How not to prepare for a TT, or TTing to the start of your TT

As much as I enjoy the intrinsic pleasures of a scenic bike ride, or a relaxing run, there is something that compels me race. I find satisfaction in pushing my body to its limits, and I'm thrilled to see that my limits are pliable. What goals once seems unobtainable, eventually are exceeded.

I did my first TT (time trial) tonight, and actually really enjoyed it. It felt like racing, I like to feel like I really went at my limit, and get all those good endorphins going.



Deciding to start putting on my aerobars at 4 pm with a start time of 6:28:30 in New Jersey was not good planning. I swapped out the road bars for bullhorns with aerobars which meant I needed new brake and shifter housing and cables, and a trip to the bike shop. At 5pm I was just starting to put on the bar tape and I didn't hit the road until 5:20. The TT was at least 50 minutes away in New Jersey, if I didn't hit traffic. Of course I not only hit traffic, but made a wrong turn and got mildly lost (usual course for me). I finally asked for directions and when I started seeing people warming up on TT bikes, I knew I was close, but it was after 6:20. I hadn't eaten anything, so I was trying to get down a power bar that turned into a gooey mess because of the 90+ degree weather. Not easy.

I saw a dozen riders lined up, some traffic cones, and an official with a clip board, so at least I knew where the starting line was. I pulled over and parked on the road, but I still had to register. I biked up to the start and asked the riders lined up where to register, and they sent me other way down the road. I finally got my number and I'm pinning it on while the guy tells me I have 2 minutes to make my start time. I book it back to the start line. I know the guy starting right after me, and he yells to get over and hurry up, because my 30 second man is about to go. I get in position with 40 seconds to spare!

He counts me down and pushes me off, but I've never even tried shifting yet, and the indexing on my bar end shifters is way out of adjustment, as I suspected it would probably be. I manage to get the rear shifter into friction mode, but I'm still in the small ring up front. I push the chain over but it drops and hangs around my crank. Somehow I managed to get it back on with a combination of careful pedaling, and sliding the derailleur over. My adrenaline is still going strong from just getting to the starting line, and by the time I first look at my computer, I'm ticking over 27, 28 mph. CRAP, waaay too fast. Over the next mile I manage to settle down to a good rhythm and tried to catch my 30 second man. I finally get past him at about the half way mark, and shortly after, I get passed as well.

Biking in the aero position was a very different experience. Instead of biking, it felt like I was piloting some machine. The sensation of speed was definitely heightened and I was captain of my carbon fiber craft.

I have no idea what I can sustain for a TT, so I'm just going with feel moment to moment. At mile 8.5, I start to crack, fortunately it is just a 10 mile TT, so only 1.5 to go. But it was a struggle and I was pretty cooked when I finally got across the line. My time was 24:46, for an average speed of 24.2 mph, and I'm happy with that. No warmup, shifting messed up, never ridden in a TT position, 32 spoke box section wheels, road helmet, and first timed effort.

And of course I got lost going back home as well.

But that was fun. I think I placed 4th in my age group (scored by age, not category), but there may have only been 4 riders between 30-35. One of my season goals was to do 8 miles in 20 minutes (24mph), and I thought I was a long way from hitting that one. My next goal is sub 24 minutes for 10 miles, cracking 25 mph.

Now I want an aero helmet.