CanadianBiker32

I like some suggestion on how to be more successful at road time trials.

Just recently did my first 20km one the other day. First one in 9 years. Was good to do one of them again and i want to do more. However I know I was pushing myself. I felt at times i was not putting in enough. As when i finished i was not feeling wasted and had lots of energy to spare. My time was kind of slow, but being first one leaves room to improve

I feel its more of a mental aspect. what are ways to concentrate harder and make myself push myself more. I know it may be a simple answer of just think about it
but really. I need to and want to push that barrier. To ride really really hard and prove my potential.

So more less what i am asking. is how to mentally push myself physically harder. more less need some advice on this.
Look forward to your kind replies.

Carbonfiberboy 

Practice. Ride with a group of riders who are a little faster than you. Time yourself over a local loop and try to reduce your times. Use some sort of monitoring device, heart rate monitor or power meter. Experiment with your position. A TT is just where you prove what you've already done in training. It's teensy compared to the training. Fun, though.

Kai Winters

In my opinion a good time trialer is able to maintain the optimum pace for the duration of the event.
Most training regimens work well but you also have to practice the time trial itself to practice keeping the pace you want or can hold. You're not riding at "break down" pace but just below it to maintain optimum speed without the crash and burn...this does not come quickly or easily and changes to your abilities increasing/decreasing.

I used to tape a small chart to my stem with my mile splits in time for the event then would use my bike computer stop watch to track my performance during the TT. I found it worked well.

I used a heart rate monitor during training to monitor and train to TT heart rate pace but never during the event...You will exceed that BPM due to the competition and it may hold you back mentally.

chasm54

Time yourself over a measured course. Ride it once a week or so. Insist that you beat your previous personal best every time you do it. Within a few weeks you'll be going as hard as you can., and from then on your improvements will come from increased fitness.

clemsongirl 

The night before the time trial you might want to start mental visualizations of the time trial with the course, weather, your pacing strategies, progressive effort and even the pain towards the end included. A positive visualization helps me in seeing and feeling myself responding in a positive and constructive way to attain my goal with a positive expectancy.

Since I journal I’m use to writing. Besides having a training journal with nutrition, weather, terrain, hr, power stats etc. I also write a mental journal of the strategies I used and then use the ones I find to consistently help in certain situations. I've found writing out my riding and mental strategies/goals for a days ride helps in my visualization too.

When pain starts instead of creating an anxious/fear image I start concentrating on form and pace to divert my attention, concentrating on being efficient and positives instead of the discomfort. Even simple things like counting pedal strokes can put your mind into your rhythm and motion in a way that can help distract it from pain and fatigue. No matter the strategy I know pain isn’t going away but I also know I can make it fade a little into the background while not giving in to a negative image.

rdtindsm

TT is often mental. There are people that tune out (music, etc.) during exercise, and people that tune in (self monitoring). The former is more of an extrovert personality, the latter more of an introvert personality that tends to do better in TT.

I was a good, but not great rider, better than average in TT and have medaled in the event in several different districts and master's nationals. We had a rider in NE that was a national class rider who could place against national riders in regional races. Cat 1 and deservedly so. But he was also the extreme extrovert who probably had trouble riding fast without competition.

One drill that will help you develop the concentration is low gear TT's. 15 to 30 minute efforts. By low gear, I don't mean completely spun out, but perhaps a cadence that is 10 to 15 percent above your normal cadence. You have to concentrate on going faster, not harder, but the effort is well within your strength level. The drill develops that self-awareness you need.

Carbonfiberboy 

^Excellent idea.

Rowan

This is a really interesting observation in general cycling terms. I am always thinking about my riding, my style, speed, effort, and so on. There are other people who do indeed tune out, and they often face the consequences because they don't concentrate on what they and other traffic/riders are doing, the conditions in which they are riding, and the terrain.

DannoXYZ 

I find by focusing on smooth round pedal-strokes, I can pick up a little speed without increasing HR. Some downstroke energy is wasted pushing up the dead-leg on the up-stroke. That energy can be used to propel the bike forward if the dead-leg gets out of the way and lifts itself up.

Also learn about variable-power strategy for hills. You can make faster time by actually increasing your power-output above FTP on an uphill so that you're in oxygen-debt at the top. Then rest a little by putting out less than FTP on the downhill. The overall effect is to lose less speed & time on the uphill since so much more time is spent there than on the downhill. The combined up & downhill stretches will have a higher average-speed this way and negatively impacts your overall time less.