Whatever type of cycling you do, it is important to pace yourself correctly to get the best from the ride. For a novice cyclist, it can be very difficult to know how to pace yourself. Many make this mistake of starting off too quickly and then suffer for the remainder of the ride.
Pacing in a Time Trial.
For a time trial, the correct pacing is one of the most important aspects of getting the best time. In essence, you want to maintain a constant pace throughout the race.
- Avoid starting off too quickly; allow yourself a minute or two to reach race pace. If you sprint out of the starting gate, you will create lactic acid, you have to carry around for the rest of the race
- Then try to maintain a constant pace throughout the ride. Never go into the red, an effort level which you would not be able to maintain. You want to try and ride at just below your maximum. It hurts, but, at the same time is sustainable.
- At the same time avoid relaxing on the premise you holding back for the end. If you can sprint for the line, you have held too much back.
- Maintain equal power, not constant speed.
Negative splits.
This is the principle that you try to get faster throughout the ride.
In Chris Boardman’s world hour record attempt in 1996 he set a remarkable 56.375km. Even more interestingly he went quicker in the last half of the ride. His last 6 Km was the fastest part of the hour record – he averaged an incredible 57.7kmph. Chris Boardman’s theory is that it is better to go harder in the last half than the first half. If you go too hard in the first half of the race, the lactic acid will slow you down in the second half. If you really go for it in the last part of the ride, the lactic acid build up has to be endured for a shorter time period.
Pacing in 4km Pursuit or Hill Climb
Even in a short distance time trial such as a 4km pursuit, prologue time trial or 1 mile hill climb. It is worth bearing in mind the principles of negative splits. You save your biggest effort for the last half. Of course, your intensity at the start will be very high. But, through the ride, you need to try and marginally lift the intensity. Going off too fast in a 4km time trial can be as damaging as in a 50 mile race.
Pacing in a Road Race
A road race is very different to a time trial. The nature of the race is that you won’t be able to get into a constant rhythm. You need to be able to respond to attacks. there will be times when the pace slows down and other times when you will be pushed to your limit just to avoid getting dropped. But, it is still important to gauge your efforts. Don’t waste your energy by making several half hearted attacks at the start of the race. Be patient, don’t follow every attack, but, try to work out the best way to use your energy. If you get in a break, you still need to try and be strongest at finish.
Pacing in a 100 Mile Ride
If you have never ridden 100 miles before, it is better to ride cautiously in the first half of the ride. Avoid sprinting up hills. If you are reasonably fit, then you can often cycle much further than you have in training, but, you need to do two things
- Keep to reasonable pace
- Make sure you eat enough.
There is nothing worse than going off in a 100 mile time trial as if it was a 25 and then suffer for the last 75 miles.
Power Not Speed
Another important principle is that pacing requires an equal and constant amount of power. If you look at your speed it can be very deceptive to your power output and effort levels. Going uphill into the wind may cause you to slowdown. The trick is to maintain high power levels when flying down hill with a tailwind. Some people swear by power metres as an excellent way to improve pacing.
Learn for Yourself.
The best way to learn the art of pacing is to ride more. To some extent it is only you who can work out the right pace. In the beginning it’s hard not to make mistakes; but, sometimes this is necessary.
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It all sounds incredibly painful – makes me rather glad I’m never likely to do it. But I admire those who can and do.