First Time Racers, Tips and Tricks

Discussion in 'Racing and Training' started by JOx2, Oct 8, 2008.

  1. NoQueNo

    NoQueNo New Member

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    How you perform on race day depends on how you perform before race day. Get out and ride. Ride the type of terrain that you will be racing on. Occasionally, try to simulate efforts that you will experience during a race (e.g. fast start, attacking climbs, passing people, etc.)

    Have fun
     
  2. ghixon

    ghixon Look Ma - No hands!

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    If you survive your first race and become addicted, like I did, take a look at this book. Really follow what it has to say and you'll have a great place to start from.

    Joe Friel

    Or there are also these alternatives. Linda has a few different training plans for a race on short notice and if you want to go ultra endurance. (Thanks Luke)

    Training Peaks
     
  3. queenwilhelmina

    queenwilhelmina God Save the Queen

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    I need help with pacing. I tried doing a fast Fully Loop on the SS yesterday and I felt nauseous the whole time.
     
  4. sdyeti

    sdyeti New Member

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    ^^Interval training :)
     
  5. queenwilhelmina

    queenwilhelmina God Save the Queen

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    You KNOW I do lots of that Steph! But normally I only do them for 20 mins or so then I'm done. I don't know how to do them for 2 hours!
     
  6. vlad

    vlad Montrose Bike Shop

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    Two tips that have always made the difference for me:

    1) Get enough sleep the night before! Nothing worse than coming to the start line feeling slow and tired. If you can afford it, if you are serious enough about it, and if you need a couple of hours to drive to the race, get there the day before and get a motel or camp out.

    2) Eat a good breakfast! Stock up on the carbs. I typically have a hearty panckage and egg breakfast a good 3 hours prior to the race. This allows you to enough time to digest the food and not feel full at start time, but loads up your body with carb fuel.
     
  7. F.A.D.

    F.A.D. POWERED BY MUSUBIS

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    You mean to tell me that the 2 sausage mcmuffin w/egg (1 before the ride, and 1 during the ride), is not the "ideal" nutrition??????? Say it ain't SO! #-o
     
  8. Pablomatic

    Pablomatic middle:middle

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    If you include the tater totts, your cool.
     
  9. F.A.D.

    F.A.D. POWERED BY MUSUBIS

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    I use that instead of the gels..... Salt and starch baby!!:lol:
     
  10. J_Sims

    J_Sims tattooed scumbag !!!

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    it is an old adage but

    fail to plan... Plan to fail
     
  11. BoingBoing

    BoingBoing Team Sisyphus

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    Someone around here use to have this as a signature:
    "It's always faster to not crash than it is to crash."
     
  12. Pho'dUp

    Pho'dUp Spam Musubi MasherSS

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    I subscribed to the get enough sleep 2 nights before plan. Usually you're so jumpy and anxious night before the sleep you get is crap anyways.
     
  13. denmother

    denmother Gone riding....

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    Good idea!!!

    BTW, I sent a request to Gene to make this a sticky thread!!!;)

    Passing Tips:

    • Learn how to safely pass other riders. Look for opportunities to surge ahead of slower riders so you do not get stuck behind slower people on the singletrack.
    • Practice safe passing by saying "may I pass please" and "passing on your right or left".
    • Yield when others want to pass you. Be aware that you might get lapped and sometimes by more than 1 rider at a time. I have learned to ask how many are passing so I know when I can resume. Sometimes you have to pull over, but I prefer to keep pedaling and make them go around. Not everyone is polite!!!!! The rule of thumb is "to pass when it is safe".
     
  14. Pablomatic

    Pablomatic middle:middle

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    Good idea. This is a great thread, jojo. I've learned a bunch from these first two pages alone. Now I just have to get my butt out there and race. :bang:
     
  15. sdyeti

    sdyeti New Member

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    I'm not a nutritionist but I have heard from many reliable sources that eating a lot of carbs the morning of the event does not help as much as eating the carb-heavy meal the day before.:?:

    I was just joshing you Willie :D

    On a serious note...I have found that no matter how hard I ride, I cannot adequately simulate race-pace when I'm not racing. I think that's what's so hard about it. Like you said, we're doing 20 minute interval workouts but it's not enough to keep you lasting through the race.

    The only thing I've found that helps is to race more often so I push the limits of what my body can handle.

    What she meant (and I do the same program too) is this type of interval workout:

    20 min total

    5 min warm up

    30 sec hard effort
    90 sec rest

    repeat the hard effort/rest x6

    5 min cool down

    When I race (for some reason...adrenaline??) I can push myself a lot harder than when I'm out training. Maybe it's just being in that race-frame-of-mind?

    The intervals come after a solid 20-25 min workout involving weights and body weight exercises. So, I'm not sure how much of a warm up is needed beyond that?

    It depends on whatever level you are at...right now my 30 second intervals are at a perceived 9 out of 10. When I run/sprint, I can finish but barely.
     
  16. BoingBoing

    BoingBoing Team Sisyphus

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    Question:
    I read in some book that you don't want to coast on the downhills. You want to spin to flush out lactic acid. Thoughts anyone?
     
  17. sdyeti

    sdyeti New Member

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    I have no idea.

    But what I have noticed is that when I was out riding with a pro XC girl (who whupped my a$$), she was pedaling almost all the time. I realized that I coast too much while racing.

     
  18. davidB

    davidB Active Member

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    I was told that a couple days ago as well.

    It's called "soft pedaling." It keeps your legs from getting shocked once they start moving again.

    I've tried to do it in the past, but it has to come from a conscious decision, most of the time I forget because i'm trying to find oxygen.
     
  19. Red Ryder

    Red Ryder Member

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    +1, I don't even plan to sleep much the night before.
     
  20. genusmtbkr5

    genusmtbkr5 STR Moderator

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    Not sure about anyone else, but it takes me about 5 miles for me to get my legs and my lungs to wake up. I usually use those first 5 miles to warm up and ease into the pace I'm comfortable in.

    I'm also always shifting to maintain the cadence whether I'm climbing or on the flats.
     

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