first xc race, class question.

jacksonpt · Oct 12, 2004

can't really help ya with the class thing, but GOOD LUCK!!! :thumb:

MTB_Rob_NC · Oct 12, 2004

You might also want to check to see what the difference in distance is between Begginer and Sport just for your own satisfaction. For example if Beg is only doing 1 lap or something and you normally do 3, or conversly if Sport is doing 4 laps and you normally only ride 2 or something.

douglas · Oct 12, 2004

first, beginner class usually has no "beginner" riders in it !

If you were male, I would say definitely go beginner (there are some pretty fast guys that race beginner), and if you did kick arse, then move up to sport the next time you race XC

but being there are so fewer females that race, its a little different - a lot of the races I do there is only like 3 or less females in each catagory so almost all females podium...

look at mileage and look at how many females are racing, then decide

Heidi · Oct 12, 2004

They've hit it - look at the mileage. My gut instinct is to always tell people to just go for sport. You pay the same amount of money, but get to race further. If you can handle the distance, go for it.

Snacks · Oct 12, 2004

laura said:
i have my first XC race in 2 weeks. while i have never raced XC before, i have ridden the trail that the race is on about 300000 times. its one of the 3 local trails we have. also i have raced DH a couple of times and placed. my question is, should i race beginner. i dont want to sand bag, and i don't think we will have a lot of women racing anyway. or should i move it up to sport class. i know my technical skills are way beyond beginnner because there is nothing technical about this trail really. but i don't know if my endurance or racing skills are at sport level yet. i am very uneducated as to the rules of class placement. any advice is appreciated.

-la

I had the same issues my first season racing. I had way better tech skills than probably most experts but I was unsure of my fitness and endurance levals. I would race beginner if this is your first XC race, and go from there. Racing is a lot different than just riding the trails.

One other thing....I found that there were quite a few riders that had zero tech skills and would dismount to go over the smallest log or a rocky downhill sections, so you want to try and get clear of them.

HarryCallahan · Oct 12, 2004

I don't race, but have ridden with guys who do. "Race pace" is really fast, as in how fast can you go without blowing up, in other words, maximum sustainable effort. The adrenalin of having other riders around you also going fast helps. If you've never done two laps at your local circuit, you might want to try it. Good luck.

psycle-on · Oct 12, 2004

Since it is your first xc race, I would probably suggest beginner. You can see who else is in the class and if you know you are way faster than those women, then you can get registration to move you up to sport class. Something else to remember, it is easier to win beginner and move up to sport than having to tuck your tail and move down to beginner.

STUMPERJUMPER · Oct 13, 2004

I was in the same boat last saturday, My first collegiate XC race. Everyone told me to do C (beginner) for my first time to see what it is like. Even though i never considered myself a beginer and won by A LOT, i am still glad i chose C because i think it would have been worse to loose B, Plus it was a huge boost of confidence. Well, i hope my ramblings help you out.

Edit: i thought i should mention that all races were the same distance, and in our series you are not allowed to move down in category (ie. Sport down to beginner) so that might have also affected my decision.

blue · Oct 13, 2004

If you were male I'd say go beginner as here there is a massive gap between beginners and sports, but with so few female entrants typically...do whatever you can handle

douglas · Oct 13, 2004

good luck in the race!

I remember my 1st XC race - it hurt so much, but what a F'ing great time! (including a hard crash right at the finish line !)

ps: please make a post on your experience!

indieboy · Oct 13, 2004

race beginner
you know the trails which will help you out. racing and riding them are two totallllllly different things. you should go out one day, probably this weekend and do a race simulation. ride around for a bit and get warmed up, then sit around for about 5 minutes, then go out as hard as you can for that lap. if you can hold a good pace for the full lap see if you can do a second at that pace. if you can do two at a good pace i say race sport. if not race beginner.
good luck!!!

Sir_Crackien · Oct 13, 2004

start in the beginner and if you do really well don't think about it as sandbagging but as trying to find where you sit in their class system. but if you do well don't stay in beginner and go to sport, if the same happens then move up more and so on

indieboy · Oct 28, 2004

laura said:
well, i know somne of you asked for an update so,

the race was cancelled and probably won't be made up soooo, i won't be racing xc anytime soon.

gonna do the ampitheater of pain series??? or are they even having that this year

TreeSaw · Oct 30, 2004

laura said:
beginner is one lap which i can do easily. sport is two laps which i have never tried but feel like i could handle pretty well. see i was going to start riding two laps just to see if racing sport is feasible but its been monsooning ( new word for ya) for a week. if i race sport and place, i get a custom jersey. that is the biggest reason im thinking about racing sport. i'm such a chicken, i'll probably just race beginner and go for sport next time.

You should totally try sport. You will probably be disappointed if you race beginner and see that you could easily have raced sport. Even if you don't place, (I believe) you will appreciate the challenge. GOOD LUCK!!! :thumb:

indieboy · Oct 30, 2004

laura said:
is that xc or cross? i am planning to race cross this year if they do it again. i think only one other girl races so it should be fun.

yeap that's the cx series. they seemed to have some trouble with the series last year so i wasn't sure what was going on. i wanted to go out there and do a few but that was just to far to drive for a series that is obviously disorganized. espicaly when our series has done nothing but grow and become more competitive and then you've got the NC series (closer to me).

at any rate, if you do get to race some CX good luck with it. it's painful but it's a lot of fun and i've found that the ppl tend to be a bit kinder at the cx races.
as for the # of women that show up.......that stinks!!!! our womens A race is comprismed of 7 riders currently and the B group i want to say has atleast 5 ladies that show up each week and a 13 (maybe 14) yr old girl who races in the C class with the guys. i'd say if you lived closer you should come check it out but that's a long drive from memphis to GA for a 30 minute race....

Skookum · Oct 31, 2004

laura said:
well, i know somne of you asked for an update so,

the race was cancelled and probably won't be made up soooo, i won't be racing xc anytime soon.

i saw that comin, the word got out you had T.B.B.XC affiliations, and they all got scared.

first xc race, class question.

DH_Laura

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