• 20-30 min EZ spinning

• 3 min at supra-threshold (Vo2 max) pace/HR/power followed by 5 min EZ

• 20-30 min EZ spinning at AR pace followed by a recovery drink and lots of stretching

• Adapt according to what works for you 

2) Write out your intentions for the race. Include how you want to feel before, during and after, as well as what you want to accomplish. If we don’t know what we want, it’s unlikely we will achieve it. Writing makes it real, so make it believable, as it is not as effective if it’s not. Addressing the mental side of the performance equation is an often left out element that can make a HUGE difference. Give it a try and see how it goes! 

3) Take 5-10 min each day leading up to the event to visualize yourself having the performance of your dreams. Many of the most successful athletes practice some form of visualization and/or relation technique before their event. Just check out the winning US Olympic gymnasts when they are waiting to perform. 

4) Create a performance mantra to chant to yourself during the TT to keep your mind focused and positive. Again make it something you believe to make it as powerful and effective as possible. What we focus on becomes our reality and if we are thinking about how much our legs hurt, how fast the other people are going and how hot it is, then we shouldn’t be surprised when our power, cadence and spirits drop. Conversely, if we direct our thinking to our mantra, whatever it is, when our attention strays, then we are more likely to perform more optimally and feel better doing it. An example of a positive is: “I’m fit, prepared and doing my best”. Make it positive and believable. Sometimes, even making it rhythmical helps even more. 

5) Get a good night’s rest on Friday night as the rest you get 36 hours prior to race time counts most for a good performance on Sunday. 

6) Eat clean and hydrate. Don’t overdo either. 

7) Get there early - You don’t want to be rushed and stressed out going into your race. Give yourself enough time to get there, register and warm-up and be relaxed about it. The best athletes are quite often the most relaxed and confident going into their goal event. 

8) WARM-UP - If you don’t warm-up, don’t expect to perform at your optimal level. Give yourself 45-90 min to WU before your race. Here’s a sample WU for a TT to use on race day:

•  20-30 min EZ spinning

•  5 min slow ramp up to your LT pace in the last minute followed by 5 min EZ (i.e. ENDURANCE - TEMPO pace - LT)•  5 min at your TT (lactate threshold) pace/HR/power followed by 5 min EZ

•  90 sec at supra-threshold (Vo2 max) pace/HR/power followed by 5 min EZ

•  10-15 min EZ spinning at AR pace until your start 

9) DON’T START OFF TOO HARD!!! You can’t win a time trial in the beginning, but you can certainly lose one. People often feel good in the beginning and go too hard. Having a power meter can help you regulate this. Take the first 90 seconds to get up to the speed, power or heart rate (HR) that you TT at to allow your body to get into a rhythm. If you go out too hard, you can blow up and either limp the whole way or at least for several minutes until you can buffer the metabolic by-products of going too hard. A good TT looks like a slow ramp up until the end. It is better to have a consistent effort than one that starts out too hard. Know your TT pace/power/HR and use the one or ones that work for you. You should be finishing stronger than you started. 

10) Pacing - Stay focused and keep the power up. Too often people start to let their minds wander and inevitably, the power goes down. This is most common during the middle third of the TT, so be on the lookout for it. If you have a power meter, then keep the power up at your threshold if it drops and back it down if you’re hammering too hard. If you don’t have a power meter, then maintain your optimal cadence and aim for a HR at or slightly below your LT for the first 3rd, at or slightly above for the 2nd third and 5-10 beats above for the final 3rd as a rough guideline. Good old ‘feel’ is often the best method. You know when you going too hard or too slow. Pay attention and hold your feet to the fire until the end. 

If you address these key items, whether you win or lose, you’re likely to have the best time trial you’re capable of at this given moment. After all, you’ve invested the time and the money to do the event, so you might as well do all the little things that are FREE and can make a huge difference on the course. Most of all, remember to relax and have fun. After all, that’s what it’s all about anyways? Good luck on race day.