[robdamanii]

Anyone have tips for my first mountain race this sunday?

I'm pre-riding tomorrow (friday) and I'll be warming up on the trainer on sunday a little bit to get myself going before the race.

I'm planning to look for places I can rest a little bit on the trail (downhills, etc) and places I can push hard and sprint. Any thoughts on pacing? Hard beginning, pace middle and sprint finish or ramp up from the beginning and peak at the finish line?

 

[p2bigman]

yo man where are you racing

 

[robdamanii]

Stewart buffer zone.

 

[p2bigman]

cool wheres it at

 

[GravityFreakTJ]

Rob , everybody is different but here is a few things i try to do in my races.

1.Get to the start line early and get on the front line. Sprint at the start like a mad man. I would rather make them work to pass me than me have to work to pass them. I work on my sprints from a dead stop quite often. Some are on gravel/sand/grass/pavement and you will start in a different gear for each.

2. Don't settle in behind someone. If you come up behind someone,get around them.Don't just fall in and follow.Get up out of the saddle and crank if you have to but alot of the time once you pass someone you won't see them again.

3. Push it but keep it in check. Maybe if you let it rip alittle extra on this downhill you can gain 5 secs but if you wipe out you will lose a ton. I guess i am sayin don't ride over your head.

4. Don't forget to hydrate and eat the days leading up to the race. Its my expirence that what you eat the days leading up to the race are extremely important. As far as during the race forgetting to drink is easy to do as silly as it sounds. Eating during the race depends on the distance/time.

5. Just remember to save nothing. After the finish you want nothing left in the tank. There is nothing worse to me than to still have energy left over after a race.

6. Warmups are different for everyone. I spin for about 15 minutes and then do a couple of hard efforts to get my heartrate up in zone 1 for a bit....recover and repeat. I like to roll to the line with a nice sweat going. This is truly something that is different for everyone.

7. As close to the start as you can PEE! Doesn't matter if you think you don't have to ,go anyway, trust me it will hit you when you are on the line(nervous bladder).

8. HAVE FUN!!!!!
Anyway, these are just some suggestions so take em for what they are.

 

[LordOpie]

do you have/use a heartrate monitor? Don't go lactic until the very end.

Are you racing for fun or to compete?

 

[p2bigman]

cool when you are going lactic what should you do? drink

 

[robdamanii]

do you have/use a heartrate monitor? Don't go lactic until the very end.

Are you racing for fun or to compete?

I've got one. My LT is around 172 or so, so I'll be keeping myself under that point until the final sprint.

I'm not really racing for anything, since there's no cash prize, so it's pretty much for fun. I'm hoping to drop some hammer on someplace I've ridden a lot though.

 

[Westy]

The one mistake everyone seems to make in their first race seems to be starting off too fast and burning yourself up. Pace yourself!

 

[douglas]

what they said

also I see some beg's bring a camelback with 10 lbs of crap in it, IF you want to bring something keep it limited to tube, tire lever, co2...and maybe a mp3 player with rocky themes & Queens "we are the champion"

hahhaha

 

[TreeSaw]

The one mistake everyone seems to make in their first race seems to be starting off too fast and burning yourself up. Pace yourself!

Definitely!

 

[MMcG]

what they said

also I see some beg's bring a camelback with 10 lbs of crap in it, IF you want to bring something keep it limited to tube, tire lever, co2...and maybe a mp3 player with rocky themes & Queens "we are the champion"

hahhaha

maybe a chain tool or spare derailleur too.

My one XC race my rear derailleur sheared off about 500 yards into the course from a rock impact. I didn't have the tools with me to conver things to a SS (I probably wouldn't have been able to do it anyway) so I took a DNF in that race.

$35 down the drain. :mumble:

 

[erastusboy]

Def. have a sweat going into the start line up, and also STRECH. I have raced a decent amount and it seems like no one ever streches. It will keep you from getting that mild cramping sensation in the first mile or two.

 

[robdamanii]

So the pre-ride yesterday was an absolute sh!tfest.

I got stung by a bee getting out of the car to change into my jersey and such, but I didn't think anything of it and was fine for the first mile or so. After that, I started having trouble catching my breath and my heart rate was just way too high. I know I shouldn't be maxing on those trails since we've ridden them a fair amount before, but I was absolutely dying up there.

Not a fun pre-ride. All I can hope is that I'm in good shape going into it.

 

[douglas]

So the pre-ride yesterday was an absolute sh!tfest.

I got stung by a bee getting out of the car to change into my jersey and such, but I didn't think anything of it and was fine for the first mile or so. After that, I started having trouble catching my breath and my heart rate was just way too high. I know I shouldn't be maxing on those trails since we've ridden them a fair amount before, but I was absolutely dying up there.

Not a fun pre-ride. All I can hope is that I'm in good shape going into it.

did we not mention during the race you will (or should) be in total pain, HR going nuts, sweating like crazy, and breathing like a madman while asking yourself why am I doing this??

but when its over, you go home and start searching for the next race you can do

 

[robdamanii]

did we not mention during the race you will (or should) be in total pain, HR going nuts, sweating like crazy, and breathing like a madman while asking yourself why am I doing this??

but when its over, you go home and start searching for the next race you can do

Problem was I wasn't even going race pace. I was actually going snail pace most of the time, and I just couldn't get a decent breath. After doing some research, I'm fairly sure it was a reaction to the bee venom. I was so completely off my game it was horrible.

It's going to be a good race though. Hell of a course with some really gnarly stuff. We'll see how I fare with it.

 

[dogwonder]

Eat some food and preride the course with someone cool!!!

 

[robdamanii]

Eat some food and preride the course with someone cool!!!

I prerode with someone the other night. He was pretty cool, but he party fouled and forgot the beer. Although I don't think anaphalacitc shock is a good condition to drink beer in.

 

[N8 v2.0]

eat a noodle dish for dinner then early to bed. Make sure you take some electrolite tablets and some sports drink with your breakfast.

I like to start off slower at the back of the pack then pick up the pace and pass like mad! I find if I start at the front I ride too hard and burn myself out by mid way.

 

[robdamanii]

Finished at 46:10 for 7.4 miles. Felt good to cross the finish line and I paced myself pretty well for the first time out.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Finished at 46:10 for 7.4 miles. Felt good to cross the finish line and I paced myself pretty well for the first time out.

Place?

 

[bluebug32]

eat a noodle dish for dinner then early to bed.

Ask the friendly folks at Campmor if they want Rob eating a plate of noodles the night before he's within soiling distance of their shoes

 

[robdamanii]

Place?

8 of 12.

Leader posted about a 37 and change...pretty much sport class pace, but you know...those series points.

 

[robdamanii]

Ask the friendly folks at Campmor if they want Rob eating a plate of noodles the night before he's within soiling distance of their shoes

Damnit, everything I ate PRE banana was already processed, as was MOST of the banana. :mumble: