Training for a 10 Mile Time Trial

Bradley Wiggins, (who has a time of 17.58 for a 10 mile TT)

A Ten Mile time trial can taken anything between 17.57 minutes (over 33mph) and 40 minutes.
The current fastest time for a ten mile time trial is:

• Michael Hutchinson – 17.57 – Course: V718 – 24/07/2010

A good target for a fit club cyclist is to break 24 minutes. This requires an average speed of 25mph. Another target is to break 30 minutes (average speed 20mph often referred to as evens).

Tips for Training for a 10 mile time trial.

1. Mileage / Base Endurance

The good thing about racing 10 mile time trials is that you don’t need to do large volumes of miles. This makes it attractive for the racer who can’t spend all day riding. However, to make the most of higher level training, it is still important to build up a base of ‘steady’ miles first. If you are new to cycling it is more beneficial to build up a reasonable level of base fitness than jumping straight into racing. A good base for 10 mile time trials is perhaps 100 miles a week. If you do more, it will have some benefit; but is not essential.

2. Threshold Training Intervals.

The next real target training zone is what I call ‘threshold training’. Sometimes known as ‘lactic threshold’ anaerobic threshold. This is just below the pace of a 25 mile time trial. For myself, it involves training at a heart rate of 85- 90% max (or 184-190). I would say these are comfortably hard.  It is that level, where you don’t feel a build up of lactic acid in the legs. I often do this as a continuous 20 minutes session, rather than break up into intervals. As the season progresses, I may increase the duration up to 1 hour of this threshold training. See more on threshold training

3. Intervals above Race Pace / VO2 Max intervals

Early in the season, I may do interval sessions of 5 minutes which are close to ‘race pace’. This will vary from individual to individual. I feel it is this training where you really feel you make progress in increasing your speed. Basically, the aim is to keep a pace that would be difficult to maintain in a race for 20 minutes. It is the pace, that involves going a little into the red zone (above Aerobic Threshold). You will feel the build up lactic acid and it will require considerable effort to maintain your effort at this level. Typically, it is a heart rate of 95% or greater; but, it is not a flat out sprint. I find it easiest to do this kind of training on a long hill with a gradual gradient. I like to maintain a similar position to time trial and a high cadence. If you can do 3-4 intervals at this effort level, then it is a very good training session. In practice, you will find that by the third of fourth it is not possible to maintain the high intensity unless you are very fit; but don’t worry. The important thing is the quality rather than quantity.

See more on Vo2 max intervals.

4. Racing.

One of the best form of training is undoubtedly racing. Racing is one of the best ways to get fit. It also enables you to learn for yourself the optimal effort levels required to racing a 10 mile time trial. Another benefit of racing is that you are often inspired to give it everything when people are watching. If you are training on your own, who is going to know if you knock off early or give up after 10 minutes? Also racing gives you the incentive to try and improve your times; you can see how you develop through the season. Graeme Obree is a great believer in matching your training to your races. Every time, you do a 10 mile time trial try to feel you are going to give even more than last time. Push yourself further, go deeper. Don’t worry, if your time is disappointing. The thing is to aim for a greater effort and feel that sense of progress.

5. Training on Time Trial Bike.

If you have a time trial bike, the position will be somewhat different to your road bike. Therefore, it is advisable to do some training on your time trial bike. This means that your muscles will be attuned to the slight variation in position. Time trial bikes, especially with disc wheels, are also more difficult to handle. It is good to get practise in training and used to riding on the time trial bikes.

6. Recovery.

A very important element of training. After a really hard effort, give yourself time to recover. Long miles at a high tempo, won’t help that recover. Feel that if you give yourself chance to recover after racing / intervals, it enables you to go faster and harder at your next training session. If you come to interval training already tired, you won’t make that progress. If you go for a club ride, you might want to have a heart rate monitor to keep you going too hard. It can take discipline to force yourself to recover properly. But, the important thing is the intensity of your training and intervals.

My personal best for a 10 mile Time trial is 20.07, I set in 2011 on the F20/10. My best for a 25 mile time trial is 49.36 on the R25/13 – a higher average speed than for a 10. My long term target is to go under 19 minutes.

Other Tips for Riding a 10 Mile Time Trial

Me (T.Pettinger in a time trial. The position is not bad. But, since this photo, I have lowered my helmet position and lifted up by hands a little)

• Aerodynamics can make a huge difference! It’s not just about buying a time trial bike. see: improving aerodynamics
• Dealing with stagnant performance
• Don’t sprint from the start. Build up to speed over first minute.
• Generally, you want to maintain a constant power over the course. But, I advise going slightly harder up hill and into the wind. The reason is that the aerodrag is proportionately greater at higher speeds. Therefore, a slightly higher power at low speeds gives a greater return.
• See also: Tips for racing time trials

Fast Courses for 10 Mile Time Trials

The fastest 10 mile time trial is undoubtedly the V718 in Yorkshire. It is so fast it is very popular and can be difficult to get entry. After the V718, other fast courses include:

• Levens – L1015 0 Bradley Wiggins set 17.58 in 2006.  Has a ‘gift hill at the start and then all dual carriageway

• F20/10 on the A10 north of London. I did a pb on this course (F20/10)
• U47 on the Cirencester bypass. Getting more difficult to race on this course
• H10/8 – On A31. It is too hilly to be super fast, but it is a nice smooth road and mostly dual carriageway
• H10/181 – on A40 bypass. Has a slight height advantage all fast dual carriageway. But, also has a long drag to the turn. Needs an easterly wind to be fast. I promote a 10 mile time trial on here in May for my club Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team.
• E2 – Six Mile Bottom – A11 – Four Went Ways  quite flat and fast.
• A10/19 Etwall 10

Fastest Times for 10 Mile Time Trial

• Michael Hutchinson…. 17.57 – V718 ……..24/07/2010
• Bradley Wiggins………17-58*……16-9-06 – Average speed 33.426mph
• Michael Hutchinson……18-07……..25/05/08…………….National Champs……P881R
• Jason MacIntyre………18-12……..11/08/07………………Pendle Forest CC…..L1015
• Stuart Dangerfield……18-19.*……………………………….O10/2
• Graeme Obree………..18-27.*……1993…………………….Woolwich…….Q10/30…on fixed – the day before he broke the “50″ Competition Record !

Note Chris Boardman is said to have done a quicker time in an unofficial club event, time of 17.54 on a 108″ fixed.
* = competition record at the time

See also: Improving Times in a 10 Mile Time Trial

More Articles on Training

• 25 mile Time trial training
• General Tips for time trials
• Interval Training Tips
• Winter Cycle Training

Related Books on Cycle Training

Serious Cycle Training at Amazon.co.uk

Cyclist’s Training Bible – Joe Friel