Race day Rituals

jonmack
jonmack Posts: 522
edited December 2010 in Amateur race
I haven't started racing yet, but I was lounging in the bath after my turbo session this evening and cycling was on the brain (as always). I started thinking to myself about morning rides I want to start doing before work in the spring, and thought to myself, is there anything people always do on race day? Could be the way you put your kit on, the way you check you've got everything in the car, or anything, does anyone have a ritual that they HAVE to go through before they go to a race or TT?

Hope to get some interesting responses on this one!

Comments

  • Lion-O
    Lion-O Posts: 48
    its the night before mate. legs done? bags packed? shoes? licence and helmet! most important. know when the race starts and where it is. when you need to arrive for your warm up. wahts the cousrse. what gears to have . whats the weather! you need any more?
  • jonmack
    jonmack Posts: 522
    Hahaha no those are great, I'd definitely make sure I'll have everything done the night before, but I was thinking more things you always make sure you do before a race, like listen to a certain song in the car to get you psyched up, or put on your lucky socks, or anything silly like that.

    I read PROs never shave the day before a TT, or the morning of the race, because it's bad luck :P
  • joeyhalloran
    joeyhalloran Posts: 1,080
    its not for luck, its the old wives tale that re-growing the hair takes energy. I agree with you though, some of the pros do odd things...like Cancellara holding his little angle thing at the end of roubaix.
  • Will.C
    Will.C Posts: 245
    JoeyHalloran wrote:
    its not for luck, its the old wives tale that re-growing the hair takes energy. I agree with you though, some of the pros do odd things...like Cancellara holding his little angle thing at the end of roubaix.

    I think that was a lucky charm he was given by his wife, she gave him one for flanders, he won, so she gave him another for roubaix.
  • ozzzyosborn206
    ozzzyosborn206 Posts: 1,340
    i have a mate who has 'lucky' socks, and has been late to races before because he has been searching high and low for them,
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Will.C wrote:
    JoeyHalloran wrote:
    its not for luck, its the old wives tale that re-growing the hair takes energy. I agree with you though, some of the pros do odd things...like Cancellara holding his little angle thing at the end of roubaix.

    I think that was a lucky charm he was given by his wife, she gave him one for flanders, he won, so she gave him another for roubaix.

    Wow, that's some wife - gave him one twice in just over a week :shock: :lol:
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Wearing the number 13 upside down is another standard. The guy given 13 at the Welsh champs this year joked about this but ultimately wore it the right way - he had quite a hard crash towards the end of the race! :shock:
  • jonmack
    jonmack Posts: 522
    http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/2010/12/ ... rstitions/
  • etapechamp
    etapechamp Posts: 81
    lucky socks and shoes work for me
  • P_Tucker
    P_Tucker Posts: 1,878
    Pross wrote:
    Wearing the number 13 upside down is another standard. The guy given 13 at the Welsh champs this year joked about this but ultimately wore it the right way - he had quite a hard crash towards the end of the race! :shock:

    Serves him right. I have waited YEARS to get the number 13 just so I can do this. In fact, I'm still waiting.
  • mentalalex
    mentalalex Posts: 266
    Do all your prep the night before or as much as you can, Pack kit, Helmet, shoes license! so you have very little to do on the the morning of your race!


    this stops you stressing before an event! ( running around looking for stuff using up that nervous energy)

    as one of the 10 riders on the GB junior CX development squad they have drilled this into us, and we have a piece of paper with times on and what were going to do!

    For example.
    7.30am out bed
    etc
    etc
    8.00 leave
    8.50 sign on
    9.00 bike on turbo
    9.10 warm up
    9.30 Finnish warm up

    you get the idea! this means you have very little to think or focus about apart from your race( so you get yourself ready for the race mentally bla bla bla)

    depends how seriously you take it! if your just having fun! just turn up sign on! have a good breaki and be prepared for some pain


    Cheers Al
    I do science, sometimes.
  • ozzzyosborn206
    ozzzyosborn206 Posts: 1,340
    Pross wrote:
    Wearing the number 13 upside down is another standard. The guy given 13 at the Welsh champs this year joked about this but ultimately wore it the right way - he had quite a hard crash towards the end of the race! :shock:

    last year i did a crit and the guy who was number 13 pinned it upside down, the number decided to right itself resulting in me and him crashing he broke his collar bone and i got lots of road burn
  • celbianchi
    celbianchi Posts: 854
    P_Tucker wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Wearing the number 13 upside down is another standard. The guy given 13 at the Welsh champs this year joked about this but ultimately wore it the right way - he had quite a hard crash towards the end of the race! :shock:

    Serves him right. I have waited YEARS to get the number 13 just so I can do this. In fact, I'm still waiting.

    Why would you wait for years to have quite a hard crash towards the end of the race?
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    ozzzyosborn206 wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Wearing the number 13 upside down is another standard. The guy given 13 at the Welsh champs this year joked about this but ultimately wore it the right way - he had quite a hard crash towards the end of the race! :shock:

    last year i did a crit and the guy who was number 13 pinned it upside down, the number decided to right itself resulting in me and him crashing he broke his collar bone and i got lots of road burn

    Alanis Morrissette should have mentioned that in her song - far more ironic than anything she spouted on about :lol:
  • cyco2
    cyco2 Posts: 593
    I had crashes with all sorts of numbers may be 13 would have been an enlightening experience for me. :)
    ...................................................................................................

    If you want to be a strong rider you have to do strong things.
    However if you train like a cart horse you'll race like one.
  • cyco2
    cyco2 Posts: 593
    mentalalex wrote:
    Do all your prep the night before or as much as you can, Pack kit, Helmet, shoes license! so you have very little to do on the the morning of your race!l

    Haven't you forgotten something ! :)
    .
    .
    .
    ...................................................................................................

    If you want to be a strong rider you have to do strong things.
    However if you train like a cart horse you'll race like one.
  • P_Tucker
    P_Tucker Posts: 1,878
    celbianchi wrote:
    P_Tucker wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Wearing the number 13 upside down is another standard. The guy given 13 at the Welsh champs this year joked about this but ultimately wore it the right way - he had quite a hard crash towards the end of the race! :shock:

    Serves him right. I have waited YEARS to get the number 13 just so I can do this. In fact, I'm still waiting.

    Why would you wait for years to have quite a hard crash towards the end of the race?

    So can PROVE beyond all doubt that 13 is unlucky. If it doesn't happen, I'll just fall off deliberately.
  • Thick Tester
    Thick Tester Posts: 380
    P_Tucker wrote:
    celbianchi wrote:
    P_Tucker wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Wearing the number 13 upside down is another standard. The guy given 13 at the Welsh champs this year joked about this but ultimately wore it the right way - he had quite a hard crash towards the end of the race! :shock:

    Serves him right. I have waited YEARS to get the number 13 just so I can do this. In fact, I'm still waiting.

    Why would you wait for years to have quite a hard crash towards the end of the race?

    So can PROVE beyond all doubt that 13 is unlucky. If it doesn't happen, I'll just fall off deliberately.

    I have a very nice vinyl no 13 from the Salford Nocturne a couple of years back. It proved its worth within 2 laps when some herbert made sweet sweet love with the mossy covered brick surface right in front of me just before the boat house, thus debunking me from those ahead of him, and the (slim)chance of £200.
  • Thick Tester
    Thick Tester Posts: 380
    Oh the other thing i do is have a good few pints the night before a race, 8 pints was the most this season and i went like a rocket....
  • Squillinossett
    Squillinossett Posts: 1,678
    Thick Tester wrote:
    Oh the other thing i do is have a good few pints the night before a race, 8 pints was the most this season and i went like a rocket....

    Maybe down to the additional "rear propulsion" :P

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