First TT Tomorrow

[MickeyBlueEyes]

Planning on taking part in my first 10mile TT tomorrow evening. Are they enjoyable ? I've never been too hung up on speed, normally just like to get the miles in. Any advice for a TT newbie ?

 

[Rob3rt]

It is going to be personal preference on if a time trial is enjoyable. They are an exercise in pain and suffering but are incredibly rewarding!

Advice, don't set off too hard! Ease into it for the 1st mile or so, then ramp up to your sustainable limit and suffer! You should arrive at the end completely in bits.

 

[mattobrien]

You should arrive at the end completely in bits.

Love it. Have you considered a career in sales?

 

[jdtate101]

Best advise...warm up before hand. Never go into a TT cold otherwise you will REALLY suffer in the first few miles and may well fall flat well before the end. Take rollers or a turbo (or ride to the the event) so you can warm up for say 20mins before hand. Well organised TT's will give you a start time so you can finish your warm up just before going to the "ramp". That way your body is revved up and fully capable of the hard effort that you are going to put out.

Also remember not to just stop after the finish but spin out in a low gear for a short distance to warm down if you want to avoid cramps/doms. For 10miles you won't need any water or gels on route, so go light and nail it.

 

[Herzog]

As above, don't go balls deep in the first couple of minutes (it's all too easy to get excited)!

 

[Chris Norton]

Timing's the key, once you have done a few then you'll know how best to ride them. Go out at about 80 to 85% for a couple of miles then go to 90 for the middle section and then the last mile give it everything you have. Continue past the line and go off for a while for a bit of recovery.

But warm up first cos going cold will ruin everything you try to do.

Like strava, but official.

 

[VamP]

Best advise...warm up before hand. Never go into a TT cold otherwise you will REALLY suffer in the first few miles and may well fall flat well before the end. Take rollers or a turbo (or ride to the the event) so you can warm up for say 20mins before hand. Well organised TT's will give you a start time so you can finish your warm up just before going to the "ramp". That way your body is revved up and fully capable of the hard effort that you are going to put out.

Also remember not to just stop after the finish but spin out in a low gear for a short distance to warm down if you want to avoid cramps/doms. For 10miles you won't need any water or gels on route, so go light and nail it.

OT but are you in the Beacon? I rode Little Mountain yesterday - what an awesome event!

@ OP - enjoy!

 

[biggs682]

wicked let us know how you get on

 

[Nebulous]

Well I'm quite taken by them - very late in life to be starting and not tremendously good, though getting better!
I'd echo what people are saying about going too hard early on. Our confined 10 mile route has quite a steep hill about a mile in. On the line I'm reciting to myself "Don't go too hard on the hill, don't blow up on the hill, don't......" Then I always do.

 

[Sittingduck]

I have only done two and don't think I will ever be a TT specialist. It's a good way to measure your raw power 'n' stuff but for me, they don't get me excited. I tried not to go into the red for the fist cpl of miles, at least that was my plan but I realised when I turned off the slip road and got 200m up the dual carriageway into a headwind and going up a slope, that the plan was out of the window. Legs were screaming and I thought I was going to cramp up, by the halfway turn. The second half seemed slightly better and I got into the swing of it, by the end. It was quite fun to be able to go 'full gas' for a sustained period, I must admit. Not too often that you can do it, because of junctions or other cyclists to consider, if on a group ride. Like Rob says... pain and suffering - each to their own!

Good luck.

 

[zizou]

Are they enjoyable? Depends alot on your personality i think. It is after all the race of truth and there is no hiding place just you against the clock, there is a certain purity to that. For others though it can be a tedious affair, racing with all the fun sucked out of it.

 

[jdtate101]

OT but are you in the Beacon? I rode Little Mountain yesterday - what an awesome event!

@ OP - enjoy!

Yep, I ride with Beacon. Didn't do the LMTT as I was out in Wales doing the Dragon Medio Fondo route as I wanted to get some longer, contant grade climbing in as I'm preparing for the Marmotte this year.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Planning on taking part in my first 10mile TT tomorrow evening. Are they enjoyable ? I've never been too hung up on speed, normally just like to get the miles in. Any advice for a TT newbie ?

Racing against yourself? What's not to love!?!!

Enjoyable in the same way as getting blind drunk. The idea before hand seems like a really good one but near the end you will start to feel shoot and swear to never do it again. You will then go through the exact same process the following week.

 

[Spartak]

Well I'm quite taken by them - very late in life to be starting and not tremendously good, though getting better.

Ditto

...... and although very hard they are extremely enjoyable & addictive !

Not sure if hard is the right word, maybe challenging is more apt ???

 

[jazzkat]

I love them once I've finished

Someone described timetrialling to me as "it must be like giving birth. Absolute agony but with a great sense of satisfaction when it's all over"

Sums it up quite well I think!