phatmonkey

I'm probably ******** for registering for this thing, but I thought it would be fun. This is my first race ever.

It's a flat stretch of road 1 mile long (about a 60 ft gain over the 1st mile) with a turn around at the end and then the mile back (with about 60 ft drop in elevation).

Talk me through how you would ride this course. I know better than to go all out, because then at the turn around, you got nothing left.

What's your ideas. Thanks.

(I hope I don't get last)

DrWJODonnell

a Flat, non-technical 2 mile TT. At 30mph, you are looking at four minutes of pain. At 20 mph, you are looking at six minutes of pain. Chances are, most will be within this quite small range.

Without a power meter, it is hard to tell you what to do to pace yourself for such a short event. The best I can say, is Sprint up to speed as fast as you can, Stay as aero as you can (as a race like that will often see places separated by less than a second), and pedal so hard that it hurts. Sprint out of the turnaround, Stay as aero as you can, and pedal so hard that you bleed from your ears.

This is a pure VO2max effort so be ready to go hard and the whole time you had better be thinking that you dont want to be the guy who loses by one second.

bdcheung

I'd listen to the Dr.

Psimet2001 

If you're not puking and/or haking up lung cookies at the end....well then you did it wrong. Short TT means you'll be in serious pain. Do a good warm up.

asmallsol

Yep, warm up for at least 30 minutes

urbanknight

Tell me this is the prologue to a stage race. 2 miles wouldn't be worth the drive otherwise. But yeah, a good long warm up and a zone 5 ride for 4-5 minutes should do it. I'd compare this to pursuits on the velodrome, where you suffer at what feels like a sitting sprint, then get off the bike to collapse on the infield and cough for longer than the ride was.

Allegheny Jet

As a fromer decathlete, a 2 mile TT sounds just like running the 1500 meter run. 4 and 1/2 minutes of excruciating pain followed by a "near death experience".

phatmonkey

It is, but I'm just doing the time trial. It's literally about 10 miles from my house, so I figure I'll warm up on the way there.

ElJamoquio

I know I do these efforts 'right' when I have trouble with my vision at the end. If you can see, you aren't going hard enough.

voltman

"You're doing good, David. That's it. That's it. You're killing them all, David."

merckx89

Actually I think it would be more like the 800 meter. Pure pain and as close to a sprint as you can get the whole way.

Allegheny Jet

For a good 800 runner the race is a "walk in the park" until 150 meters to go, then the sprint to finish. Suffering only occurs to the loosers over the last 20 meters. For the 185lb decathlete the 1500m is a time trail with the coaches yelling out splits (lying about the time) each lap and the athlete knowing that his "book of matches" is already struck.

eriksbliss

There's an old man called the Mississippi. Kill everybody.

If anyone knows how to get that "song" onto my iPod, please let me know.

Duke of Kent

Sorry, but no.

For a good 800m runner, meaning sub-1:55 or 1:50, the last 150m are about trying to slow down the least amount. The opening 600-650 are a controlled sprint, 54s or so for the first 400m; the last 150m or so is trying to maintain, not increase that pace. If you can, you didn't go fast enough earlier. As you will almost certainly positive split an 800m if you're doing it right (look up splits for every 800m WR ever set if you don't believe me), the last 150m are a haze. Your arms and legs tighten, your stride lengthens, becomes less fluid.

The higher up you go, the less this happens...err, is less noticeable...but it is happening none the less.

The phrase "quad lock" comes to mind.

Stallionforce

Yeah it's a pure VO2 interval. So, 115%-ish of your FTP. If you don't have a HR monitor or PM then just go to your limit and then push it a little above and stay there. Breathing should be ragged and your eyes should feel like they're about to pop like champagne corks.

Have fun!

JohnKScott

Congrats on the weightloss!

You are an inspiration. Only advice is go get'em and I hope to follow in your footsteps!

San Rensho 

2 miles is a little short of the 4000 meter pursuit, which is painful.

What I would do is sprint from the beginning and quickly get into a gear that you can spin at as high a MPH as possible and just concentrate on holding your cadence, turning those pedals.

As others have said, if you don't puke or cough up blood, you left something in the table.

justinb

Yup, this is what 800m feels like. Thanks for the good memories, Duke. Also, here's one of my favorite track vids, W Kipketer's 800m WR to demonstrate your point. Out in 49, back in 52.

A non-rabbited 1500/mile is controlled threshold running for 800-1000m, then moving into position and focusing on not slowing down during the 3rd lap, when you wonder if you can possibly repeat the speed you ran your first half at, then waiting for the opportune tactical moment to begin your finishing sprint. You're either going from 300m out, hoping that the those with true sprinting legs have burnt all their matches of a fast pace or will run out of track before they catch you, or your waiting for 150m out, being one of those true sprinters. It's very similar to Cancellara attacking stage 3 (?) of the TdF last year from 1K out, and leaving the sprinters frustrated. Unlike the 800, it should be very nearly even split, or ideally a slight negative split.

Allegheny Jet

I agree that negitive splitting the 800 is the fastest way to go. When I coached HS track the way we could get runners to break 2:00 was to get them thru the 600m in under 1:26 without blowing up then keeping form no matter how they felt. Breaking 1:55 took a 1:21 first 600m. The same runner going thru the 600m at 1:19 was going to finish in 1:58 or slower. Riding a 2 mile TT is a 4+ minute effort balanced on a razor's edge with a game plan. That's why I compare it to the 1500m.

justinb

1:19--> 1:58 is a 39 second last 200m, a major blowup for someone of sub 2:00 capabilities. 1:55 off a 1:21 means a 34 second last 200, still kind of blowing up considering that you were averaging 27 for your previous 200m splits. Anyway, to keep it relevant, it makes DoK's point that 800m is a bad model for the OP's TT... if it were me I'd try to keep the splits as even as possible, accounting for wind.

jkizzle

Bike lexington stage race? Ill be there in a UK kit.

phatmonkey

I'll look for you. I won't be there in a kit at all...just a pair of hammer nutrition bibs and a jersey. Good luck.

jkizzle

red raleigh, white helmet

phatmonkey

See you there...08 specialized tarmac, white helmet.

Do you know when they are assigning start times?

fly:yes/land:no

it's an omnium, not gc, right? sprinters' dream stage race. a 2 mi tt, and no breakaways to worry about loewring your position. too bad i can't sprint.