First MTB Race this weekend?
Discussion
OK. So it's the first round of the Merida Brass Monkey series on Sunday.
I've never raced before. Not road, not MTB, not nothing. I've been procrastinating over doing it for so long, but never get around to it. My wife is on the warpath, insisting I enter (she's bored of me going on about it), and my coach (MadDad
) seems to think I'm ready for it. I have no excuse about getting to the event - it's a ten minute ride away from my house.
There are two options for my age group (Male, 40 to 49) and they are 2 Hours or 4 Hours. I'm more than capable of riding for 4 hours, but racing for 4 hours means more admin to think about. Things like extra fluids, food, and energy management to make sure I get to the end, all of which suggests that the 2 hour option would be better for my first race. But the 2 hour option feels like a bit of a cop-out, to be honest. I feel that, if I'm entering to test myself, I should go for the 4 hour race to make it a proper test.
Oh, and I need to decide and enter by midnight tonight (Mr Last-Minute, here
).
Any advice from others on here who've raced Enduro/XC mountain bike events before?
I've never raced before. Not road, not MTB, not nothing. I've been procrastinating over doing it for so long, but never get around to it. My wife is on the warpath, insisting I enter (she's bored of me going on about it), and my coach (MadDad
) seems to think I'm ready for it. I have no excuse about getting to the event - it's a ten minute ride away from my house.There are two options for my age group (Male, 40 to 49) and they are 2 Hours or 4 Hours. I'm more than capable of riding for 4 hours, but racing for 4 hours means more admin to think about. Things like extra fluids, food, and energy management to make sure I get to the end, all of which suggests that the 2 hour option would be better for my first race. But the 2 hour option feels like a bit of a cop-out, to be honest. I feel that, if I'm entering to test myself, I should go for the 4 hour race to make it a proper test.
Oh, and I need to decide and enter by midnight tonight (Mr Last-Minute, here
).Any advice from others on here who've raced Enduro/XC mountain bike events before?
Do 2 hours to start and treat it as a learning experience, if you do well you'll feel good and know if you would be able to gauge if you could carry the pace for four hours, if you do shi7e then at least you will only have been shi7e over 2 hours not 4 - plus you will be less likely to throw the towel in!
Going in with both feet for a 4 hour race could put you off it for life!!
Now, get out there and get training!
Going in with both feet for a 4 hour race could put you off it for life!!
Now, get out there and get training!
Riding a bike but going nowhere? Not for me, I'm afraid...Well. I've created myself an account on 'xcracer.com' and signed up to Paypal as well (at long last). My entry has been successful, or so the site says.
So I'll be racing for the first time ever on Sunday morning. Hopefully my new cassette and chain will arrive from Wiggle in time to be fitted for the race, or I'll be short a few usable gears. It's 'skipping' on the smallest three rings at the back since I fitted a new chain, so I've ordered a new cassette and another chain (just in case). Hopefully my car oil filter wrench will double as a chain whip to get the buggering thing off, though, as I've now realised that I've not got a dedicated chain whip of my own.
So the obvious next question is...
"what kit do I need, and is there any special admin/prep I ought to do to prepare myself for Sunday?"
...as I've said, I'm more than capable of riding for four or even more hours, but that's usually with stops for food and to top up bottles etc. For this race I'm going to have to carry everything with me, and I only have one cage in which to carry a bottle. Camelbak is a non starter (I can't find the bladder), and I'm going to have to consider whether to take cereal bars or other food, and if so, how much? I've never really used gels at all, so I don't think they are a good idea. Or will I even need any of that malarkey for just two hours? I might just lob a couple of bottles of Lucozade Sport and a Snickers into my pockets...
Any advice, especially from those PHers with XC/Enduro racing experience would be gratefully recieved. All I really need to do now is to make sure I get out of bed in good time on Sunday, and check the bike over on Saturday. I intend to just get around to finish the two hours for the first time out. My 'normal' pace plus a bit more effort, then cross my fingers and hope I'm not last! Anything else will be a bonus, I reckon.
So I'll be racing for the first time ever on Sunday morning. Hopefully my new cassette and chain will arrive from Wiggle in time to be fitted for the race, or I'll be short a few usable gears. It's 'skipping' on the smallest three rings at the back since I fitted a new chain, so I've ordered a new cassette and another chain (just in case). Hopefully my car oil filter wrench will double as a chain whip to get the buggering thing off, though, as I've now realised that I've not got a dedicated chain whip of my own.
So the obvious next question is...
"what kit do I need, and is there any special admin/prep I ought to do to prepare myself for Sunday?"
...as I've said, I'm more than capable of riding for four or even more hours, but that's usually with stops for food and to top up bottles etc. For this race I'm going to have to carry everything with me, and I only have one cage in which to carry a bottle. Camelbak is a non starter (I can't find the bladder), and I'm going to have to consider whether to take cereal bars or other food, and if so, how much? I've never really used gels at all, so I don't think they are a good idea. Or will I even need any of that malarkey for just two hours? I might just lob a couple of bottles of Lucozade Sport and a Snickers into my pockets...
Any advice, especially from those PHers with XC/Enduro racing experience would be gratefully recieved. All I really need to do now is to make sure I get out of bed in good time on Sunday, and check the bike over on Saturday. I intend to just get around to finish the two hours for the first time out. My 'normal' pace plus a bit more effort, then cross my fingers and hope I'm not last! Anything else will be a bonus, I reckon.Whilst not an enduro/XC racer, short course DH was my racing in my youth. I do know that it is highly recommended not to start messing around with gels, fluid and food this close to an event. You may end up using a gel that doesn't agree with you for instance. Clearly your in a better shape than me so I would just do what you normally would for a 4 hour ride hydration and food wise but consume it within the 2 hour session.
Grrr!Long range weather forecast had been predicting "cloudy, but dry" for the Sunday, and mostly dry leading up to it. Now the BBC Weather site is suggesting plenty of rain in the preceding days, with rain on the Sunday morning, just varying in it's intensity.
I've got my fingers crossed that the forecast will look better as it gets closer and more accurate. The chap I met out in the woods who was in the process of building the course (plenty of brand new sections to "add interest") seemed to think the weekend's weather was going to be good.
Now here's the question. If it's wet, do I dress for wet weather (as I would on a 'leisure ride') or do I not bother with a rain jacket, accept that I'm going to get wet, and dress for the temperature?
option 1 - compression base layer with short sleeve summer jersey over. lightweight windproof jacket in pocket
option 2 - compression base layer with long sleeve (PH) winter jersey over. lightweight windproof jacket in pocket
option 3 - look like a complete newbie, and turn up in a fluorescent yellow rain jacket
I also haven't decided between bib longs or 'normal' riding shorts with a pair of Ron Hill running tights over them, but I intend to go for 'legs covered' whatever the weather. Or I could bin off the PH decent jerseys and wear a fluoro orange Sports Direct 'el cheapo' jersey and jogging bottoms. It could lull the opposition into a false sense of security?
I'm seriously overthinking all this, aren't I?
Best advice I can give is to not take it too seriously. It's meant to be fun!
After my last experience of a Gorrick race, I'd print a copy of the confirmation email you got and take it with you for when you sign up.
I usually aim to get to the venue about an hour before my race starts and head out for a practice lap. It's always good to have an idea of what's coming next, which bits you can go hard at and where you can catch your breath. One lap at Minley should be a good warm-up.
Have something to eat before the race starts, whatever suits you but I usually have a banana.
Get to the start line in good time and try to relax.
If you haven't used gels and energy bars/drinks before, your first race isn't a good time to start as it could have messy consequences!
For a 2 hour race this time of the year I'd just take a single 750ml bottle, food-wise I'd just stick a handful of jelly babies in your jersey pocket and eat them on the way round.
I'm not sure how fast you are but you may find yourself getting lapped by other riders in your race or possibly from other races if there's more than one race on at once. Usually the faster riders will pass you quickly and easily as they're used to it.
Listen out for shouts from behind of 'on your left' or 'on your right' that's the side they're going to pass you on so don't move to that side as I've seen some riders do in the past, If there's room try and move over to let them by. If it's just the guy who's behind you rather than someone lapping you then don't let them past
Last but not least, enjoy yourself and let us all know how you get on
After my last experience of a Gorrick race, I'd print a copy of the confirmation email you got and take it with you for when you sign up.
I usually aim to get to the venue about an hour before my race starts and head out for a practice lap. It's always good to have an idea of what's coming next, which bits you can go hard at and where you can catch your breath. One lap at Minley should be a good warm-up.
Have something to eat before the race starts, whatever suits you but I usually have a banana.
Get to the start line in good time and try to relax.
If you haven't used gels and energy bars/drinks before, your first race isn't a good time to start as it could have messy consequences!
For a 2 hour race this time of the year I'd just take a single 750ml bottle, food-wise I'd just stick a handful of jelly babies in your jersey pocket and eat them on the way round.
I'm not sure how fast you are but you may find yourself getting lapped by other riders in your race or possibly from other races if there's more than one race on at once. Usually the faster riders will pass you quickly and easily as they're used to it.
Listen out for shouts from behind of 'on your left' or 'on your right' that's the side they're going to pass you on so don't move to that side as I've seen some riders do in the past, If there's room try and move over to let them by. If it's just the guy who's behind you rather than someone lapping you then don't let them past
Last but not least, enjoy yourself and let us all know how you get on
Over thinking, maybe! I've done a lot of amateur level XC races. Just wear and take your normal riding kit suitable for a 2 hour ride. Race pace is a lot different to a normal Sunday ride. It will be over quicker than you think. The biggest thing I've found is remembering to drink enough water!
Leave your food for after the race. Take a light jacket for the rain. You'll be swimming in sweat anyway.
Get out there and enjoy it!
Leave your food for after the race. Take a light jacket for the rain. You'll be swimming in sweat anyway.
Get out there and enjoy it!
Ive only done 1 race (a Gorrick XC a few weeks back) so im no expert, but heres my ill-informed opinion anyway.
- Food - just have a decent hearty breakfast 2-3 hours before the start of the race. Scrambled eggs and bacon on toast, mmm! Then, a banana just before the race as a top-up. Maybe some jelly babies for during, but are you confident you'll be able to extract them from your jersey pocket, one-handed, on bumpy terrain? I probably wouldnt bother.
- Drink - start drinking pints of water/juice at breakfast. Try to ensure your widdle is a clear as an alpine stream by the race start (thats my indication im "hydrated"). Obviously try to time it so you wont need a slash halfway through the race. During race, as its 2 hours, a 600-750ml bottle will be fine, but have plenty ready post-race.
- Clothes - weather dependent based on the forecast nearer the time, but unless its very cold on the day, i'd stick with lycra shorts on the bottom half, and up top a base-layer and your PH jersey! I prefer a merino wool baselayer, rather than super-tight synthetic compression tops which make me feel cold. Keep your fingers and toes warm, the rest of you will take care of yourself.
- Kit - bare-minimum... small saddle bag with spare innertube, levers, and either a C02 or standard mini-pump. Please tell me you replaced those ancient innertubes that have been patched a thousand times? Getting a puncture will be pretty much game-over.
- Race - mine was bedlam at the start, with everyone diving for a tight and steep uphill left bend. Hold back, let them all get it over with, and build your pace and (hopefully) start overtaking people when you feel good for it.
Otherwise, just enjoy it. You wont be first, but you also probably wont be last, and as other groups start behind you, or pro's start lapping, you will lose sense of your individual race, and just consider it more like you against the clock. Hope it goes well - not sure if i'll be able to, but if i have time i might pop down to watch.
- Food - just have a decent hearty breakfast 2-3 hours before the start of the race. Scrambled eggs and bacon on toast, mmm! Then, a banana just before the race as a top-up. Maybe some jelly babies for during, but are you confident you'll be able to extract them from your jersey pocket, one-handed, on bumpy terrain? I probably wouldnt bother.
- Drink - start drinking pints of water/juice at breakfast. Try to ensure your widdle is a clear as an alpine stream by the race start (thats my indication im "hydrated"). Obviously try to time it so you wont need a slash halfway through the race. During race, as its 2 hours, a 600-750ml bottle will be fine, but have plenty ready post-race.
- Clothes - weather dependent based on the forecast nearer the time, but unless its very cold on the day, i'd stick with lycra shorts on the bottom half, and up top a base-layer and your PH jersey! I prefer a merino wool baselayer, rather than super-tight synthetic compression tops which make me feel cold. Keep your fingers and toes warm, the rest of you will take care of yourself.
- Kit - bare-minimum... small saddle bag with spare innertube, levers, and either a C02 or standard mini-pump. Please tell me you replaced those ancient innertubes that have been patched a thousand times? Getting a puncture will be pretty much game-over.
- Race - mine was bedlam at the start, with everyone diving for a tight and steep uphill left bend. Hold back, let them all get it over with, and build your pace and (hopefully) start overtaking people when you feel good for it.
Otherwise, just enjoy it. You wont be first, but you also probably wont be last, and as other groups start behind you, or pro's start lapping, you will lose sense of your individual race, and just consider it more like you against the clock. Hope it goes well - not sure if i'll be able to, but if i have time i might pop down to watch.
yellowjack said:
I'm seriously overthinking all this, aren't I?
Err, IMO, yes! Clothing - just wear what you'd normally wear if out for a ride in the woods - wouldn't start changing things now as you're more likely to get caught out that way.
Likewise for food, though hydration as has already been mentioned should be upped if you are upping your normal ride pace.
Other than that, just ride the bike! Oh, and have some fun too!
Shame that pre-entry has now closed as I would have probably entered this too on an impulsive whim..!
Prior preparation prevents...... and you wont fare too badly. Does the bike work, is it clean, is every bolt tight, chainrings etc, is your favourite/comfiest kit dry and ready? are bottles clean and empty, zip ties for the number board, etc etc
I tend to do longer xc endurance races, normally as part of a team but twice now as a solo, a 4 hour and an 8 hour race. The 8 hour race was pretty easy to be honest as I was determined to pace myself, I planned a short stop after 4 laps and longer stop after 8 and I set a target of 12 laps (each lap was about 10km/40 mintes) but the plan was torn up when I binned it into some trees at 30 kmh and injured my arm... I treated the 4 hour race with a bit more urgency and considered it to be "racing", no stops, eating on the go, granted I was using a camelbak and had water in a pits area to refill it but others had bottles at strategic points on the S/F straight they were picking up each lap. Keep faff to a minimum.
2 hours isnt that long, just go deep into the red, aim to finish with nothing in the tank and keep the rest of the day clear for recovery. I am alsways surprised how fresh some peopel finishing races/sportives look, they seem to be to oscared of going intothe red and bonking. I had a horrid time once at Coed Y Brenin and really hit the wall but it made me realise how far from the dreaded bonk I actually am even when I feel shattered and think it must be just round the corner, but i digress....
I wouldnt do anything different from a normal ride to be honest, there is no point eating anything extra/different before hand, only you know how your body performs over time, whilst exercising and honestly, your body will cope with two hours of intense exercise without carb loading, without drinking gallons before hand, without bespoke training. Those things are essential for longer rides, for faster paces and for recover (mtb races I find, by nature have obvious recovery opportunities during each lap) but they are not essential for a one off 2 hour mtb race, where, with the very deepest of respect, you personally arent going to be in contention for a podium.
As far as food goes, avoid gels if you havent used them before, just have something in your pocket if you are going better than expected and can pre-empt a bonk, an energy bar cut up into quarters in your pocket to munch on as and when, there will most often be a flat straight bit on the course ideal for this. Keep faff to a minimum.
Dress for the second hour of the race, this is crucial ie start the race in what you will be comfortable wearing after 90 minutes riding at a good pace, its always better to be warm rather than dry and there is no waterproof jacket that will breathe well enough to stop you overheating so for me it would be l/s base layer, s/s jersey and bib shorts. I can almost guarantee the winner will be in s/s jersey and bib shorts. Dont bother takinga jacket, you will need to stop to put it on etc etc. Keep faff to a minimum.
As for tubes etc, have a tube and co2 taped to the underside of your saddle but be sensible about deciding whether or not to replace the tube or take the DNF. If you arent in the mix at the front and get a puncture, or its in the last half hour, take the DNF on the chin, its just not worth the hassle of replacing it on the course IMHO. If you are closer to the front, you will lose too much time and drop down the order regardless of whether you are a tube ninja using co2 etc. Saddlebags rattle around and would annoy me although if you have a small one you can keep everything tightly packed. If everything is in good oder etc, you wont need tools etc. Keep faff to a minimum.
but most of all, enjoy it and watch the collection of number boards grow...
I tend to do longer xc endurance races, normally as part of a team but twice now as a solo, a 4 hour and an 8 hour race. The 8 hour race was pretty easy to be honest as I was determined to pace myself, I planned a short stop after 4 laps and longer stop after 8 and I set a target of 12 laps (each lap was about 10km/40 mintes) but the plan was torn up when I binned it into some trees at 30 kmh and injured my arm... I treated the 4 hour race with a bit more urgency and considered it to be "racing", no stops, eating on the go, granted I was using a camelbak and had water in a pits area to refill it but others had bottles at strategic points on the S/F straight they were picking up each lap. Keep faff to a minimum.
2 hours isnt that long, just go deep into the red, aim to finish with nothing in the tank and keep the rest of the day clear for recovery. I am alsways surprised how fresh some peopel finishing races/sportives look, they seem to be to oscared of going intothe red and bonking. I had a horrid time once at Coed Y Brenin and really hit the wall but it made me realise how far from the dreaded bonk I actually am even when I feel shattered and think it must be just round the corner, but i digress....
I wouldnt do anything different from a normal ride to be honest, there is no point eating anything extra/different before hand, only you know how your body performs over time, whilst exercising and honestly, your body will cope with two hours of intense exercise without carb loading, without drinking gallons before hand, without bespoke training. Those things are essential for longer rides, for faster paces and for recover (mtb races I find, by nature have obvious recovery opportunities during each lap) but they are not essential for a one off 2 hour mtb race, where, with the very deepest of respect, you personally arent going to be in contention for a podium.
As far as food goes, avoid gels if you havent used them before, just have something in your pocket if you are going better than expected and can pre-empt a bonk, an energy bar cut up into quarters in your pocket to munch on as and when, there will most often be a flat straight bit on the course ideal for this. Keep faff to a minimum.
Dress for the second hour of the race, this is crucial ie start the race in what you will be comfortable wearing after 90 minutes riding at a good pace, its always better to be warm rather than dry and there is no waterproof jacket that will breathe well enough to stop you overheating so for me it would be l/s base layer, s/s jersey and bib shorts. I can almost guarantee the winner will be in s/s jersey and bib shorts. Dont bother takinga jacket, you will need to stop to put it on etc etc. Keep faff to a minimum.
As for tubes etc, have a tube and co2 taped to the underside of your saddle but be sensible about deciding whether or not to replace the tube or take the DNF. If you arent in the mix at the front and get a puncture, or its in the last half hour, take the DNF on the chin, its just not worth the hassle of replacing it on the course IMHO. If you are closer to the front, you will lose too much time and drop down the order regardless of whether you are a tube ninja using co2 etc. Saddlebags rattle around and would annoy me although if you have a small one you can keep everything tightly packed. If everything is in good oder etc, you wont need tools etc. Keep faff to a minimum.
but most of all, enjoy it and watch the collection of number boards grow...
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 19th November 10:56
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