Time Trials

100% new type of training for me this year as im working 12 hour days mon-fri these last 4 months and its going to continue for a long time, so im bagging the training for road races and want to just do time trials on my own.. try and inprove on a 10 mile tt as i have the perfect traffic free 5 mile road so it'll be an out and back tt..i have my base down with some longer intervals, but i'm not really sure on how to train for these.. 100% different from a 50-100 mile rr.. i have no power meter or hr monitor.. . just a bike..going online all i find id watts and all the modern day rich man stuff. i'm poor and have a bike and thats it.. what kind of intervals? how many? how long? 1-2-3-4-5? or 10-20 minute intervals? really not sure..thanks for any help

 

What pace are your shooting for?
How is the terrain?

I would probably just do 20 minute intervals, but 5 miles is too short for that.

You could just train on the stretch. A short warm up, 10 mile TT, rest. Repeat as necessary.

 

You use what you have. 5 miles out at the best speed you can manage. Then 5 miles back. You should be recovered by the next day.

 

The main difference in training for a TT versus a RR is that in a TT you can manage your use of power throughout the event whereas in a RR you are forced into anaerobic surges if you want to stay with the lead group. Depending on your courses and wind conditions, you may be able to ride the courses at a relatively constant power. In this case, you can focus your training almost exclusively on your aerobic capacity and not worry much about your anaerobic work capacity or neuromuscular power. Aerobic capacity is optimized by 10+min steady-state efforts. I tend to do long aerobic efforts (e.g., 30+mins) early in the season and shorten the durations (e.g., 10mins) at increased power as a percentage of my 1-hour power (FTP) as I approach a target event.

 

I think it actually depends on what you can do. If you can handle 5 miles then you can do it but if you prefer something else, then you can try what you think is best for your body?

 

thanks for the replies.. i was more curious on what type of training i should do.. i have 1000000000 miles of road to train on,and the perfect place to do my 10 mile tt. i would like info on what type of intervals, or hill repeats, or just the type of training to be good at a 10 mile tt. i can ride 26-27 mph on the tt's i did already. wanna get faster,, no areo bars, no power meter, and no hr monitor..1 minute intervals? 5 minute intervals? thanks for any training help..

 

If you read my reply above, that is exactly what I addressed. Even a 10 mile TT draws primarily on your aerobic capacity (as opposed to your anaerobic work capacity or your neuromuscular power). The best way to target your aerobic capacity is constant power efforts of at least 10 mins and at least 91% of your maximum sustainable one-hour power. I know you don't have a power meter and 91% of your 1hr power does not translate to 91% of your heart rate during a 1hr max effort. You're better off using rate of perceived effort rather than heart rate to manage your intensity. A long constant-grade climb is also good because then you can use speed to manage your intensity (~91% of your max sustainable speed). I always prefer doing intervals on an upgrade if possible, even if the event I am training for is flat.

 

A good wrist-mounted HR monitor (not the best for cycling, but still) are readily available at less that $100. You can even get one that mounts on your bars. I can't think of anything that could guide your training better than heart rate. The best alternative is the Rate of Perceived Exertion or RPE. These correlate very well with heart rate. Just a thought.

 

I think you should make sure you listen to your body and consult with your physician. Once you do that maybe you could start with VO2 max intervals the second day maybe you can do lower intensity and the third day a threshold interval session also train when motivated.

 

How long do you have before the events you want to do well in?

About 8 to 10 weeks out I'd transition from mainly endurance work (20 minute intervals) to more VO2 max efforts. Add some shorter 30 second, 1 minute and 2 minute intervals about 6 weeks out but make sure you're fresh when you do them - especially the 30 second efforts.

 

I don't think I've done much but yeah you need to see a physician perhaps who is able to consult with you.

 

Why on earth would he need a physician other than if he was TT'ing with his head down and poughed into the back of a parked car at 28mph?

If he starts to enjoy TT's then maybe a mental health professional would be worth a visit.

 

I have no experience on this but I enjoyed watching on tv the live coverage of the velodrome time trials. That was years back and there's no more of that now. I hope they can revive that competition because it's a good inspiration for beginners. From what I remember, the velodrome races was sponsored by the biggest distributor of bikes here.

The time trial was exciting when the other cyclist would be getting nearer and nearer as to lap the cyclist ahead of him. When the cyclist ahead would sense the rival behind him, he would sprint as if in panic.

 

Okay boss.

 

Warm ups and intervals are important to make the training more effective, if we are exhausted we can't even think clearly.