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Successful racing takes more than being in shape
There are really just two reasons to race
your mountain bike: you can race to have fun, or you can
race to turn professional and make almost no money.
For now, let's focus on the fun, because
that's what amateur cross country racing is all about. If
you enjoy pain, suffering, sweat, cramps, and burning lungs,
this is where it's at. In addition to those fine experiences,
racing can introduce you to many new friends, give you an
excuse to travel to some great places, and give you motivation
to train and get in better shape.
The key to keeping racing fun is to remember
one very important point: You are an amateur. That means
that your life, income, social status and credit ratings
don't hinge on the outcome of a Beginner or Sport race.
If you get up to Expert level, you can start to take things
seriously then. But until that time comes, relax, meet people,
travel and have fun.
On that note, here are some tips to getting
prepared
This is way too broad of a topic to be covered here today.
Hit your local bookstore, bike shop or visit Active.com
for more information about training.
You can find information about local races in MetroSports
Boston magazine, at a local bike shop or by doing a search
either on EFTA's
Web page, or NORBA/USA
Cycling's Web page.
EFTA (Eastern Fat Tire Association) has
way more local races and they are less expensive than NORBA.
Once you have chosen a race, you'll usually
save a few bucks- along with time and headaches- by pre-registering.
Race entries range anywhere from $15 to $50 depending on
the venue and what kind of additional swag you are given
(T-shirt, water bottles, etc).
If the race is going to be held someplace nearby, you'll
be doing yourself an immense favor by getting to know the
trails before the race. You can practice tricky sections,
find good lines and get to know the terrain. Knowing what
you are getting into will help ease any race day butterflies,
but some races (like the Vermont 50-Miler) don't allow you
to pre-ride the course, so find out before you go.
The day before a race is just about as important as the
race day is. You don't want to do anything that is going
to leave you tired or sore for your race, but it does help
to do a nice easy ride.
Drink plenty of water the day before the
race too as this allows your body time to go into the race
hydrated. And, even though there is some debate as to whether
carbo-loading really works or not, it certainly can't hurt
to have a nice pasta dinner the night before as well. (By
the way, unfortunately, having beers with your friends does
not count as carbo-loading)
It's also important to make sure that your
bike is running smoothly, so take a few minutes to check
over the bike's shifting, tires, brakes, chain, etc.
When tuning up your bike before a race, there is a fine
line that shouldn't be crossed. It has been my unfortunate
experience that sometimes when trying to make something
work better, it gets worse, and 10:00 at night, the night
before a race is no time to be lacing up a new wheel or
calling all of your friends for a replacement derailleur
hanger. Only you will know where that line of "leaving
well enough alone" is, but find it and stick to it.
Once your bike is dialed in and lubed,
you'll want to get your gear ready. Of course this includes
your helmet, riding clothes and shoes, water bottles and/or
a hydration pack, spare tube, miscellaneous tools, a pump,
energy food, racing information, directions, money, etc.
You'll want to bring extra food for gorging
on after the race, and a towel, clean clothes and toiletries
are important to bring too. Get everything packed up in
gear bags. Races start early and it is a lot easier to have
everything ready to go the night before. It sounds stupid,
but checklists do work.
Once your gear is all packed, your bike
is tuned, and you have been fed, it's time to set the alarm
and get a good night's sleep.
Okay, today is the day. Your gear is all with you; you left
early enough to stop for food and gas, miss the turn and
still get to the race with plenty of time, right?
When you get to the race venue, you'll usually find a registration
tent or table where you can either register that day or
pick up your pre-registered packet. This is also where you
will find information about the course, start times, racing
rules and other stuff. If you haven't pre-ridden the course,
find out if there are any steep, dangerous or tricky sections
that you need to be aware of.
After you've been to the "port-o-let,"
many times, it's time to warm up. A good 15-20 minute light
spin with a couple of short bursts of speed, followed by
some stretching, will really help loosen your leg muscles
up.
You'll want to make sure that you are at
the starting line on time, so watch the clock. Do a last
minute check of your bike and your gear, line up, relax
and get ready for the "GO."
The starts can be intimidating because it is a mass start
of anywhere from five to 205 people. Only you will know
where you want to be during that melee. There can be all
kinds of body and bike tangles, crashes and bottleneck traffic-jams
as you enter the singletrack. It takes a little strategy
and experience to avoid the pitfalls of a bad start.
Be in a middle gear that will allow you
to shift up or down quickly in case you need to pull ahead
of a crash situation or if you have to pedal up and over
a 10-person pile-up.
Some people like to take off as fast as
they can, in hopes of giving themselves as much of a lead
as possible, and others like to start slow and then work
their way through the ranks with the efficiency of the tortoise.
Your level of fitness, the size of the class and the terrain
of the race course will dictate what's right for you.
Passing is something that has a certain etiquette to it.
If a rider comes up behind you and says "track,"
that means he/she wants to pass you. You should let them
know what side you want them to pass you on by saying "On
my right" or "On my left". The rider who
wants to pass may just say which side he/she want to pass
on by yelling "On your right" (or left). You don't
have to stop, but these are sometimes riders in a different
class that have caught up with you, so be courteous and
try to let them by when it is safe for both of you.
Likewise, when you approach someone that
you want to pass, alert them as to what side you want to
pass on and then do it safely.
You will have to know how to fix your bike on the trail.
Racing rules indicate that you need to be self-sufficient.
So if you get a flat, you can't borrow a tube from a bystander.
You need to carry your own pump, tube, and any other tools
that may be needed. If you crash you could knock your steering
out of whack (yes, "out of whack" is a technical
term), warp your wheel, or break your chain so be prepared
to deal with any and everything that can go wrong with your
bike.
This is probably the most important aspect of racing because
you've got to keep the whole experience in perspective.
Sure, we'd all love to have perfect races and win all the
time. It's not going to happen though. You're going to have
bad races due to mechanical problems, bad starts, crashes
or any number of other disasters. You're also going to run
into the occasional butt-head that is willing to kill himself
in an effort to move up from 38th place to 36th place.
Let it all slide, because it's all part
of the experience. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best
and smile when it all hits the fan.
Well there you have it, all the ingredients you need to
be the next national champion! Well, maybe not, but remember,
racing isn't for everyone and it isn't the "end-all"
to mountain biking. However, done the right way, racing
is challenging, rewarding and a great way to suffer. So
sign up and get out there!
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Knowledge
is Power