This intensity is an important aspect of the training effect gained from paddling a TT. Time-Trials will generally make a paddler work at a higher intensity than sessions that are not against the clock \u2013 especially significant for those who train alone. If you don\u2019t have training partners to chase or be chased by, the clock is the next best motivator.<\/p>\n
Familiarisation<\/h5>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.performanceseakayak.co.uk\/Archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/IMGP2692-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>…for the cause.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBeing exposed to the pace and discomfort involved helps us to learn how to tolerate the physical hardship of exercising at intensity over a duration. The TT teaches you a lot about yourself; the feedback from your body is freely given, succinct and fairly plain. \u00a0It shows exactly where your physical and mental \u00a0limits lie – useful knowledge for a paddler preparing for challenge paddling.
\nUnfortunately, the only way you can learn these limits is through direct experience; reading a book of someone else\u2019s opinions doesn’t really help here… You have to go out and suffer for the cause.<\/p>\n
Pacing<\/h5>\n
Pacing is an important skill to learn, and once again, being exposed to it is the key to learning. \u00a0Over time a picture begins to build. It does take time, but eventually you start to know what pace you can maintain, how to set the pace required \u2013 how hard to start out, when to push, when to go easier, and what you can expect to have left in the tank towards the end. It\u2019s also important to learn how to maintain a constant pace with few references \u2013 i.e. when not paddling in a group.<\/p>\n
Initially it’s all rather tenuous, but later (after a lot of work) it \u2018just happens.\u2019 The more often you experience this the more familiar you become. It becomes easier to reproduce the optimum pace on the day. The Time-Trial is useful to obtain this frequent training exposure.<\/p>\n
Confidence<\/h5>\n
This exposure, this familiarisation, gives you a confidence that you can maintain the pace, that you can last the distance, that you can hold it all together until the end. You’ve done it before, many times; today is no different. It\u2019s only pain, it ends eventually.<\/p>\n
Setting a good TT time in training will lift confidence and self-belief a surprising amount; it puts an it\u2019s-important-in-my-little-world smile on your face.<\/p>\n
Monitor and Assess<\/h5>\n
A regular TT helps to monitor training progression and to assess current performance. The record of previous TT times helps here as we can see just how we are performing in relation to earlier attempts. From this we can tweak our current training, gain confidence or extrapolate future anticipated performance. \u00a0It can help us assess or judge performance throughout the training year and different phases of the training programme. A good TT gives few opportunities for excuses, it tells us exactly where we stand in relation to training performance. It’s important to know, though not always what you want to hear…<\/p>\n
Some TT\u2019s can be \u2018training TT\u2019s\u2019 \u2013 used primarily to expose to intensity paddling. Others are \u2018assessment\u2019 TT\u2019s \u2013 used to tell the truth and highlight ups and down within training. There is an overlap between the two.<\/p>\n
Motivation<\/h5>\n
A regular (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly etc.) TT adds a little focus and structure to a training programme. A monthly meet-up say, to have a regular \u2018mini-Worlds\u2019, will concentrate your training mind when you feel a little apathetic on those dark and cold winter nights. Knowing a ‘peer-performance display’ looms makes you get off your arse. In addition, as said previously, it motivates on the micro-level too – that is you paddle harder within the session.<\/p>\n
Social<\/h5>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.performanceseakayak.co.uk\/Archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/IMG_1773-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>Tall Tales…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSome TT\u2019s are private affairs but others can be an excuse for a bit of a get-together. \u00a0A group TT adds an opportunity for a bit of a dust-up, a mini-World Championships, or just a pretext for some banter and gossip.<\/p>\n
It brings paddlers together. As well as a chance to catch up, it also gives a low-key way to see how your training compares.<\/p>\n
What do we need for a TT?<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.performanceseakayak.co.uk\/Archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/IMGP2488-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n\n- A stretch of water<\/li>\n
- A watch<\/li>\n
- The inclination to paddle hard<\/li>\n
- A notepad and pencil (or the digital equivalent for you hi-tech types)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
…pretty \u00a0simple really.<\/p>\n
The Course<\/h5>\n
Can be either a \u2018one way\u2019 or an \u2018out and back\u2019. The out and back is the more common; it helps to average out external factors such as wind, river or tidal flow. It also makes logistics easier, you finish were you start from. Try to keep a fairly sheltered course. Open water courses are good for familiarisation \/ simulation work but have an element of exposure (you could well be paddling to wobbly-arms level remember) and may be difficult to schedule if they are affected by the weather.<\/p>\n
The Turning Point<\/h5>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.performanceseakayak.co.uk\/Archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/P1000842-225x300.jpg\")
<\/a>Make the turn-point obvious<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nNeeds to be obvious, fixed, and long-term permanent. Something that is going to outlast the seasons, and is not going to be affected\/removed by either man nor nature. TT\u2019s (and their times) can last for many years, even decades. It\u2019s frustrating if someone removes your turn point landmark after you have built up times for more than a year or two.<\/p>\n
Moving or Still<\/h5>\n
Some prefer a still water course, such as a canal or lake. The times are more directly comparable. For me in my latter paddling years I’ve grown to relish a moving water TT; it offers more options, demands more thought and is consequently more rewarding. Even on moving water, the times on a good out and back can still be surprisingly comparable \u2013 unless you make a mistake, or bad call. Moving water courses, weather river or tidal, do however have an optimum water level, where times tend towards best.<\/p>\n
Length<\/h5>\n
Size matters, but the length is down to you. Many competition paddlers will have a number of TT\u2019s, of varying lengths, in their toolbox. There is a big difference in the intensity, pacing and mental approach required between a 15 minute and a 2 hour TT. Length will also vary somewhat to match the real world: a planned 2 hour TT is going to get tedious if your canal is only 10 mins between locks.<\/p>\n
Your shortest course needs to be long enough that you need to pace it – that\u2019s sort of the point. Perhaps 10-15 min upwards \u2013 any less is a long sprint really. The longest needs to be not so long that you need 6 months to get over it, or takes so much time out of the day that you can only fit it in once a decade. That said it can be useful to have the odd \u2018Monster TT\u2019 hidden at the (very) bottom of the toolbox, it is good for that familiarisation \/ simulation work important to PSK paddling.<\/p>\n
Frequency<\/h4>\n
How often is hard to say, it is down to the individual and the training programme. But TT\u2019s need to come around regular enough to be useful to influence fitness and to motivate or assess. However they should not be so frequent that they cause long-term fatigue. As a rough guide the shorter the TT the more frequent it can (or should) be run. A short 10 min TT may be run weekly or bi-weekly say, used more for intensity paddling, but a long multi-hour affair may only appear every few months or so. \u00a0It will take time to recover from such an event.<\/p>\n
Examples:<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.performanceseakayak.co.uk\/Archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/IMGP2692.jpg\")
<\/a>Being exposed to the pace and discomfort involved helps us to learn how to tolerate the physical hardship of exercising at intensity over a duration. The TT teaches you a lot about yourself; the feedback from your body is freely given, succinct and fairly plain. \u00a0It shows exactly where your physical and mental \u00a0limits lie – useful knowledge for a paddler preparing for challenge paddling.
\nUnfortunately, the only way you can learn these limits is through direct experience; reading a book of someone else\u2019s opinions doesn’t really help here… You have to go out and suffer for the cause.<\/p>\n
Pacing<\/h5>\n
Pacing is an important skill to learn, and once again, being exposed to it is the key to learning. \u00a0Over time a picture begins to build. It does take time, but eventually you start to know what pace you can maintain, how to set the pace required \u2013 how hard to start out, when to push, when to go easier, and what you can expect to have left in the tank towards the end. It\u2019s also important to learn how to maintain a constant pace with few references \u2013 i.e. when not paddling in a group.<\/p>\n
Initially it’s all rather tenuous, but later (after a lot of work) it \u2018just happens.\u2019 The more often you experience this the more familiar you become. It becomes easier to reproduce the optimum pace on the day. The Time-Trial is useful to obtain this frequent training exposure.<\/p>\n
Confidence<\/h5>\n
This exposure, this familiarisation, gives you a confidence that you can maintain the pace, that you can last the distance, that you can hold it all together until the end. You’ve done it before, many times; today is no different. It\u2019s only pain, it ends eventually.<\/p>\n
Setting a good TT time in training will lift confidence and self-belief a surprising amount; it puts an it\u2019s-important-in-my-little-world smile on your face.<\/p>\n
Monitor and Assess<\/h5>\n
A regular TT helps to monitor training progression and to assess current performance. The record of previous TT times helps here as we can see just how we are performing in relation to earlier attempts. From this we can tweak our current training, gain confidence or extrapolate future anticipated performance. \u00a0It can help us assess or judge performance throughout the training year and different phases of the training programme. A good TT gives few opportunities for excuses, it tells us exactly where we stand in relation to training performance. It’s important to know, though not always what you want to hear…<\/p>\n
Some TT\u2019s can be \u2018training TT\u2019s\u2019 \u2013 used primarily to expose to intensity paddling. Others are \u2018assessment\u2019 TT\u2019s \u2013 used to tell the truth and highlight ups and down within training. There is an overlap between the two.<\/p>\n
Motivation<\/h5>\n
A regular (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly etc.) TT adds a little focus and structure to a training programme. A monthly meet-up say, to have a regular \u2018mini-Worlds\u2019, will concentrate your training mind when you feel a little apathetic on those dark and cold winter nights. Knowing a ‘peer-performance display’ looms makes you get off your arse. In addition, as said previously, it motivates on the micro-level too – that is you paddle harder within the session.<\/p>\n
Social<\/h5>\n<\/a>Tall Tales…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSome TT\u2019s are private affairs but others can be an excuse for a bit of a get-together. \u00a0A group TT adds an opportunity for a bit of a dust-up, a mini-World Championships, or just a pretext for some banter and gossip.<\/p>\n
It brings paddlers together. As well as a chance to catch up, it also gives a low-key way to see how your training compares.<\/p>\n
What do we need for a TT?<\/h4>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n\n- A stretch of water<\/li>\n
- A watch<\/li>\n
- The inclination to paddle hard<\/li>\n
- A notepad and pencil (or the digital equivalent for you hi-tech types)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
…pretty \u00a0simple really.<\/p>\n
The Course<\/h5>\n
Can be either a \u2018one way\u2019 or an \u2018out and back\u2019. The out and back is the more common; it helps to average out external factors such as wind, river or tidal flow. It also makes logistics easier, you finish were you start from. Try to keep a fairly sheltered course. Open water courses are good for familiarisation \/ simulation work but have an element of exposure (you could well be paddling to wobbly-arms level remember) and may be difficult to schedule if they are affected by the weather.<\/p>\n
The Turning Point<\/h5>\n<\/a>Make the turn-point obvious<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nNeeds to be obvious, fixed, and long-term permanent. Something that is going to outlast the seasons, and is not going to be affected\/removed by either man nor nature. TT\u2019s (and their times) can last for many years, even decades. It\u2019s frustrating if someone removes your turn point landmark after you have built up times for more than a year or two.<\/p>\n
Moving or Still<\/h5>\n
Some prefer a still water course, such as a canal or lake. The times are more directly comparable. For me in my latter paddling years I’ve grown to relish a moving water TT; it offers more options, demands more thought and is consequently more rewarding. Even on moving water, the times on a good out and back can still be surprisingly comparable \u2013 unless you make a mistake, or bad call. Moving water courses, weather river or tidal, do however have an optimum water level, where times tend towards best.<\/p>\n
Length<\/h5>\n
Size matters, but the length is down to you. Many competition paddlers will have a number of TT\u2019s, of varying lengths, in their toolbox. There is a big difference in the intensity, pacing and mental approach required between a 15 minute and a 2 hour TT. Length will also vary somewhat to match the real world: a planned 2 hour TT is going to get tedious if your canal is only 10 mins between locks.<\/p>\n
Your shortest course needs to be long enough that you need to pace it – that\u2019s sort of the point. Perhaps 10-15 min upwards \u2013 any less is a long sprint really. The longest needs to be not so long that you need 6 months to get over it, or takes so much time out of the day that you can only fit it in once a decade. That said it can be useful to have the odd \u2018Monster TT\u2019 hidden at the (very) bottom of the toolbox, it is good for that familiarisation \/ simulation work important to PSK paddling.<\/p>\n
Frequency<\/h4>\n
How often is hard to say, it is down to the individual and the training programme. But TT\u2019s need to come around regular enough to be useful to influence fitness and to motivate or assess. However they should not be so frequent that they cause long-term fatigue. As a rough guide the shorter the TT the more frequent it can (or should) be run. A short 10 min TT may be run weekly or bi-weekly say, used more for intensity paddling, but a long multi-hour affair may only appear every few months or so. \u00a0It will take time to recover from such an event.<\/p>\n
Examples:<\/h4>\n
<\/a>Some TT\u2019s are private affairs but others can be an excuse for a bit of a get-together. \u00a0A group TT adds an opportunity for a bit of a dust-up, a mini-World Championships, or just a pretext for some banter and gossip.<\/p>\n
It brings paddlers together. As well as a chance to catch up, it also gives a low-key way to see how your training compares.<\/p>\n
What do we need for a TT?<\/h4>\n
…pretty \u00a0simple really.<\/p>\n Can be either a \u2018one way\u2019 or an \u2018out and back\u2019. The out and back is the more common; it helps to average out external factors such as wind, river or tidal flow. It also makes logistics easier, you finish were you start from. Try to keep a fairly sheltered course. Open water courses are good for familiarisation \/ simulation work but have an element of exposure (you could well be paddling to wobbly-arms level remember) and may be difficult to schedule if they are affected by the weather.<\/p>\n Needs to be obvious, fixed, and long-term permanent. Something that is going to outlast the seasons, and is not going to be affected\/removed by either man nor nature. TT\u2019s (and their times) can last for many years, even decades. It\u2019s frustrating if someone removes your turn point landmark after you have built up times for more than a year or two.<\/p>\n Some prefer a still water course, such as a canal or lake. The times are more directly comparable. For me in my latter paddling years I’ve grown to relish a moving water TT; it offers more options, demands more thought and is consequently more rewarding. Even on moving water, the times on a good out and back can still be surprisingly comparable \u2013 unless you make a mistake, or bad call. Moving water courses, weather river or tidal, do however have an optimum water level, where times tend towards best.<\/p>\n Size matters, but the length is down to you. Many competition paddlers will have a number of TT\u2019s, of varying lengths, in their toolbox. There is a big difference in the intensity, pacing and mental approach required between a 15 minute and a 2 hour TT. Length will also vary somewhat to match the real world: a planned 2 hour TT is going to get tedious if your canal is only 10 mins between locks.<\/p>\n Your shortest course needs to be long enough that you need to pace it – that\u2019s sort of the point. Perhaps 10-15 min upwards \u2013 any less is a long sprint really. The longest needs to be not so long that you need 6 months to get over it, or takes so much time out of the day that you can only fit it in once a decade. That said it can be useful to have the odd \u2018Monster TT\u2019 hidden at the (very) bottom of the toolbox, it is good for that familiarisation \/ simulation work important to PSK paddling.<\/p>\n How often is hard to say, it is down to the individual and the training programme. But TT\u2019s need to come around regular enough to be useful to influence fitness and to motivate or assess. However they should not be so frequent that they cause long-term fatigue. As a rough guide the shorter the TT the more frequent it can (or should) be run. A short 10 min TT may be run weekly or bi-weekly say, used more for intensity paddling, but a long multi-hour affair may only appear every few months or so. \u00a0It will take time to recover from such an event.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n
The Course<\/h5>\n
The Turning Point<\/h5>\n
<\/a>Moving or Still<\/h5>\n
Length<\/h5>\n
Frequency<\/h4>\n
Examples:<\/h4>\n