mean is, you probably have a schedule of riding planned for the summer and this event will be pretty low on the priority list. A 5-mile TT is really short and is probably on the schedule as a spring tune-up ride and for little more than that.

I would determine what event, later in the summer, you want to focus your season around and work backwards from there. This will likely reveal that this short time trial is in an awkward time on the schedule. You may not want to be in "stomping form" for a short TT that early in the spring. So, train through it. Get in your weightlifting and time on the rollers/stationary trainer now and get in road miles as the weather permits but hold off on the intervals (which would be required to hammer for five miles) until you have a sufficient base established.

Ride it for fun, work your Carmichael plan, be prepared for bigger and better later.

Do you plan to race???

Easy rider,

Interesting thought. I mean yeah, this isn't the biggest deal in the world. I'm not basing the rest of my year on it, but I want to be fast and come out swinging.

Every year I gain 10lbs in the winter and spend all summer trying to work it of by recreation riding. This year I'm already my riding weight, haven't lost too much fitness and want to take advantage of it.

Your advice is duly noted.

Sam-,

You mean races other than TTs? Sure, but I haven't done any group rides yet so the TT's are to find out if I'm fast enough first. I had done a couple of MTB races at the end of the season last year and could tell there was some potential on shorter races. Not much of an endurance rider... And I need to build peloton skills...

Anyway, don't know if that answers your question.

See ya.

Spexy,

Need peloton skills? ride rollers. great for
maintaining a line, and pretty good a building
spin/cadence.
of course nothing is as good as real rides
but if you can't get on the road. . .

Marty

Spexy,

Are you talking about the Lilydale Time Trial? That is going to be my first race too! Right now my training constists of my daily 5 mile commutes and about 10-15 hours a week of indoor training.

I'm really looking forward to it! Mabey I'll see ya there!

-Mike

Spexy,

I find that it was easy to suggest that you "train through" this event, given that it is short and early on the calendar...but then I found out that I will be doing a 10 mile TT in late March! Suddenly I'm wondering, how can I be ready but not peak too early in the season?

I guess that we're in the same boat.

Originally posted by spexy

Sam-,

You mean races other than TTs? Sure, but I haven't done any group rides yet so the TT's are to find out if I'm fast enough first. I had done a couple of MTB races at the end of the season last year and could tell there was some potential on shorter races. Not much of an endurance rider... And I need to build peloton skills...

Anyway, don't know if that answers your question.

See ya.

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I trhought I subscribed to the thread an never got a notice...:confused:

Just concentrate on keeping an effort level that feels like if you go any faster you will begin to fizzle and you will build TT strength. TT efforts are about maintaining the highest possible output without diing. I have a 20 mile loop that I TT once per 2 weeks once I get off my butt and start training. It is a good way for me to see if my training is producing results.

Lotek, Currently can not justify rollers since I have a magnetic trainer. But eventually I want to try them.

Mikey, Yep. It’s Lillydale. What are you doing for training in this weather??!!!!! It’s supposed to warm up later in the week but this cold is unridable IMO.

Easyrider, Your advice still holds in the sense that you don’t want to base a year’s worth of riding/racing on the outcome of this first race.

Sam…man, It’s just so hard to ride full out on a friggin’ magnetic trainer. It’s like pedaling through a foot of sand. Anyway, makes sense as long as I can get out and ride.

Thanks all!

Spexy, I would try to do at least one practice TT before you do this one. Have you done a TT before? If not, be prepared for pain, really really bad pain. Puking pain, burning pain, back pain, mental pain......:beer: But hey, that's the bright side...j/k. The pain will be pretty intense, but you'll live. On the day of the TT start mentally focusing on the things you will do while you ride. For example, keeping your cadence high, your back flat, head up, breathing pattern..One thing that I have found works real well, is to have and idea of what I'm going to think about while I'm riding to keep my mind off the pain. My last TT, I decided to think about the beach, and I had a few chants about if I couldn't do it, nobody could. Also, don't be scared to push harder. If you think you can do it, do it, Or else you will kick yourself in the butt later.

The most important thing, is to be warmed up thoroughly. I don't think this point can be stressed enough. But don't get tired while you warm up!!!

Thanks, fubar.

I've been practicing shortening my 3 mile time by pushing myself towards puke-mode. It's weird when you hit that wall of not being able to go any harder but not dying either. It guess it's just a matter of ignoring the pain.

Originally posted by spexy
Thanks, fubar.

I've been practicing shortening my 3 mile time by pushing myself towards puke-mode. It's weird when you hit that wall of not being able to go any harder but not dying either. It guess it's just a matter of ignoring the pain.

Pain management can mean the difference between fast and flying. Learn to manage a bit of pain that can allow you to push harder.

I usually tell pain that he's a rotten pansy, and if all he can do is make me hurt, he ain't winnin'.