With much hesitation, I’ve decided to share my strategy for time trials. I grappled with this decision for quite some time, fearing I would allow my competitors to “steal my playbook.” This weekend is my first race of the year, the Jason Broom Individual Time Trial in Boise, Idaho. Revealing my secrets online could negate my strategic advantage. The Broom ITT is short at 10 miles, very similar to our local time trials on Foothill Road. Consequently, my strategy for both time trials is similar. Hopefully, you’ll understand the details of my strategy, because it is very complex. So. . .here it goes, my time trial strategy follows:
- Pedal as hard as possible (i.e. cross-eyed intensity)
- Slow down for the turn
- Repeat Step 1
Kidding aside, I have no reservations sharing my strategy. The key is conditioning, which come from good training before the event. However, there are some race day strategies that help me to do a good time trial. The most important factor is the warm-up. I do the same warm-up for both time trials and criteriums. Here is the sequence that works for me, which is based on some suggestions from Chris Carmichael’s book:
- Start timer 1 hour before start time. Always go by the clock at the start line.
- 4 minutes of preparation. During this time get on the bike with everything arranged and ready: energy gel, headband, towel, music, drink. Keep the helmet, race jersey and anything else you will put on just before the race right there. A trainer works best for ensuring the full warm-up can be carried out.
- 20 minutes long-ride pace
- 10 minutes tempo with lower cadence pushing TT type of gear but not getting heart rate up too high (about 160 bpm maximum for me)
- 2 min recovery spinning. Eat a gel.
- 4 min sub-threshold. Higher cadence and higher intensity (about 162-166 bpm for me)
- 2 min recovery spinning. At the beginning of this interval, double check the time. You should have 20 minutes to your start time.
- 2 min max interval. High cadence all out effort
- 4 min recovery. Jump off the bike and go to the bathroom.
- 2 min max interval. High cadence all out effort
- 2 min recovery spinning
- 8 minutes to get to the start line. Don’t forget race number and helmet.
Another important aspect is appropriate focus during the race. This is where practice pays off, and one reason we do our local time trials early in the spring in La Grande. Last week, I had a guest lecturer teaching self-defense in my class. His name is David Tift who does excellent work at Shelter From the Storm and the Take Musu Kai dojo downtown. A few things I gleaned really resonated as valuable in time trialing. When heart rate is high (about 170+ bpm) your body has some interesting reactions. Among other things, peripheral narrowing occurs (aka tunnel vision). Another reaction is stress-induced amnesia which can result in significant memory loss. For example, I had a very foggy memory of what happened in my TT a couple weeks ago. I vaguely remember passing a car from behind, a blizzard hitting me at one point, getting tossed around in the wind, and then a flat jolted me into reality. I’m convinced the sensory distortions and memory loss are to blame for the all-to-frequent freak crashes that occur in time trials. Crashes are expected in bunch racing, but not when the road is open for single riders. While the effects of stress vary for each individual, these points reaffirm my emphasis on focus. I focus on the following simple things:
- Line of travel: watching for potholes, bumps, and other danger but traveling as straight as possible.
- Intensity: Breathing is the feedback I like to monitor (deep not short shallow). I never look at heart rate, except after the race is over.
- Body position: keeping back horizontal and steady.
Cyclists ought to be concerned about style, because the beauty of the sport deserves this attention. Exhibiting good form on the bike is paramount regardless of physical condition. When I used to golf daily, I could always pick out the transient golfers who disregarded the morays of the sport. Individuals who carried their bags backward (clubheads aft), knelt to push their tee in, or made any running motion on the course brought disgrace to the sport. Novice cyclists can unknowingly make similar faux pax in relation to cycling, so here are my suggestions to avoid this:
- Unless you’re in a velodrome, never use toe clips: Toe clips are so old-school, they’re beyond vintage.
- “Need anything?”: Whenever passing someone with a flat or mechanical problem, always ask if they have everything they need. The answer is always yes, but the question is still obligatory.
- Never burden yourself with nonessential items: These include, but are not limited to, mirrors, backpacks, visors, bells, stickers, horns, stuffed animals, racks, reflectors, and spoke guards.
- Avoid riding on a sidewalk or walking path: These surfaces are for walking and running, both lower forms of locomotion. Conversely, roads are for cars, also a lower form of transportation. The edge of the road is for cyclists.
- Keep bar tape tidy: Loose or unraveling bar tape is a sign you don’t care about your ride. It is tantamount to eating off a dirty table.
- Always wear jerseys with sleeves: This is a controversial point, especially if it’s hot. Nevertheless, I stick by it. You need to burn pronounced tan lines mid arm, mid thigh, and above wrists as a branding of cycling dedication.
- Wear a modern helmet: I was a key offender here, but now I’ve learned. Vintage can be stylish, but not when it comes to head gear. Helmets are equivalent to hairstyles, and you don’t want to be sporting a mullet nowadays. Aside from the danger of a brittle old helmet, it really dates your cycling era affiliation.
- Keep pedaling cadence high: One of the easiest ways to spot an bad cyclist from afar is a slow cadence. Even if you’re going extremely slow, keep that cadence up.
- Nothing should flap in the wind: All clothing must be tight in order to keep the riding experience clean. The wind should slip off you rather than open your sail.
- Never flip you bike over for a roadside repair: This is bush, childlike behavior. The flip-over ruins your expensive saddle and handlebar equipment. Along with the pedals, these are the only contact points between human and machine. As such, they should receive commensurate respect. So, unless you plan to put some baseball cards between your spokes, hold the bike by the saddle for repairs or lay it gently on it’s side after removing the wheel.
- Skip your Ipod: Why listen to tunes, when you can enjoy everything else? Besides, it’s against the law in many states to operate a vehicle with headphones on.
- When catching another rider from behind, always ease up a bit, catch your breath, and then throttle by with a polite greeting as if you’re out for an easy ride: Okay, that’s poor style, and shouldn’t be on the list. Instead, easy up for a friendly chat.
Here is an additional rapid-fire list of obvious style violations:
- Kickstands
- Riding on the left side of the road
- Tossing your bike in the back of a pickup
- Littering
- Failing to signal (to other riders and cars)
- Taking it easy on a climb
These are NOT style violations, or myths about style:
- Wearing spandex, regardless of abdominal girth
- Downtube shifters
- Vintage bikes
- Panniers or other touring gear
- Spinning casually along
- Hairy legs (even for females)
- American-made bikes
Before you get too put off by any of the above, realize that I’m saying these mostly tongue-in-cheek. Being out on a bike in any form is a good thing. Add your take below, or point out something I missed.
