How to enter an open cycling time trial by Pete Read.

If you need to know anything about any aspect of time trialling then please ask me via this page so everyone can benefit from your question and my answer.

I have asked for this page to be created especially for those of you who might want to include time trialling in your race calendar. It's not that I want to convert you all to time triallists, it's just that riding time trials really does complement triathlon as a time trial is so similar to the bike leg of a tri. In fact the bike leg of a 'no drafting' triathlon is actually a time trial. But as most of have probably realised, entering an open time trial is a complete mystery so I will explain below in detail exactly how to go about it............

1) The controlling body of time trialling is called Cycling Time Trials (CTT), the website is www.ctt.org.uk.

2) You will need a CTT handbook in which all open time trials in the UK are listed. This is available at a cost of £7 inclusive, either via the website or from the Clerical Officer, Vanessa Marsden, 01204-650238. 7 Baysdale Avenue, Ferncrest, Bolton, BL3 4XP. Or you could borrow some else's perhaps!

3) Once you have a copy of a CCT handbook in your possession the fun really starts as you will find the contents a complete mystery. There is so much unwanted needless information in this book it's untrue and you only actually need a very small part of it.

4) This year the list of open time trials starts on page 109, up to there it's mostly rules.

5) Select an event of you choice. These are all listed under date order and must be entered at least 10 days before the race is run so I suggest you enter at least 2 weeks in advance to be on the safe side.

6) The first column shows the distance of the race, the second column is a code of the course and although you would never guess in a million years there is a code breaking section starting on page 211. the course codes for this area are prefixed with 'V' for North and East Yorkshire, 'T' for Teeside, 'O' for South Yorks, 'A' for North Nottinghamshire, 'C' for Lincolnshire etc. So as an example on page 156, Sunday June 14th you will see an entry "10  V212  Â£7.00  1000  East Bradford CC  (Cheques to Susan Gaffney)". This means the distance is 10 miles, the course (look in the back at the code breaker) is from Boroughbridge to Walshford and back to Boroughbridge. The entry fee is £7.00, the start is 10.00am and the organiser is Susan Gaffney to whom your entry and cheque should be sent.

7) A time trial entry form can be found on the CTT website under the sub heading, 'forms'.

8) This form can be filled in with your details and printed off then sent with payment to Susan Gaffney to arrive at least 10 days before the event.

9) Approximately 4 days before the event you will receive a 'start sheet' with all relevant details of the race including headquarters and a list of riders and their individual start times.

10) Riders start at 1 minute intervals and your start time will be clearly stated alonside your name on the start sheet.

11) If you entered the above event organised by Susan Gaffney your start time would be after 10am as this is the time the first rider starts. So for instance it could be 10.29 which means you would have to be at the start line a few minutes before this time. If you arrive late you will generally not be allowed to start although there are some very rare exceptions to this rule.

12) When it's time for you to start you will be called to the start line and someone will actually hold you up while you clip into your pedals then the timekeeper will count you down, 5,4,3,2,1 go, and give you a push.

13) You then ride the course which will be well signed and marshalled, as fast as you are able and you will be timed accurately both at the start and at the finish. Your result time will be written up on a result roard in the headquarters within about 15 minutes of you finishing the race.

14) Approximately 10 days after the event you will receive an official result sheet with the results of everyone who took part.

And that's it in a nutshell. Please don't be put off by the apparent complexity of the above as it really is well worth the effort and actually nothing like as bad as it seems.

Don't forget, if you want any help get in touch via this page,

Pete Read.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This is a liitle guide on what to do

1. I am sure that a lot of people have thought about doing one but don't know how, where or why?
2. TT are regulated races on the great British roads and contrary to what a lot of people think it is not all about wearing a cone on your head whilst dodging HGVs on the A1
3. I did my first TT in 2006. I had to join to a club, the Yorkshire Road Club, there was a reason behind this choice for me but there are clubs all over the place and are all very friendly.
4. It is a fantastic form of high end training don't think just because you are racing long distance tri that you don't need to do this top end stuff (I have done 10 IM, numerous long course and half IM races) it has helped my cycling no end 
5.  Depending on where you live or how far you are prepared to travel there are races on most days of the week during the summer. I take part in the local Tadacster league on a Thursday evening which involves 5 clubs. There is the Pool Triangle on a Wed evening 12.5miles of hilly pain, York based clubs do there own series as well as Harrogate area if you live outside these areas then there will be one near you.
6. Most of the inter-clubs league cost  £1 to enter on the line, open events have to be entered prior to the event. The most I have paid to race is £9 and that was for the 25mile National Championships.
7. The courses range from pancake flat dual carriageway to sporting courses (hilly) I know that the York and Harrogate evening leagues are done on quiet back roads on sporting courses.
8. The range of ability in these things are vast don't think you will turn up and be last I would put money on that you won't be and you may surprise yourself.
9. You can wear your tri kit but it must have sleeves underneath!!!! One of the strange rules but on the evening races anything goes really.
10. The tt will give you a real insight into pacing be it a 10mile, 25mile or more and this is something I am still trying to learn it doesn't seem to matter what the distance is I still accelerate as hard as I can and attempt to hold it, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. 
11. Think about how many times you race tri in a year, once (IM), 5-10 times if you are lucky. In my opinion this will not make you race fit. If you can race against the clock once or twice a week for training, how much easier will the tri be, as the bike section will be no where as intense and it is an excellent way to get rid of race nerves.
12. A few of the club members do TT or have done in the past and have done quite well at various distances, Craig, Tim and I all race TT.
13. TT usually start in Feb and go through to Oct when the hill climbs start so why not try and get your season off with a bang instead of waiting till June you might actually enjoy it.
14. Apologies if it is a bit rambling but if you need any more info give me a shout. Now where did I put that turbo trainer!!!!! 

         Ratty  

Hi, for the Harrogate area see:  http://www.harrogatenova.com/  KRT cycle club has disbanded, however their web site will keep going see: http://www.krt.org.uk/  last yrs lge results can be found there. I dithered over going thinking that everyone there would be Lance Armstrong types, there are a few but most are just normal humans, honestly. Tim 

TIME TRIAL RACING OR TIME TRIAL 'DABELING' IN RYEDALE

I have been speaking to Dave from Yates's Cycles in Malton today ( after Pete Read rightly told me my front tyre was about to explode due to a bulge and perishing on Monday! Don't worry, I'm not being coached ... just bumped into him on a rare excursion out on the bike  ). As well as sorting me out with kevlar coated tyres he assures me should not puncture on IMUK ( he better be right! ) he also told me to take a look at www.maltonwheelersrc.co.uk if I fancied trying to ride fast on a Wednesday evening. Anyway, I have taken a look and am rather refreshed about the apparent simplicity of it all. There are various routes of varying distances from 5 miles up to I think 15 miles and each week they have a very straight forward time trial on one of these routes which appears to be open to all comers. I am not sure whether you need to be a member of a CTT affiliated club but I suspect not?  In any event if you are in NYP Tri you are in an affiliated club. Payment is £2. if you live near Malton you can almost free wheel to all the start locations. If you live in this area and fancy a pretty informal go at riding a bike as fast as you can before getting into the more serious Time Trial events this could be a good starter for 10, or 5!! or 15!!. I hope this is of some help to the several I know live locally. If you have a go please write about it and let us know what you think. PS. Don't forget you get 10% discount and some good service at Yates's Bike Shop if you show your club membership card!

Best Wishes, Mark Rees 220409