Time Trialing is a great way to get into racing. the concept is that you cycle as fast as you can over a specific course. The interesting part is that is it not an actual race as such, as every rider is set off at a different time and it's just left to them against the clock. There is no race to the finish line, or little idea of how you performed against your competitors until the end of the event.
How to pace yourself
Many Time-Trialists will start off too fast or too slow. If you start too fast your muscles will fill up with lactic acid and you will not be able to maintain a good pace. A steady and moderate start is recommended. Ideally you want to keep a consistent pace throughout the course. Many riders will go the other way and save themselves for the finish, remember this is a mental game of how much you can push yourself. Especially over a shorter event, you are always going to feel some sort of excitement at the end of an event and be able to push through.
Aerodynamics on the bike
Firstly don't be intimated when you look at Time-Trialist. Yes, there is a hell of a lot of equipment you can spent your money on. But you don't need it to get started. You just need, you, your bike. Even with you and your bike you can get down onto the drops and position yourself on the road to gain the best aerodynamic effect. When racing it's best not to look at stats such as Heart Rate or Watts as you would training. But just the speed, focus on how you are feeling inside and how fast the bike is going.
Getting Started
Time-Trials tend to be very friendly and welcoming events and more and more women are taking part. We can all do our part by giving female cyclists more opportunities by taking part in events. Check out the UK Time Trial website for events near you or if you are over 40 check out the Veterans Time Trial Association
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