time trial

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A competitive event in which participants are timed, as in covering a set distance, often used to select qualifiers for another event.

A form of training often used by runners, cyclists, and swimmers, in which they race against the clock to establish how fast they can cover a particular distance. Many coaches believe that racing, even against the clock, should be confined to competition. They argue that time-trials focus on speed at the expense of endurance, and that overexertion during a time-trial may result in injury. However, time-trials below competition distance form an important part of the training programmes of most elite athletes. They provide feedback about the effectiveness of a training programme, and help to develop judgement of pace at racing speed. A major danger with time-trials is that the performer loses confidence because too much importance is placed on the times achieved. Also, there is often an expectation that each time-trial should be faster than the previous one. This is neither possible nor desirable, since a person cannot expect to train hard and perform well simultaneously. It is best to regard time-trials as diagnostic tools and not as measures of ability. Personal-best performances should be saved for competitions.

Situation in which an athlete (e.g. runner, swimmer, or cyclist) races against the clock to establish how fast he or she can cover a given distance. Time trials may be performed at the competition distance, above that distance, or below it. They may be performed with or without the assistance of other athletes. Time trials form an important part of most training programmes, offering important feedback about the value and effects of training.

In many racing sports an athlete (or occasionally a team of athletes) will compete in a time trial against the clock to secure the fastest time. In cycling, for example, a time trial (TT) can be a single track cycling event, or an individual or team time trial on the road, and either or both of the latter may form components of multi-day stage races. In contrast to other types of races, athletes race alone since they are sent out in intervals (interval starts).

In cross country skiing and biathlon competitions, skiers are sent out in 30 to 60 second intervals.

In rowing, time trial races, where the boats are sent out at 10 to 20 second intervals, are usually called "head races."

A similar race against the clock or time attack is often part of racing video games.

See also

• Biathlon
• Bushy Park Time Trial
• Cross country skiing
• Head race
• Individual time trial
• Isle of Man TT
• Team time trial
• Time attack
• Tour de France
• Track time trial

External links

Look up time trial in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Southern California Time Trial Racing
• List of cycling World Time Trial Champions

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