First ever TT

[MikeG]

Right, so my first ever TT a month or so ago was a nightmare. A sporty course, a touring bike (no tri-bars or aero anything), and windy, but nevertheless 30.02 is just embarrassing, when I can average a tad under 19mph over 75 miles. So I had another go tonight, and got it horribly wrong again. I mean, how hard can it be to ride 5 miles in one direction, then turn around and ride 5 miles back? That's got to be the simplest event in history, right? Last time I went out too quick and blew up with a couple of miles to go. This time, I kept too much in reserve for too long, and ran out of road...........the finish line arrived too soon, and I had too much left in the tank. Still, at least I knocked 41 seconds off my previous time: 29.21, despite the strong headwind for the homeward-bound 5 miles.

So, do I retire, safe in the knowledge that this just isn't my event? Or do i just give it one more go and get down to 28 minutes? If there was any pleasure in it, I'd have another go...........

 

[jowwy]

Right, so my first ever TT a month or so ago was a nightmare. A sporty course, a touring bike (no tri-bars or aero anything), and windy, but nevertheless 30.02 is just embarrassing, when I can average a tad under 19mph over 75 miles. So I had another go tonight, and got it horribly wrong again. I mean, how hard can it be to ride 5 miles in one direction, then turn around and ride 5 miles back? That's got to be the simplest event in history, right? Last time I went out too quick and blew up with a couple of miles to go. This time, I kept too much in reserve for too long, and ran out of road...........the finish line arrived too soon, and I had too much left in the tank. Still, at least I knocked 41 seconds off my previous time: 29.21, despite the strong headwind for the homeward-bound 5 miles.

So, do I retire, safe in the knowledge that this just isn't my event? Or do i just give it one more go and get down to 28 minutes? If there was any pleasure in it, I'd have another go...........

Keep at like i have done - first TT on standarf road bike was 28:30 on saturday on the same course but on TT bike i hit a 26:09

By the way im 16st 12lbs and 38 yrs old. So not young or a flyweight either

 

[MikeG]

Keep at like i have done - first TT on standarf road bike was 28:30 on saturday on the same course but on TT bike i hit a 26:09

By the way im 16st 12lbs and 38 yrs old. So not young or a flyweight either

I'm 53. Does that help my case?

 

[jowwy]

I'm 53. Does that help my case?

Of course it does - TTs are not easy

But keep at it

 

[Jerry Atrik]

54 here , but it made me feel alive . New frame and groupset has arrived and put together but waiting on my new bars and stem from my LBS and wheels on order from Kinetic One . Have a bikefit booked for next Friday then will have a real bash at it , though nothing entered as such but a few club meets over the next few weeks over 5 -10 and 25 miles . And a big one up Haytor in the morning and Widdecombe In the afternoon .

 

[Joshua Plumtree]

54 here. PB 25.21. Hard as hell but determined to crack 24 and eventually aim for a longish 23. Certainly not easy as you get older though not impossible. A clum mate of mine has achieved a PB of a mid 23 this year at the age of 61!

 

[MikeG]

If you're doing 25's, then you are on TT kit, with an aero helmet and a skin suit, I presume?

 

[jowwy]

If you're doing 25's, then you are on TT kit, with an aero helmet and a skin suit, I presume?

No skinsuit for me - but i do use a TT rig, aero helmet and castelli aero 5.0 jersey

 

[MikeG]

No skinsuit for me - but i do use a TT rig, aero helmet and castelli aero 5.0 jersey

And that is making about 2-1/2 minutes difference to your time, roughly?

 

[Joshua Plumtree]

First TT this year on road bike with skin-suit and pointy helmet 27.05, second with same gear but using a TT bike of 25. 21, although conditions were better for the second attempt (less wind).

My advice, for what it's worth, is not to get too hung up with times at this early stage and to treat each TT as part of your training. Take's some of the pressure off and helps to focus more on longer term goals.

 

[Rob3rt]

And that is making about 2-1/2 minutes difference to your time, roughly?

2.5 mins is probably a bit optimistic, but MAYBE.

Tbh try not to get demoralised, pacing a 10 is hard, it's a fine line of going hard enough to go fast but not too hard that you blow given there is not a lot of time to right a mistake. Need to practice, if you train, practice pacing in your training efforts.

I made breakthroughs in 10's by farking up. I arrived at the start late meaning by the time my jacket was off they had said go, I then rode on adrenaline like a mad man, covering the course at 30mph (of course my official time was a bit slower owing to the delayed start) and putting out a massive power PB. After that I knew that I could push a lot harder and make it round! Confirmed it by riding a local course and just pushing relentlessly to stay at the power from the previous breakthrough 10, realised I was on a ride and pushed like mad on the way back, it hurt a lot, I felt like I was blowing up and I puked down myself at 8 miles but I made it to the end with a massive course PB and another power PB, took ages to recover from the effort, I was completely wrecked, but I got round. What I am saying is risk it.... You can probably push harder than you think.

Pacing a 25 IMO is easier.

 

[Joshua Plumtree]

Yer I think Robert's right to a degree.

When asked by a fellow competitor what time I'd done at an event, I answered that I didn't know because I never used a computer. I couldn't go any faster than I already had and looking at a screen wouldn't make any difference.

To which he replied: 'Ah, we'll that's where you're wrong, you can always push yourself to go faster, you just haven't worked out how to yet!'

Put it this way Mike, if you turned up to an event and someone said:

'Right, everyone under 25 mins gets a million quid bonus!' I 'd be willing to bet a million quid that you'd get pretty damn close to that time!

 

[MikeG]

Thanks Robert, Joshua. Yes, I've tried both extremes now in the 2 TTs I've done. Went out like a fool on the first one and blew up, then pootled around on the second and put in a burst at the end. I'm a hill-climber, really, and long distance rider. These TTs were only for a bit of fun, but the damn things niggle at me, given how fast I can go over long distances, and how I haven't gone much faster in a measly little 10 miler. On a relaxed geometry bike, riding on the hoods, I still think I should be doing around 27-1/2 minutes given what I do on, say, 100km rides. I think I'll set out a local 10 mile ride and just practice a bit.

 

[palinurus]

I mean, how hard can it be to ride 5 miles in one direction, then turn around and ride 5 miles back?

My (admittedly fairly limited) experience is that the shorter the event, the more difficult the pacing.

 

[jowwy]

Thanks Robert, Joshua. Yes, I've tried both extremes now in the 2 TTs I've done. Went out like a fool on the first one and blew up, then pootled around on the second and put in a burst at the end. I'm a hill-climber, really, and long distance rider. These TTs were only for a bit of fun, but the damn things niggle at me, given how fast I can go over long distances, and how I haven't gone much faster in a measly little 10 miler. On a relaxed geometry bike, riding on the hoods, I still think I should be doing around 27-1/2 minutes given what I do on, say, 100km rides. I think I'll set out a local 10 mile ride and just practice a bit.

10's are difiicult cause its about sustaining a high pace/ high power over a short distance, compared to your regular pacing on a long distance ride. Its defo not easy and its a whole world of pain from start to finish.

But it makes you want to come back and try again and again