What Warm Up For 10 Mile TT?

[mikesaif]

I will do my first ITT in 10 days. I usually do road races (not much warm up) and crits (a good 20-30 min warm up), but wondered what is usual or best type/length of warm up for a ITT?

My initial thought is to do little for a warm up as I can then start the TT and spend the first 5 min or so with a lower HR. Any help is appreciated.

 

[swampy1970]

In order to do a really good 10, you'll need a really good warm up and at the very least a drive around the course, noting the start, any turns, a distinct point at the 7 to 8 mile mark and the finish.

I used to like doing time trials and for short events like this I'd spend more time warming up than I would for the event itself. The warm up would be similar to a ramp test - start slow and relaxed and increase the pace every few minutes until I reached threshold (aka race pace) where I'd hold it for about 10 minutes. After that I'd take it easy for a few minutes and then ride above threshold for a couple of minutes. This would really hurt. Rinse and repeat a few times before doing a slight cool down and getting of just to pop in the race wheels, put on the top part of the skinsuit, grab the aero hat and head off to the start with a few minutes to spare.

If you haven't been to an event at the course that you're racing at, make a note of how long it takes to ride from where you're parked at the event HQ to where the start is, noting stuff like traffic lights etc. You'll likely get there a couple of minutes ahead of time - which is just enough to get off the bike and check that there's no pieces of glass/flint/road garbage embedded in the tire. Give them a quick check.

If they're starting riders at 1 minute intervals, start your stopwatch (if possible) when your "minute man" leaves.

Having done a really good warm up you'll be much better prepared for the start. As you said, start slightly slower than full on race effort but only for the first minute or two at the most. With the fact that it's a race and the extra adrenaline etc that feeling of 'slightly lower' than race pace will probably be pretty close to race effort. After the first mile you should already be on 'cruise' mode having settled into the ride. Try and keep the effort high during any turn or the turn around (if it's an out and back course).

The finishing effort. Don't leave it until the last 200 meters for a great looking sprint. That point that I mentioned at the 7 to 8 mile mark is a good place to raise the pace a little if you can. If you're already on the rivet and can't go any faster but will make it too the finish then you're doing well, but most folk always seem to have something left in their legs.

Once you pass the finish, try and get about 5 to 10 minutes of easy riding in. It helps clear the head as well as the legs.

Good luck and have a great ride.

 

[mikesaif]

Swampy, thanks for the info. So really you are saying I should have about 5-10 minutes from the end of my warm up to the start of the race? Or longer.

 

[swampy1970]

Swampy, thanks for the info. So really you are saying I should have about 5-10 minutes from the end of my warm up to the start of the race? Or longer.

I liked to get to the start with a few minutes to spare. 10 minutes is good if you're not parked too far away from the start - but don't forget that the ride to the start can (and should) be used to keep you ready. I wouldn't ride full gas to the start but I wouldn't be twiddling 42x17 either. 54x17 at a "brisk" pace would be a good pace to get my legs and head in the right place - it would also be the gear that I'd probably start it.

Which is another thing that shouldn't be left to chance - ride upto the start in the gear you're starting in. I know that it's a very high probabilty that if you change your gears at the start with your back wheel off the ground that all will be fine... but I feel there's a little bit more chance of a perfect start if you've already changed gear whilst actually riding before you get there. Just like checking for flints 'n stuff in your tire at the start that you might have just picked up (more important if you're riding lightweight tubular tires than regular clinchers) en-route from the car, you try to minimize the chances of something bad happening.

The timing depends on what you're comfortable with and what you'd like to do. I used to warm up on a little portable trainer, then swap out the back wheel and the bike would be ready. The tires would be pumped up, drinks (if any) would be ready, mitts, helmet, glasses etc would be layed out on in the back of the car and any creams of embrocation used would be applied before the warmup.

Since I was used to that routine it'd be pretty easy for me to run through it - but since it may be that this could be something new for you, I'd give yourself a little longer from the end of the warm up to the start. I wouldn't worry too much about 'cooling off' too much, you always have the ride to the start.

 

[swampy1970]

So where is the 10 at?

 

[TKOS]

x2 on the make sure it is int he right gear. I have seen so many riders at the start either do the crazy fast pedal from being in an easy gear or the massive mash that it isn't funny.

And if you watch the pros get ready for a TT, they certainly do a good bit of warm up. 10 isn't far so you want to have those muscles nice and loosened. Good luck.

 

[CdnRider]

Good info there swampy! I used to do a similar pre race ritual.

 

[smaryka]

Definitely a good warmup is worth it. You're going 20-25 min all-out essentially so you want to be able to tap into that from the first minute and not waste any time warming up during the race.

But I would caution against driving the course immediately before your TT as there are likely to be other riders already out there racing, so your car being there (along with everyone else who had the same idea as you did to drive the course before) is now extra traffic cluttering up the road they're trying to ride. As a rider, you wouldn't want to be held up at a roundabout by a rider in a car who's out scouting the course for later, so don't do it to your fellow riders!

 

[swampy1970]

But I would caution against driving the course immediately before your TT as there are likely to be other riders already out there racing, so your car being there (along with everyone else who had the same idea as you did to drive the course before) is now extra traffic cluttering up the road they're trying to ride. As a rider, you wouldn't want to be held up at a roundabout by a rider in a car who's out scouting the course for later, so don't do it to your fellow riders!

... or your car is now an extra vehicle out there providing that bit of extra draft that "dragstrip" time trial courses in England were infamous for. You wanted a fast time you found the timetrials on the big wide roads with a boat load of traffic.

'King' Alf demonstrating the 70's time trial pose - and riding in the middle of the lane (which caused all the traffic to pass him in the other lane thus providing a nice 'drag')

... it's things like that, combined with natural ability, that allowed Mr Engers to pull out the magical 49minute, 25 mile time trial over 30 years ago. Not bad with all those spokes, drilled holes in his cranks, chainrings, handlebars, gears, fluted and machined seatpost and swiss-cheesed brake levers/hoods. Pretty light but very unaerodynamic.

Look - brake cables that come out of the top of the brake levers. It must be old