$250+ for a skinsuit, $200+ for aero bars?  What are we paying in, Aussie Dollars?

@Jules, that's a great chart. Shoe covers...holy crap?! I wonder what "regular" skin suit would save vs the "swift suit"

@Gwynna, you'll get really big bang for your buck if you continue to train hard, incorporating TT intervals in your week. Raise that threshold baby! And do it in whatever aero position you can muster! You will rock it. And be better for it come cross season.

@Gwynna that chart assumes a "real" TT bike position which is difficult with a standard roadbike, because a TT bike has a much steeper top tube.

@Jules - I think you meant to say a TT bike has a steeper seat tube. One could approximate the steepness of a TT bike by slamming the seat forward and if you want to be really aggressive turning an offset seatpost around so the offset is forward, further "steepening" the effective seat tube angle. Doing so will however cause all sorts of issues with the cockpit placement. I'm not advocating doing that. Just pointing out there is a way to steepen the effective seat tube of a road bike.

I love the fact that shoe covers save you almost twice as much time as a full aero tt frame....marketers must cringe when they see that

Power meter or HR so you can implement an effort strategy and not exceed threshold too early.

Thanks @Craig, yes I meant seat tube

Gwynna,

Not sure what you have managed to acquire yet, but I can offer you a pair of Kissena (old graphics) shoe covers, and some TT clip on bars.  However, the bars are maybe mid 90's vintage, which means they accommodate the smaller diameter tubing on handlebars.  I cant think of the actual measurement off the top of my head, I just know they dont fit on my newer handlebars.  I do actually have some older bars, come to think of it, so you could have both if you wanted.  

Gwynna Smith said:

 How do I stay focused and redlined for the duration? I suspect THAT is the best "free" speed I'll get. The rest is just dressing.

For me, this is the only time you are allowed to race/stare at your power meter. Whatever your number is, just keep it cranking and don't let it drop. If your mind wanders, so will your power.

It is easy to start hard, lose focus in the middle and then give it all you have at the end of a TT. The tough part is maintaining concentration in the "middle". One of the best strategies is to break up the ride into smaller segments and make each of them a goal. For example, even if you don't have a power meter you can maintain perceived exertion for each five minute period on your cateye or garmin. Or you you are recurring cadence or speed you can focus on those. Alternatively, if you know the course well, you can focus on maintaining efforts for each segment. The goal is to keep you focused and avoid letting your effort drop. 

The duration of the event makes a difference to the technique to employ.

The length of the event and the warmup should be inversely related.  For a 15 minute TT you should be looking at 90-120 minutes of warmup; aiming to get to the line dripping sweat with your HR on a hair trigger, ready to respond.

@Gywnna a 5-10 minute wait won't hurt things.

The latest from the L&C thread has me thinking.

As a mental exercise, and this is for everyone who wants to play:

If you were lucky enough to have ever been in a breakaway where your legs were being shredded, and your lungs were bleeding, how did you manage your own personal resources? Did you survive, win/show/place, or get dropped? What did you do right? What would you never do again? What could use some improvement? Put on your mentor cap; what kind of advice would you offer to someone less experienced than you?

Gwynna Smith said:

Jules, that's exactly what I was thinking - the start line should basically be a blip in my workout before beginning a long interval (also known as the Actual Race). That said, how do I avoid the 5-10 min standing around time at the start? I assume a TT gives you an exact start time so you could just set your trainer up nearby, but is it really possible to get off the line totally raring to go without having that awful stand-around time?

I might get to try one TT before I go, but even that is questionable. I'll be flying on theory here!

First, synchronize your watch with the official time.  Second, have everything set up so you can get off your trainer, switch/pull-on whatever gear is necessary, and get to the start line with about 5m to spare.  3. when you get to the start, check in with an official, they usually start yelling out numbers of people starting a few minutes hence.  If you can, just roll up and back until about 1m to go.  They might not let you roll, they might. 4. with 1m to go you should be ready to climb in the start house.  The games are a big event and I assume you'll be starting in 30s intervals.  So when you get off your bike, make sure you're in the big ring and your second largest cog in back (like 53x23).  5. Spin it around a few times by hand, just to make sure it won't mis-shift when you roll off the line. 6. Under 30s, get to the line, clip in.  THere will be a holder, so you can communicate with them to make sure you're absolutely upright, not leaning one way or the other.  reset your computer.  7. Start your computer with about 10s to go. 8. Some like ot get their breaths in sync with the countdown to roll off at the exact moment. 9. Go.  10. Many people overcook their first minute, which costs in the long run.

So this past weekend I heard, from two different racers comment on variations of the same "problem." They were in slightly diff't contexts, but both basically said, "When I get off the front, I just end up towing guys around because they're not strong enough to pull through, and if I slow up we just get caught by the pack." While every race situation is going to be different, there are a couple of ways on how to deal with "The Strong Man's Dilemma." The "solutions" are basically broken down into two categories: "Don't Care" and "Do Care."

Don't Care!

• If you are racing with teammates, then your move off the front will give your guys a break and ultimately set up the next move which one of your guys. Which should make you feel good about taking your cut of all that prize money (or slice of watermelon).
  

• You are so strong that you stay away, while driving the break and get smoked in the sprint, but still end up with 4th place or something. Which ain't too shabby in my book.
  
  
• Shred those dudes. You are so strong that you get away, stay away and win solo. (The dream scenario admittedly but it has been known to happen.)
  

Do Care!

• Dial it back. So here's the thing. When you are off the front, for most of us, panic sets in. And you think that you HAVE TO go full gas for the break to succeed. But that's just not the case. Yeah, if you are with some REALLY slow dudes and you have to slow down too much, you're caught, but then you default to the "I have teammates ready to rock next" scenario and it's all good anyway. BUT honestly if you ride at a pace and in a manner that allows your breakaway companions to contribute, you might be surprised that you riding a break at 85% of your best, might be enough to win the day. You are going to have to fuss with your output, see what's happening around you. Modulate and see what you can do. The thing to NOT do, is to look back see that you've gapped your companions, sit up, throw your hands in frustration and just wait for the pack. Give it some time. Give it some finesse. See if you can make it work.
  
  
• Pull longer not stronger. This is repeated on many a group ride by us mentor and more experienced types. The absolute NUMBER ONE KILLER of all breaks is the tough-guy who insists on pulling through with a brutish pull that gaps his breakaway companions and forces them to chase. Once you figure out the maximum pace the entire group can manage, then hold that effort level, but when you get to the front, stay there longer. And be prepared to complain to your teammates after the race that, while you stayed away, you got smoked in the sprint because you were pulling 90% of the time. Welcome to bike racing. Very few perfect choices/scenarios.
  
  
• Bridge to it baby! In my book this is the studliest way to race. Albeit perhaps the hardest. You let a break establish itself, you like the looks of it (good team representation from other clubs, more studs than duds already up the road, etc), and you use that beastly power to get up to the break. Malcolmson did it to good effect at Grant's Tomb. Garrigan prefers this technique as well, and used it to win in PP a month or more back. The advantage here is that you can "control" what the group looks like. If it's just a bunch of weaker riders, then don't bother. But if there are guns, prepare to explode across and add your ammo to the mix. Related, if you've just got strong diesel power, you are going to have to work on making your jumps as explosive as possible. You need to get separation from the field before they even have time to process just what happened. Otherwise, you just end up pulling the field to the break.
  

Marc, Start a new thread for such comments.  I'm thinking "3-D Chess on 2 Wheels (tactics and strategies)"

mugwump said:

Marc, Start a new thread for such comments.  I'm thinking "3-D Chess on 2 Wheels (tactics and strategies)"

Here is that thread

Going to Block Island tomorrow....If it wasn't named Block Island I would call it that anyway as I'm going to do a SICK BLOCK of training whilst I'm there.  Here's a BLOCK of gov't cheese...just for shits & giggles

^where is the SMH button?

Oh and the wheels are back.. Phill Wood bearings and a liberal slather of grease on all the internal bits and pieces...my wheel builder also cleaned my cassette. Time to ride in the wind and punchy hills..

^where is the SMH button?

Right next to the YGDC button...(you're gonna die clown)