Rookie race tips?

Condormoment

Hello.

I've just committed to my first competitive race, the Goodwood 30m 4th-cat race next Sunday. I've read through the posts here regarding rookie racers and it has helped a lot. I ride quite a lot with a club and so I feel fine about making the distance but less sure about everything else (speed, tactics). I guess I won't know until I try. Anyway, to ensure I do the best I can I'm looking for second opinions on the following; Nutrition/energy. Is it better to carb-up the night before and run on an empty stomach (09:30 start)? As well as an energy drink during the race, how about gels etc, will they make any difference IYO? Warm up; I could cycle over (an easy 8 miles) or try to get a circuit of the (flat) track before the start. I realise all this depends on the individual, but any tips (mental or physical) or inside knowledge will really help with how much I enjoy it.

Thanks.

brownbosh

Never go on an empty stomache. Carb loading will not work one night before. Make sure you are well hydrated eat a good breakfast 3 hours before. A snack an hour before the start and an energy gel (that you have already tried in training) on the start line. Take a bottle and drink regularly. Stay out of the wind and try to keep an eye up the track so that you can move up the group on the entry to any corners. Warming up on track is not always possible. 8 miles may be just enough warm up. Ride there steady with a few higher paced short hard intervals in the second half. Get there with plenty of time to spare and once you get your number on keep riding around gently to stay warm. As far as other tips are concerned try to get max draughting effect but near the outside edge of the group so that you can take evasive action if there is a crash. No matter how good you feel dont go on or off of the front until the very end. Save it, its easy t blow when you think you are doing ok. Just remember that it will hurt but thats only fleeting. Hang in there. Lower cat racing will speed up to the 30's (mph) but then will slow down and you will get a breather. Hang in there and ensure you finish and learn for the next time. Good luck.

Tom Butcher

If it was me I'd just take a drink on the bike - don't bother with food over that distance. Forget about carbing up too - just stick to your normal diet and have breakfast maybe 3 hours before the race.

Warm up well - not just a couple of miles easy riding - that means getting there in plenty of time. In your case an 8 mile ride over might be OK but then you will have to sign on etc and end up cooling down again. A lap of the track isn't enough - sometimes races go off very fast and you can get dropped or end up paying the price later for not being warmed up at the start.

During the race ideally stay near to the front - I know not everyone can be in the front dozen and don't take silly risks to get/stay there but it's the best place to be for keeping out of the crashes and going with any attacks. On a circuit race for 4ths it's likely that some people will be dropped early on - so if you do end up at the back you may have to jump across lots of gaps to stay with the main bunch.

jibberjim

Unlike the others, I'm not going to say you should eat breakfast 3 hours before. Unless you normally eat breakfast at that time (ie you're racing at 9:30 at Goodwood, are you really up and eating breakfast at 6:30am normally?) It's best to stick to your normal routine.

For me, any early morning race is done on an empty stomach until the half hour before the race - any non-liquid breakfast just irritates me, and I'm not sacrificing sleep to put the time between the two. There's no reason to, especially for a 1 hour crit.

Having some liquid calories in the hour/half hour before the race will top up your liver glycogen stores that got spent overnight, but otherwise you're going to be pretty much full anyway. And it's going to be under an hour of work so you're unlikely to be able to consume all your glycogen anyway.

You probably don't need anything, even water on the bike for such a short race. However if you're use to drinking energy drink, I would recommend having some, it helps mentally if nothing else (and the science suggests even swilling and spitting energy drink actually improves performance 'cos your brain believes there's plenty of food around so you're okay to spend more energy)

Condormoment

Brownbosh, Tom, jibberjim, much appreciated guys.

nolf

Really wouldn't go on an empty stomach...

In cycling terms 1 hour is a rather short period of time, but you'll be surprised at how hard it can be.
At the end I wouldn't be surprised if you're realy tired. You may burn up to 1000 calories for 1 hours racing, plus the ride out and back.
I don't see the need to eat at 6am, but get up at 7:30 and finish eating before 8. Ride out will help your food go down, maybe eat a banana on the ride out.
On the start line you can eat a gel, but some people find this just gives them a short lived high followed by a crash 40 mins in.

I'd have 1 small bottle (500ml) of water/weak energy drink on the bike with you.

Afterwards, eat a banana soon after you're finished (don't carry it around with you...) and make sure you bring an extra bottle to hydrate yourself.

It's only an hour so you won't need too much food, but for longer races I alwasy take a large sandwich and some crisps for post race so I can eat within the 30 minute "window".

Good luck- tell us how it went!

Matchstick Man

Spit within your arms.
Don't spit over your shoulder or away from yourself - you'll hit another competitor and annoy them and probably get a slap as well. SPit within your arms while you're on the drops - that way you spit downwards and are unlikely to hit anyone else.
Don't make wild movements within the pack, everyone is depending on everyone else to get round safely and a ripple halfway down the bunch causes violent swings at the back.
Stay in the first third of the field otherwise you'll get caught up at the back (where the ripples are felt from idiots messing about halfway up the field)
Don't shout at people, keep your mouth shut and ears open. If someone's barking at you then work out quickly if they're having a bad day and are taking their frustration out on you or you're doing something wrong.
Don't brake unless you have to - it causes everyone behind you problems. Learn to scrub off speed by moving to the side of the wheel in front and easing off pedalling
Start near the front on climbs - if you're good then you get over the top and can get in a break. If you're bad then at least you're only at the back by the top.
If it's your first race then finish it whatever it takes it'll only get better

and don't be a ****. What goes around comes around and because you race against the same people week in week out, you'll soon find out how hard it is to get away if no-one likes you

Condormoment

Thanks to some top advice on this thread and others on this site I had a great time on my inaugural race today at Goodwood. Great weather, a good bunch of guys with very little argy-bargy, and for me a memorable day. If anyone's interested or if anyone is thinking of thier first race here's a brief rundown.

As advised I got up early and had breakfast 3 hours before the off (porridge, banana smoothie, scrambled eggs), got to Goodwood with plenty of time to sign on and enjoy the building vibe as people started turning up. Then I had time for three circuits of the 2.5 mile course to warm up, and all the butterflies vanished. Just as I got to the start line on my last warm-up lap the whistle blew to assemble for the off so I was luckily right at the front (as advised). I downed a gel, then we were off.

From then on it was a blur of concentration, the odd blast of speed, but lots and lots of fun. The first lap seemed to take an eternity, and although I felt fine the thought of 12 more was daunting. Even so I got the feeling it was not a fast race particularly, and I was surprised how I managed to stay near the front, but every now and again I felt the heat (literally) of the group which spurred me on again. I was concentrating so hard I didn't even look at my computer to check the speed or to take a swig of fluid. I remembered to stay off the brakes and to overlap the wheel and freewheel sometimes, but even so there were moments where I lost the wheel ahead and then had to work to get it back. A couple of times I had to get on the front just to keep out of trouble, not advised. I was impressed with the control and respect almost all the other rider showed, no undue shouting, pretty cool dudes from where I was. As the laps progressed my riding got smoother and more controlled and my confidence and energy stabilised. As there were about 7 others from my club in the race we eventually started working together in an unstructured way, which worked fine for a while, and there was a beautiful moment (for us) when we all seemed to forge through the group to the front. That broke down for the last third of the last lap and the group bunched up for the sprint to the finish. This was when there was a nasty crash, about 200 yards out from the line, when some guy or maybe two riders came off at 30mph (one guy was still prone on the track and getting attention from the ambulance after the end of the warm-down lap, hope the guy is not too badly hurt). A sobering moment. Anyway, I emptied the tank to the finish, finishing probably somewhere in the early teens. Not sure how many started.

So, how do I feel? I feel elated and maybe just a bit disappointed with myself. Elated because it was truly exciting to do, I feel I learnt a lot about riding a race and about my riding and a string sense of personal achievement. Disappointed because if I had not got carried away sometimes during the race and managed my energies better I may have finished higher or had more beans for the sprint. I guess that's what racing is all about, makes you want to come back and improve.

Thanks again for all the advice. See you out there.

brownbosh

that is a top first effort.well done.