First Road Race - need advice!

[Jen-nay]

Hi everyone, just purchased my cat 4 license and I have no clue what I'm doing! I've been riding for 6 months and can ride with the B riders on our club ride. One of the girls suggested I do some racing. I figured what the heck; I've gotten myself this involved with the sport - why not? Anyone have any advice for my first race?

Happy Trails,

Jennie

[Grog]

You mean road or mountain racing? I assume mountain. I know nothing about mountain races.

But if you mean road - I don't know much about road races but I know more than about mountain races - please try to get some bike skills training before you start racing. That will greatly improve your safety (and that of others) in the race. Cornering at high speed, stopping, riding while touching another rider's body, riding while touching another rider's bike... All of these will probably come in handy before you know it, and it's good to practice them outside of racing conditions, when it's safer for yourself and others.

The more that I think about it, I'd say cornering is very important. I don't race, but I often hear racers in my club complain about XYZ race-newbie that didn't keep its line in a corner and almost took a lot of other people out.

Good luck!!!! And DON'T break a leg (or a clavicle, for that matter).

[Eden]

You haven't mentioned what kind of race this is - all of the following applies to road racing, most to crits, individual TT's are a bit different.

Will any of your team mates be there?
Get yourself a buddy who has experience and try to stick with them. Get them to walk you through all of the preparation and registration and stay by them when you line up.

If you can't get a mentor there are some things you want to remember. Well in rember them even if you can find a mentor .

The night before get all of your stuff together - better yet make an inventory list and check it all off as you go. You don't want to get to a race and find out you've forgotten your shoes, helmet, numbers etc. If you decide to race often get together a race bag that you keep everything you need in so that its easy to grab and hard to forget the vital pieces. Get up early enough to have a good breakfast that has time to digest before you have to race - usually about 3 hours, but it varies by individual.

Get to the race early - we usually get there an hour and a half to two hours before the race starts. This gives you time to preview the course (ride it in your car for road races - crits you generally get 5 or 10 min at least to ride the course and familarize yourself with the turns) register, change (don't wear your race kit unless you have a very very short distance to commute), put on your number(s), warm up - get a good solid warm up in on a stationary trainer, usually you will not be allowed to warm up on course, get to the start line - get there with plenty of time to line up in a good position.

Even though you've ridden with a group riding in a pack for the first time is still going to be scary. Be aware that there will be people all around you and there will not be any polite "on your lefts" (or rights for that matter)- and don't you do that either - unless of course someone is moving over and in immenent danger of running into you - then it is fine to say hey I'm over here or even touch them lightly on the hip or sholder - you can and should point out obstacles (though if the race organizers are good there should be little to impede the race - but sometimes bottles get dropped, etc.), turns and indicate slowing. Try to always ride in your drops so that there is no possibility of locking handlebars with anyone else - if its a crit-do not get out of your drops period!

Racing - Listen carefully to the official at the start of the race - they will tell you all sorts of important things, like whether or not you have the full road for the finishing sprint (in a road race), trying to stay near the front of the pack is safer, especially for the early season races. Don't get on the front and stay there unless you are twice as strong as everyone else in the race. If you make it to the finish with the pack and are going to sprint - don't weave around all over the road, you'll get disqualified - hold as straight a line as you can, you are allowed to pass other riders, just do it safely- always look and dont pull around wildly. After you cross the line - don't brake or slow down suddenly - you never know who's behind you and how fast they still might be going.

If you do get dropped don't get discouraged. Find a few other people if you can to work with - it doesn't matter what team they are on! and get to the finish as fast as you can. Several people working together will generally go faster- even if you have to slow up a bit for the other person/people to catch you in the first place, once you get a paceline working you will all go faster, plus its just more fun if you are not alone. Being dropped doesn't mean you aren't strong enough to race, you may need to improve your pack skills, your fitness, your confidence - all of the above.... its not the end of the world and the only way to get better is to keep racing.

After the race cool down - just get on your trainer and spin easy for a while. Eat and drink - take some food with you that won't spoil, bananas, bagels, recovery drinks, whatever you like as a recovery food and you can keep. You want carbs with a bit of protein too - if you search here you'll find lots of suggestions for recovery drinks/foods. Take a cooler if you have space. Change your clothes for the drive home - sitting in your sweaty shorts is not only uncomfy, but a good way to get saddle sores too...

Well - I'm thinking I've given you lots to absorb here - if you have any specific questions or if I've left anything out ask!

[Eden]

hmm I've though of some other things...

Flats and mechanicals - on the race flyer look to see what type of support there is - wheels in wheels out or neutral wheels. Wheels in wheels out means you won't get a wheel change unless you put a wheel in (you can usually mark your wheels for the team so that any team member can use them too) neutral wheels means you get one as long as they have one that will work with your bike. Sometimes there will be a mechanic volunteering in the wheel car who can do things like tighten a loose headset or seatpost, but don't count on this. Sometimes they only know how or are only allowed to change wheels. If you get a flat or have a mechanical don't slam on your brakes! Put up your hand and move over to the right hand side of the road carefully - call out that you have a flat too to let the other racers know you are slowing down and moving over. If you have time before the car gets to you, take off the offending wheel. Let the wheel changer know what you need, especially if its a rear wheel - ex Shimano 10 speed or Campy 9 speed. If you have something strange like a 650c Campy 10 speed you may be out of luck if you don't bring your own spare. After your wheel is on get going back to the pack. If they are feeling nice the wheel changer might give you a little push. In a crit there is a pit area. If you get a flat you need to make your way to the pit (do not go against the direction of the race!) and get your change. When the race comes around the next time after your flat is changed you'll get a push back out.

If it rains-
you'll probably want a clear rain jacket - your number(s) need to be visible and you won't want to pin them to the outside or your rain jacket.... plus they are less expensive if *forbid* you should crash - and it is easier to do in the rain so be careful, especially with those corners.
a hat with a little brim under your helmet will help lots to keep the rain out of your eyes

to avoid looking like a newbie
take off your seat pack!
take off your fenders!
make sure you read the race flyer and put your number on the correct side
don't put your leg warmers over your shorts
don't put a pristine new number on - crinkle it up and flatten it again so that is less likely to flap and make a lot of noise

[RoadRaven]

Wow... where to begin?

Well. Reading Eden's advice, I don't need to.
She has covered many bases comprehensively.

But, as both she and Grog ask - what kind of racing?

We may be able to help with some specific tips...

Happy trails to you also

[Eden]

I'm one of the cat 4 coodinators this year so I've been going over a lot of this with our newbies so its all fresh in my mind

[Mimosa]

Oh and look at which side of the road the finishline jury is. And put the number on that side of the back of your shirt. Otherwise they can't read your number when you finish There is nothing more disappointing then finishing well but not being on the resultlist