Don't start too fast
Don't start too fast
The key to a fast time trial is pacing and, particularly in your first time trial, it’s easy to start too hard.
The key equation I had in my head was: how far is it to go and is my current pace sustainable? If the answer is yes then you’re not going hard enough, if the answer is no then it’s already too late, so the answer you’re looking for is maybe, and that effort is totally relevant to the distance.
If you’ve got one mile to go then you can go over the threshold. ‘Can I keep this going for one mile?’ is a very different question too, if you’re trying that hard with nine miles to go. That doesn’t work and you’ll soon pay the price.
It’s been described as a tightrope. It’s a bit like driving a boat with a hole on the front. You can bail out as quickly as you like but if you go too fast, and too much water comes in, then you’re going to sink. You have to slow the boat down so you can bail the water out to a manageable level. In an event like a time trial you don’t get time to freewheel or to stop and recover, so it’s always better to start under than over.