First Race Advice - Ritchey Oktoberfest@Ashton Court Bristol

Curious Yellow

Hello,

Got a few questions about my first race.

Race is in a pair in the 4 hour event.

Fastest lap by the winner last year was under 24 minutes. The course length is 9km and a bit. Is aiming for 8 laps in total for our team an unrealistic target?

My teammate and I are in decent shape and cycle regularly. I do about 70 miles a week on a road bike and another 20 miles on the MTB at the weekend. Road bike riding is in traffic on the daily commute, but it all counts right?

Any tips about hydration and nutrition during the race? Only one of us is allowed to be on the track for the pairs, so is eating/drinking during the rest period a bad idea? Also, what is a decent list of repair kit to take? Is my usual one spare inner tube, multitool and pump adequate?

Thanks.

springtide9

Also doing the event... so will see you there..

Fastest guys seem to do a lap at a time,.. but my friends prefer to do two laps a 30mins on the track isn't to get into the flow. The course maybe a little faster that previous, so time will tell.

The course has changed (or should I say has been resurfaced/sculptured). I personally think passing is going to be more difficult compare to the summer (and last year), so will be interesting to see how it works out.

In terms of eating etc, it depends on how hard you push. I guess 4 hrs between two, means at most you might have a gel or two, but would depend on how you ride it in terms of turns.

Not sure if that helps ... but I tend to do the long solo event.. so it's a bit different.

Personally hoping for 14 laps in the 8, which would put me probably in the middle of the club people (who knows) - but would depend on the new laps times of the new circuit -. if it works out - had a mare in the summer.

The Torq team (and a few others) usually ride the event... and they are usually ahead of the rest.. followed by the clubs/have a go heros.. people enjoying the day but not taking it to serious... people just wanting to ride the event with no goals. So it a bit of fun... nothing too serious.

It's a circular route - so just carry a multi-tool, spare tube and pump. anything else you can sort it when you've completed your lap. No need to carry water etc on the bike - just refresh when you get back - early.,.. so you have time for the loo before going back out. Hydration will depend on the temps on the day.

Curious Yellow

Cheers mate. Really appreciate the advice!

I reckon I'll do two laps to start with to get a decent feel for the track and maybe one at a time after that.

Do you know how they keep track of your lap times, whether you've completed them, and how they track if you're both on at the same time? Are electronic tags used?

Good luck for your event!

springtide9

Curious Yellow wrote:

Cheers mate. Really appreciate the advice!

I reckon I'll do two laps to start with to get a decent feel for the track and maybe one at a time after that.

Do you know how they keep track of your lap times, whether you've completed them, and how they track if you're both on at the same time? Are electronic tags used?

Good luck for your event!

Last year there as a a Start/Finish line with a cabin, so as you go past they tick off the laps.

shaunlfc1

Go balls out for one lap then swap. I've started racing this year in teams and my second lap is always my fastest as the first lap u get to know the course and the rest is good plus it acts as a good warm up before exploding for the next lap. In the summer I consistently lapped at 26mins on a stumpjumper fsr comp. So my advice would be one lap at a time ride as hard as you can, rest up take on fuel, stretch well but don't forget to enjoy the event.

springtide9

Curious Yellow wrote:

Cheers mate. Really appreciate the advice!

I reckon I'll do two laps to start with to get a decent feel for the track and maybe one at a time after that.

Do you know how they keep track of your lap times, whether you've completed them, and how they track if you're both on at the same time? Are electronic tags used?

Good luck for your event!

Hope you had a good one!

Track is a little faster this time as they have redone the track. It's a little dull (very much the same all the way around)... but passing wasn't really an issue.

Curious Yellow

Was passed more times than I passed others, but it could've been worse.

'Twas great fun! Stacked it a couple of times being a bit overambitious, but I'm happy to walk away with a few scratches. I understand what you're saying about the course, but I reckon given the mixture of abilities I reckon they couldn't have varied it too much without screwing over riders of lesser ability I guess (me included!).

The advanced riders really were something else! Doubling up jumps, passing within centimetres and bombing up and downhill at speeds I thought weren't possible! Some of those guys were unreal.

I'm going away resolving to practice and get better and I'll hope to be back next year and faster. Cheers for the advice lads. Really enjoyed it.

springtide9

Curious Yellow wrote:

Was passed more times than I passed others, but it could've been worse.

'Twas great fun! Stacked it a couple of times being a bit overambitious, but I'm happy to walk away with a few scratches. I understand what you're saying about the course, but I reckon given the mixture of abilities I reckon they couldn't have varied it too much without screwing over riders of lesser ability I guess (me included!).

The advanced riders really were something else! Doubling up jumps, passing within centimetres and bombing up and downhill at speeds I thought weren't possible! Some of those guys were unreal.

I'm going away resolving to practice and get better and I'll hope to be back next year and faster. Cheers for the advice lads. Really enjoyed it.

Glad you enjoyed my/our local track.

There are some fast riders, and some real fast riders. You just have to pitch yourself against your piers..... which is what I did this time... so was in the 'Old Gits' cat. lol

Regarding the track... it was probably slightly more technical this time, but easier on the old arms due to it being more free flowing, Horses for courses. I guess. My lap times were similar to June, so guess a little longer, but faster.

shaunlfc1

Hi all,

I thought the event/race was great. Perfect weather and loved the course in general. I did love the natural stuff before the rework but the fact its ridiculously fast and flowy now just pips it for me over the old course.

Its great watching and riding along side for a few seconds anyway the fast/pro riders, its a great inspiration and you can learn how they ride by looking at their bikes and ride style especially line choice on the techy bits.

My mixed team came 8th in the 8hr and we're really happy with that in fact over the moon as its only our 3rd ever race.

Here's to the next race!

Shaun

springtide9

@shaunlfc1 - congrats!


I'll give my result...

8hr Solo Old Git Male (over 40's): 10th/31, 13 Laps (76 miles) in 07:34:23

A little disappointed as was hoping for 14 laps... and thought I was on track until a small crash followed by cramp (but a lot of people seemed to be suffering from cramp)
Compared to the summer, I was a lot less fluid through the corners, probably due to lack of MTBing since the last event.

It was my 4th event... so can't really be that disappointed, as I did 12 laps last year... so a lap up - even if the course is a bit faster (but also is a little bit longer)

Results at:
http://www.timelaps.co.uk/assets/upload ... 15/10/2011