First Road Race - need advice!

[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!