A guide to smashing your TT PB’s!

Now that lockdown restrictions are easing, it looks like we may have some time trial events on the horizon. We thought now would be the perfect time to release some tips on how you can come back into racing to smash those personal bests!

Training

Although training for a time trial may not be pleasant, it can be fairly straightforward. Time trialling is one of the disciplines in cycling that is quantifiable and can almost be calculated before you ride.

You really need to focus in on increasing your aerobic capacity and lactate threshold. Pushing these elements further will have a direct response on your time trial results. You need to delay the point where your body starts to accumulate lactate and then increase your tolerance to it. Exactly the same demands that you would find in a TT event.

For more information on this, get in touch so we can help you out on how to train to improve your aerobic capacity and lactate threshold!

Equipment

Time trialling is a discipline where you not only need good performance and power, you need good equipment. It’s common to see information about cycling products with the terms ‘watt savings’. Get on this! Make sure your equipment is not letting you down! Not only do you need the equipment, you also need to make sure you maintain it and reach race day in perfect condition.

Wheels, helmets, skinsuits… it all adds up!

Preparation

Your race starts 24hrs before you press start on your bike computer. The things you do the day before your race have a huge impact on your performance.

Make sure you get plenty of good quality sleep in the nights leading up to the event. You need to make sure that both your body and your mind are ready.

Have good quality foods the day before, quality food will fuel your performance.

Checking your equipment over and making sure it is ready and packed for competition day will take a pressure off your shoulders allowing you to stay focused and relaxed.

Warm Up

The warm up is commonly overlooked! I bet that the majority of people who think they warm up, don’t warm up well enough. Time trials are very stressful on the body, you need to prepare for that.

You can do your warm up on the road, turbo trainer or rollers, it does not matter but it needs to be a quality riding.

When you reach that start line, your body needs to be ready to perform. Effective warm ups have some key effects such as increased muscle contraction speed, facilitation of motor nerve unit activation patterns and increased movement economy. The warm up will also help to prepare you mentally, a big part in a solo race against the clock.

Aim to be at the time keeper / pusher offer a couple of minutes before you are due to start.

Pacing

Pacing is a huge element of time trialling. It’s easy to start far too hard which leaves you with nothing left on the later parts of the ride. Aim for a consistent ride throughout.

The use of a power meter has now made this far easier as the whole ride is quantified and measured. Find the pace you can ride at, then challenge yourself each race! Aim to start at 102-106% of your Functional Threshold Power and see how it goes!

If you have a good TT position and equipment, use it to your advantage. When you are under the average speed you need, push harder. Then ease off slightly when you are over the speed to focus on aerodynamics.

Contact us

You can get in touch with us for a free coaching consultation via our ‘Contact’ page.