first challenge on Sunday.

andybrad
andybrad Posts: 92
edited November 2013 in Health, fitness & training
Ok ive just signed up to have a bash at my first challenge on Sunday. A 21 mile off road xc race. Im currently just cycling about 10 miles a week one day a week. Im thinking that this could well kill me.

So any tips (apart from stay at home) im not looking for a good result, just to finish! Having never done anything this length or intensity im all ears for any help and advice you guys have.

Cheers

Comments

  • WindyG
    WindyG Posts: 1,099
    Eat well on Sat night, make sure you start Sun morning with a good breakfast & drink well before the race as you are going to need a enough energy for a couple of hours, don't forget to have a drink on the bike also things like jelly babies are great to give you that extra boost . You are realistic about your results so don't worry about the front runners sprinting away just take it at your pace. Don't let the bike let you down give it good check over, I see so many people DNF on the first lap with mech failure that I'm sure could have been easily prevented. A first race is an eye opener to finding out just how crap you really are, you then get to work out what you need to do to improve.
  • cheers fella
  • best of luck with it andy,hope its all goes well for ya.
    Lapierre Aircode 300
    Merida
  • Jon1984
    Jon1984 Posts: 49
    Good luck for Sunday and my advise.................enjoy yourself.
  • Well all the advice went out ofthe window when it started and i was knackered by the time we got to the first hill! Having said that i think it went well and despite nearly throwing up on several occasions i really enjoyed it.

    Right so now i think i need to start training for the summer!
  • WindyG
    WindyG Posts: 1,099
    andybrad wrote:
    Well all the advice went out ofthe window when it started and i was knackered by the time we got to the first hill! Having said that i think it went well and despite nearly throwing up on several occasions i really enjoyed it.

    Right so now i think i need to start training for the summer!

    So did you finish?
    You can see what I mean by the 1st race tells you how bad you are, now you know what you need to work on be it yourself or the bike or both.
  • Well i ended up about 59th out of about 170 i think so im happy with that for a first effort. I did the 20 miles in 2:25 the fastest was 1:15!

    i need to improve my fitness i think, and diet. I was getting held up on the downs a lot by very fast folks on carbon fiber 29ers that couldnt handle the mud but nailed on the ups. However i think my diet of cheesy chip buttys will have to change :(