Swancott time trial

[btchance]

My local cycling club is have a time trial series over the winter so we can judge our performance over time. This is the first time I've been able to make it due to the hospital, so I decided to come on out. It's a 9mile course, with relatively flat ares going out and back, with the middle having some false flat going into 4 quick rolling hills. I'm trying to use this as a way to learn how hard I can go and still have enough to push it at the end (something I always have a hard time with in the tris).

The weather was nice, upper 40s, sunny, and no wind. There was around 20 people riding. I was the first one to go off (boo, no one to chase) but was at least able to be warmed up for the start. I settled into a comfortable, but pushing it a little, pace, with the goal of making it to the 1/2 way point before being passed. (there are a lot of people much, much faster than me). Well, right about mile 4.5/5 I was passed by a lady who started 3min after me. She is an extremely strong rider who has pulled me back on group rides, so I wasn't too suprised to see her.

I had some difficulties on the false flat and rolling hills, like always. I just don't have the power in my legs or something to keep up a good cadence and just push through these. I've watched some other people in these areas and they never even shift, they just get out of the saddle and go. Me, I have to spin up them in a lower gear then shift up to the big ring for the descents. (I much prefer longer climbs where you have to spin up it. Then I actually pass people!).

Anyways, I digress. After getting through the hills and false flats, I had about 2.5/3miles left, so I started pushing it pretty hard. I got into a good rhythm again, at a high cadence, and settled back into my aerobars. Those things are fun! especially on some of the bends in the road. You really feel like you're one with the bike. I had no problems holding my line, but it definately felt weird steering, like one wrong move and that would be it. Bye bye! But I had no problems with them. I'm sure my confidence will go up with more time.

On the way back, two people who had passed me were riding back and were cheering us all on, which was cool. Definately helped me keep my legs going.

My overall time was 34:26, averaging 15.6mph. I was hoping for 16mph, but those hills and false flats were just getting me. Hopefully I won't be on call next month and will be able to get my goal of 16mph. I should have pushed harder because I could have kept going, but I did a better job than during some tris. But that's what this is for, to learn pacing for the summer races.

Numerous pictures were taken, I think at least 3, maybe more. Once I get them, I'll post them here.

[SheFly]

Good job on your first TT! If you can make this a regular workout, you will definitely see improvement over time, and hitting your 16 mph goal is very achievable!

In the rollers and false flats, try to push a bigger gear as long as you can, and if the climbs aren't really that big, stay in your aero bars. I only ever get out of my bars on the one BIG climb on our TT course, and I never shift into my little ring on the front. Pushing the bigger gears will help you with the power. Give it a try, and see how it goes.

Good luck on your next race!

SheFly

[RoadRaven]

Congrats on your first TT!!!
Thats about 25 1/2 km per hour I think?

Well done, its quite a different race to racing in a peloton and it takes a dedication and commitment quite different to starting a road race.

You are right - aero-bars are awesome. We are in the process of setting up my Giant as a TT bike, which will include bar-end shifters on the aero-bars... that should save me valuable seconds too.

I am a complete devotee of TTs and I look forward to reading your next race report!!

[btchance]

Shefly - I rode the course again today and made myself stay in a bigger gear - didn't really like it, but had no problem handling it (I have a tendency to want as easy a gear as I can use while still pedaling fluidly). It actually took a 1 1/2 min off my previous time and I wasn't even pushing the speed that hard. I definately need more time in the bigger gears, though, as my legs were getting tired at the end trying to keep a decent cadence.

I stayed in the aerobars for a longer time period. The area with the rollers is on a pretty rough road, so I'm not comfortable staying in them on that section right now. I use them on a couple of other short hills, and it worked pretty well.

Hopefully I'll get to do this next month with the club, otherwise I'll just ride it myself to see how I've improved.

[KSH]

Great job! I am scared to just go out there and try something like that... for some reason I think you have to go an 18mph average to even try.

You give me *hope* that I too can try this someday. In fact, I had a guy tell me I should go out and do it... now that I have a tri bike (aero bar setup).

Aero bars... they will give you speed! It does take some time getting use to them... I know it has taken me around 60 miles on mine to get to where I feel like I can somewhat keep a straight line. Well, the line is a little wavy... but I'm darn close!

Keep practing, and I am certain your average will jump up very quickly!

Great job on your TT and for having to courage to go out there and do it!

[SheFly]

Shefly - I rode the course again today and made myself stay in a bigger gear - didn't really like it, but had no problem handling it (I have a tendency to want as easy a gear as I can use while still pedaling fluidly). It actually took a 1 1/2 min off my previous time and I wasn't even pushing the speed that hard. I definately need more time in the bigger gears, though, as my legs were getting tired at the end trying to keep a decent cadence.

I stayed in the aerobars for a longer time period. The area with the rollers is on a pretty rough road, so I'm not comfortable staying in them on that section right now. I use them on a couple of other short hills, and it worked pretty well.

Hopefully I'll get to do this next month with the club, otherwise I'll just ride it myself to see how I've improved.

Nice job! Keep trying this with the bigger gears, and try staying in your aero bars as long as possible. As KSH says, though, it does take time to get confident enough in them. Over time, you will learn each and every bump on your course (I swear I can ride mine blindfolded ), and you will become more confident. A minute and a half is a good amount of time on a short course ....

We'll be waiting for the next report!

SheFly

[SheFly]

Great job! I am scared to just go out there and try something like that... for some reason I think you have to go an 18mph average to even try.

You give me *hope* that I too can try this someday. In fact, I had a guy tell me I should go out and do it... now that I have a tri bike (aero bar setup).

Don't be scared! Remember that TTs are really a race against yourself, and a guage to see how you improve over time. And with that fancy new setup of yours, you should be able to go out and rip off a short course with no problems .

SheFly

[RoadRaven]

Hey there bt, glad you have had another go at the course.

Staying in the bigger gear is a good thing to do... ideally you should be aiming to get "on top" of a gear (do you use cadence at all as a measure? or your heart rate? either of these are useful measures of what you are or can achieve in a TT situation).
Once you are on top of the gear, move up another until you are on top of that, and keep going until you are in the biggest gear you can be in without dropping your cadence too much.

In a TT situation, many people drop their cadence a little - example, in a race situation (on the flat) my cadence is about 85-92rpm... but in a TT it is about 75-80.

If you have a heart rate monitor and you want to measure improvements in both strength, endurance and lactate threshold there are a couple of ways to do this.

ONE:
Ride a TT course as you did on your second go over the course... ride when the conditions are similar (wind, temperature etc etc). However, the time you do training on a TT course will almost inevitably be slower than when you are racing over the same course. So don't be disappointed if your improvements, when on your own, aren't as big as you hoped for...
During a TT (race or training) you should aim to ride at or above your lactate threshold (measured by HR if using a monitor or by perceived effort if not).

TWO:
Ride an Aerobic Time Trial (ATT). You do need a heart rate monitor for this one, and you should know what your lactate threshold is. Choose a 10/15/20km flat course (I use a 15km 'out and back' course). Ride the ATT course at 5-8 heart beats below your lactate threshold and time yourself. Do this every 4-6 weeks and if you are improving you will be able to ride the distance in shorter and shorted times without going over your LT.


How this works for me:

Resting HR 39
Lactate Threshold 159
Max HR 183

I ride a TT between 160 and 170 beats per minute - in a race situation I can do this for up to an hour before my legs are incapable of very much at all - my race TTs take no more than 40 minutes (and slowly I am shaving the time off this)

I ride an ATT at 151-154 beats per minute.


Good luck and I trust you keep enjoying, once you realise you enjoy doing time trials, there is no turning back >

[btchance]

Thanks for the tips and encouragement. I appreciate it.

RoadRaven - for now I am HR monitor-less; I go mainly by cadence (90-100), but I can tell that my HR rarely gets very high, whereas it sky-rockets when running. (I have figured my LT out when running, and it's around 175-180). My legs just give out strength wise before the rest of my body does. I'm going to keep working on using the bigger gears, and not worry if my cadence drops a little. I've had knee problems in the past so I have a tendency to over protect them sometimes. I'm also going to start doing some more work where I can figure out how hard I can push myself on an out and back course, and still get back to where I need to be . Guess that relates to LT also (hmm, maybe that HR monitor will be my Christmas gift to myself).

And the aerobars are becoming more comfortable, just not comfortable in any type of wind, though.

KSH - don't worry about being real fast for TT; this TT series I'm doing is put on by my club as a way to monitor fitness levels. It's great practice for tris, and hey, I'm not even the slowest one out there, and I'm pretty slow!

[RoadRaven]

Hey there bt... I understand you wanting to keep your knees safe and spinning... perhaps you try and spin a bit faster?

I use the "step up" routine outlined in the book "The Female Cyclist" to improve my cadence and that lifts my HR slightly...

You say your HR sky-rockets whilst running... I know that sometimes mine feels like it is but when I check my monitor it is 20 or so beats below where I think it is. Having a heart rate monitor is one useful tool in your training repertoirre, so def put one on your wish-list... but it is just one tool of many.

If you know where your estimated LT is, then work with that and aim to exert yourself to an extent where you place yourself near this zone that you recognise from your running.

If you do find you love TTs, then gradually keep working at increasing the gears but keep spinning them... sometimes you go faster by changing down the gear and spinning, than by changing up and grinding.

Glad the aero-bars are feeling more comfortable