Warm-Up For 1.5K TT

When you say 1.5K I assume you mean 1.5km, otherwise I would say skip the warmup for a 1500...

For such a short TT you're going to be heavy into the anaerobic pool. So it would make sense to touch into these zones. Be careful not to torch yourself in the warm-up - you can get too warm, heat is your enemy.

Generally you really want to try out warm up protocols in "B" races. In my experience I would try for something like this:-

5 mins easy
30 secs expected TT pace
4mins 30 secs easy
2 mins sub-TT pace
4 mins easy
30 sec TT pace
3mins 30 sec easy

Race.

mikesaif said:

I have a 1.5K TT tomorrow morning. Six hours later is the criterium. I have been doing a good 30-40 min warm up for the crit that has worked well for me but I'm wondering about what to do to warm up for the short TT.

I'm thinking of doing just a short warm up with a couple of one minute blows and thats it. My reason is that when doing training rides with 3 and 5 min intervals, I get out on the road and after 10 minutes get right into the intervals and the first interval is always the easiest.

Any thoughts?

So basically a 2-2.5 minute interval? When you do intervals of this length on your own, do you typically knock out your best on the first one? Second one? Later one? Replicate your training protocol for the race. For me personally my first is always a little low but opens up the legs for subsequent efforts. My 2nd or 3rd is usually the one to bank.

Craig Palmer is the Bike NZ Sport Scientist and is Alison Shanks personal coach. His Phd research is focused on the warm ups for severe intensity exercise. Ie 3000m and 4000m pursuit. We also learned from Simon Jones what the Brits did before 2004 Olympics and 2006 Commonwealth Games. Their contention is that people spend too much time warming up and leave a lot of form in the warm up that could be spent on the road.

For a Individual Pursuit or Teams Pursuit (3.52-4.25min) they use a protocol like this...

5-10min of light riding
8-10min building to threshold
2 x 10sec sprints
light spin to race starts

I like to use a wind trainer and when doing the threshold thing just start in sprocket 8 and drop down a gear every 60sec. The NZ Team use BT-ATS ergs as they supply a lot of resistance to allow the rider to get into the race range of power. Rollers spin out at 250-300 watts and most windtrainers spin out at 350-450 watts and these guys will often be averaging 500-600 watts in their races and it makes sense to do some efforts at this level.

The NZ team Kilo and Sprint riders will do 6sec efforts and will be looking at >1800 watt peaks so the erg needs to be up for that sort of punishment.

What is notable is that the longer the track event the shorter the warm up they use. When I rode a National Scratch Race final we averaged 48kph and I was cooking. Getting the legs ready is one thing but keeping the core temp down is another. At Beijing Alison Shanks and Hayden Roulston warmed up in a supply closet to stay out of the heat in the infield. Last year at Track Nats Alison warmed up in the tunnel under the track while the others warmed up in the infield where it was 30degrees (C). She was the only one whose times improved from the morning to the evening session.

The Brits will often only warm up for 5-7 min before a Madison event as they know the riders will be cooking within minutes and there are no water stops or ways to cool them once the race starts. In 2008 Hayden Godfrey only spent 5mins warming up for his events subsequent to the flying 200m round when he won the World Omnium Title.

Yes, there is certainly evidence that the "warm" in the warm-up can be detrimental to performance. I've seen some basic stuff looking at ice-vests and I know the AIS were looking at a slushie-style drink to help regulate core temperature. The engaging of the required energy systemsis not at question, its the heat that comes with it. Portable fans anyone?