First Time Trial

Chips Lovell

My second bout of racing on the road was a 40km time trial last night. Having never tried anything like this I was a bit trepidatious.

This time around I rode out to the start in Batterstown and hoped that it would serve as something of a warm up. Met rogerb and Raam at the start. Raam was wasn't racing and had come out to have a look. He asked me what kind of time I was hoping to do. I had been thinking about this on the way out and said I'd go for 1:15, which seemed overly optimistic the more I thought about it, especially when I heard Roger was going for the same time.

Given that there's only two TTs in our club league, I was expecting most guys to show up with clip on aero bars at the most. Instead there was a remarkable amount of people with the full set up: TT bikes, disc wheels, skinsuits, aero helmets, the works.

People were being let off in one minute intervals. I was 19th. Rather ominously, Roger was 20th. The route was pretty straightforward. Down a road, round a roundabout and back to the start. The wind was with you on the way out and against you on the way back.

Then I was off. The first ten minutes were the worst. I felt horrible. I realised that I'd spent far too long standing around near the start and any benefit I'd gotten from my warm up ride was gone. My legs felt like lead. I dug in and tried to get into a rhythm. Sure enough, after a bit I started to feel better. Then I caught a glimpse of something on the horizon that helped spur me on. It was my minute man, the guy who'd gone off just before me. I now had something to aim for.

About a third of the way in, the first person passed me, a guy on a full TT rig who was drafting a car, which I'm pretty sure isn't allowed. Near the half way mark, rogerb comes by, looking very comfortable indeed.

As we went around the roundabout, there was three of us in close proximity, with Roger and my minute man over taking eachother on several occasions and me grimly trying to hold the pace not far behind them. Eventually Roger pulled away and I passed my minute man. Trying to hold the gap on Roger I spotted something else on the horizon, my two minute man. Dug in against the wind and eventually caught him about 10km from the finish. At this stage several of the disc wheel brigade begin to go flying past me, but I'm beginning to feel much better and push a bit harder. I dare to check my computer to see how I'm doing time wise and discover I'm just over an hour. Pushed a bit harder and crossed the line at 1:05:49. Not the greatest time in the world, but much better than I'd expected.

zzzzzzzz

el tonto wrote: »

My second bout of racing on the road was a 40km time trial last night. Having never tried anything like this I was a bit trepidatious.

This time around I rode out to the start in Batterstown and hoped that it would serve as something of a warm up. Met rogerb and Raam at the start. Raam was wasn't racing and had come out to have a look. He asked me what kind of time I was hoping to do. I had been thinking about this on the way out and said I'd go for 1:15, which seemed overly optimistic the more I thought about it, especially when I heard Roger was going for the same time.

Given that there's only two TTs in our club league, I was expecting most guys to show up with clip on aero bars at the most. Instead there was a remarkable amount of people with the full set up: TT bikes, disc wheels, skinsuits, aero helmets, the works.

People were being let off in one minute intervals. I was 19th. Rather ominously, Roger was 20th. The route was pretty straightforward. Down a road, round a roundabout and back to the start. The wind was with you on the way out and against you on the way back.

Then I was off. The first ten minutes were the worst. I felt horrible. I realised that I'd spent far too long standing around near the start and any benefit I'd gotten from my warm up ride was gone. My legs felt like lead. I dug in and tried to get into a rhythm. Sure enough, after a bit I started to feel better. Then I caught a glimpse of something on the horizon that helped spur me on. It was my minute man, the guy who'd gone off just before me. I now had something to aim for.

About a third of the way in, the first person passed me, a guy on a full TT rig who was drafting a car, which I'm pretty sure isn't allowed. Near the half way mark, rogerb comes by, looking very comfortable indeed.

As we went around the roundabout, there was three of us in close proximity, with Roger and my minute man over taking eachother on several occasions and me grimly trying to hold the pace not far behind them. Eventually Roger pulled away and I passed my minute man. Trying to hold the gap on Roger I spotted something else on the horizon, my two minute man. Dug in against the wind and eventually caught him about 10km from the finish. At this stage several of the disc wheel brigade begin to go flying past me, but I'm beginning to feel much better and push a bit harder. I dare to check my computer to see how I'm doing time wise and discover I'm just over an hour. Pushed a bit harder and crossed the line at 1:05:49. Not the greatest time in the world, but much better than I'd expected.

Fair play to you!

Diarmuid

Good man! That's a great time!

bunnygreen

very well done to you sir.

trek climber

Thats a great time - well done

Chips Lovell

Thanks guys.

Bunnygreen, were you racing last night?

Brian?

Well done man. Good time.

Never did a proper time trial, I did the cycle for a team entry into a Tri though. Them lads with their disc wheels can be upsetting after a while.

kenmc

briankeating wrote: »

Them lads with their disc wheels can be upsetting after a while.

Yeah it's hard to get the pump through their wheels, eh

well done though Mr Tonto

Caroline_ie

Well done!!!

I am doing my 1st TT this coming wednesday ... 10miles on flat. What time should I aim for? ... do the Zipps do the job on their own?

TinyExplosions

Congratualtions mate... does this mean the track racing is taking a back seat now? Would be happy to give ou 50 quid to take that track bike of yours off your hands :P

omri

what was your speed during tt ?

unionman

Well done el tonto, great achievement.

But far more importantly, a story well told.;)

bunnygreen

El Tonto,no wasnt out last night,no point in me time trialling,My helmet isnt long enough.

Chips Lovell

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I am doing my 1st TT this coming wednesday ... 10miles on flat. What time should I aim for? ... do the Zipps do the job on their own?

It's hard to say as I had no idea of how fast I'd go. Maybe find out what your average speed for races is and work it out from there.

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Congratualtions mate... does this mean the track racing is taking a back seat now? Would be happy to give ou 50 quid to take that track bike of yours off your hands :P

No, it doesn't. Still need to tweek the bike a bit and I've been worried too about burning myself out on a Wednesday night and then racing again the next night. I'll be back before too long.

omri wrote: »

what was your speed during tt ?

36.7kph average speed according to my computer. Was just over 40kph on the first 20km, but faded a bit in the wind on the way back.

bunnygreen wrote: »

El Tonto,no wasnt out last night,no point in me time trialling,My helmet isnt long enough.

You do get 5 bonus points though just for showing up;)

RobAMerc

Well done man thats brilliant stuff, and very well written too, I was on the edge of my seat !

blorg

Jesus Christ well done on that, overtaking the two guys ahead of you must have felt great!

Planet X

Good time El T.
Have done 4 25 mile TT's so far this year. It's a tough distance to get your head around. As you said, the first ten or so minutes are mentally tough, but you then drift into "The Zone" :pac::pac:

Doing a 50 mile in August with the Vets (IVCA), now that's one I'm not looking forward to, and a 25 the week before the 50.
My arse will be in ribbons......:eek::eek::eek:

hobojojo

el tonto, would you mind posting the route you took? interested in trying it myself

Chips Lovell

Planet X wrote: »

Good time El T.
Have done 4 25 mile TT's so far this year. It's a tough distance to get your head around. As you said, the first ten or so minutes are mentally tough, but you then drift into "The Zone" :pac::pac:

Doing a 50 mile in August with the Vets (IVCA), now that's one I'm not looking forward to, and a 25 the week before the 50.
My arse will be in ribbons......:eek::eek::eek:

Thanks Planet X. You vets seem to love your time trials. 50 miles? That's like 80km. Sounds like a total puke fest.

hobojojo wrote: »

el tonto, would you mind posting the route you took? interested in trying it myself

Sure thing. Here it is, although it is an approximation since there is no landmark at the start/finish point, just some paint on the road.

Planet X

Yeah, Vets use that course aswell. It's nice n flat.

Chips Lovell

Planet X wrote: »

Yeah, Vets use that course aswell. It's nice n flat.

Tis indeed, and you get a nice run at it as well. No major junctions or traffic lights.