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While cyclists initially enter the world of mountain
biking for different reasons (fitness, solitude,
adventure, relaxation), there is one universal
element that eventually sinks its teeth into most
riders: competition. Even for those who never
officially compete, competition is the driving force
of why we ride—the challenge to master a particular
section of trail, the drive to conquer a climb
without dabbing this time, the quest to become more
physically fit, the desire to acquire a presently
untouchable skill—all are competitive forces that
engulf true mountain bikers. Anyone else is just
some guy or gal on a bike.
While organized competition is often the furthest
thing from a person’s mind when he first enters the
sport of mountain biking, it usually becomes an
elemental necessity for those wishing to travel
further into the knobby-tired world of riding. And
while many make no goals for a lifetime of racing,
nor of ever competing professionally, riders
frequently feel “less than whole” as mountain bikers
until they step into that next level of experience.
Perhaps you are such a rider. You have been riding
for some time now. You’ve mastered some skills.
You’re fit enough. Most of all, you’ve started
thinking about racing—a lot. You have gradually
been growing more aware of that incompleteness that
mars the mountain biker image you have painted of
yourself. Well, my fellow rider, now is the time to
fill that vast void and enter the realm of
cross-country mountain bike racing.
Why Race?
Racing means different things to different people,
and riders compete in cross-country mountain bike
events for various reasons, which is good.
Competitors range from the die-hard endurance guru
fighting for top notch in the season’s points
standings to the recreational rider who’s just there
to have fun and mingle with other riders. Some
compete vigorously against other racers for a podium
finish, while other participants challenge
themselves to simply finish. For whatever reason
riders show up at the racecourse, all will agree
that cross-country, or x-c, racing is something
every serious rider needs to taste.
“Competition is
something that every person needs. It gives me a
yardstick by which to measure my performance and
ensure that I am improving my skills and fitness
year after year,” says Trevor Stith, a sport class
cross-country rider.
Kevin Friddle, also a sport class competitor, gives
some advantages to racing that most participants
soon discover. "Racing is important to me for the
reasons of just going out and meeting new people for
friends or riding partners, plus for insight on
trails in other areas."
If you have never attended a race, when you do, one
of the first things you will notice is how much fun
it is interacting with others who share the same
passion as you. You’ll discover that most fellow
racers at events are very friendly and eager to
converse with others. And, even if you don’t form
any lifelong bonds, talking with people at events is
a great way to learn more about skills, bike
components, other trails to visit, or just about the
sport of cycling in general. You’ll also find that,
as a novice racer, many other participants will be
glad to answer any questions you might need to ask.
While x-c racing has many side benefits, the main
thing that competing will do for you (besides the
enjoyment of the event itself) is that it will make
you a better rider. In all facets of society,
competition is what brings about innovation and
improvement. The same is true for mountain bikers.
Competition will help you develop better riding
skills. The more you race, the better you will get,
and the better your skills become, the better you
start performing and placing at events. Some people
enter the race scene simply out of the pursuit to
become a better, more skilled rider.
Getting There:
The first obvious step to take when making the move
to x-c racing is to decide where and when you want
to race. Amateur cross-country races take place all
across the country, usually from about April through
September in most regions. If you are unsure of
where the nearest organized race facility is,
contact some local bike shops or a local cycling
club. Or, check out the latest copy of
Dirt Rag
magazine, which always has a very thorough listing
of various mountain bike races and festivals. For
NORBA sanctioned races, you can contact
NORBA (the National Off-Road Bicycle
Association) for information. Try to gather all the
information you can about a particular facility if
it is a place you are unfamiliar with.
After locating a course where you think you might
want to make your racing debut, the next step is to
decide on the date on which to make your grand
appearance. All race facilitators will be able to
share with you a schedule for their racing season.
When contacting a race promoter, ask to have a
schedule mailed to you or get the address to their
web site if they have one. Try to pick a date that
will leave you enough time to prepare for the
event. Anyone at the course on race day will tell
you that racing is addictive, and while there is a
deep passion and love for its competitive nature,
another part of the nature of racing is a degree of
physical pain. That just comes along with pushing
yourself in an endurance sport. For that reason,
make sure you allow time to condition yourself if
you are not already in fairly good shape. However,
whenever and wherever you decide to enter your first
race, make certain that you pre-register for the
event.
Pre-registering can make the difference between a
pleasant first race experience and a frustrating
mess. On your first outing, you want the experience
to be as smooth as possible, and having everything
in line before you show up could relieve some of the
stress you might otherwise endure by having to wait
in line and figure out the registration process in
the middle of all that first race anxiety. Time
spent going through formalities could be better
spent watching and mingling.
When pre-registering for a race, expect to pay
around twenty bucks for that event. Most races are
divided into these classes: Beginner, Junior, Sport,
and Expert. Classes are further divided by gender
and age. The registration form will ask you to
select which race category you wish to compete in.
Also, some races have a Clydesdale (riders 200+
pounds) and/or a Firstimer class. If the race you
are attending offers a Firstimer class, this would
be a wise choice for you to make, as you will be
riding against other racers with little or no race
experience. If there is no Fistimer class offered,
then you would obviously want to sign up for the
Beginner class.
If the race you are pre-registering for is a NORBA
sanctioned one (one that is organized and regulated
under the NORBA body), another section on the form
will ask for your NORBA license number. Obviously,
if you have yet to obtain one you will leave this
line blank. However, there should also be a section
on the pre-registration form on which to sign up for
a NORBA license if needed. Expect to pay $30 for a
one-year membership to NORBA or $5 for a one-day
“trial” license. If you are planning on only racing
once or twice in a season, then go ahead and sign up
for the trial license—it’ll save you money. Taking
care of this during pre-registration will save you
from an additional line to wait in on race day.
Now, if the race you are competing in isn’t a NORBA
sanctioned one, then you obviously won’t have to
worry with a license. Just complete the
pre-registration form and mail it in,
Getting Ready:
A
lot of riders are apprehensive about competing in
the event in which they make their racing debut,
mainly because most are not for sure what to expect,
especially those who have never attended a race as a
spectator before. When planning for your inaugural
competition, just have the Boy Scout attitude and
make sure that you are thoroughly prepared for the
event. Preparation is the key to any race,
especially your first outing. Three things that you
need to keep in mind when preparing for a race are:
planning the trip, getting your bike ready to race,
and getting yourself ready to race.
While the importance of pre-registering has already
been mentioned, you should have concrete plans as to
how you will get to the race and where you will be
staying if the trip will be overnight. Obviously,
if the race is a local one, there is not much need
to dig the road map out of the closet. However,
though it may seem obvious, if you travel to a race,
be sure to plan your route ahead of time. Don’t
just make sure you have a route set for the race’s
town, but also make certain you understand exactly
where to find the course and starting area. If
staying overnight, which is a very wise choice if
your drive will be more than an hour, be sure to
make reservations as soon as possible, as some
events fill up the local hotels and motels. If
you’re the camping type, many courses have a camping
area, so that is another (and cheaper) option.
No matter how ideal the trail conditions, how in
shape you are, how hardcore your skills, how
aggressive you ride—none of that means anything if
your bicycle has even the slightest malfunction. In
racing, not much is worse than squatting at the side
of the trail, frantically executing some sort of
repair on your bike while riders who once trailed
you now zip by one after another. It is very
important to make sure that your bicycle is race
worthy before hitting the road.
You should always give your bike a basic tune-up and
check over before attempting to compete in any
race. If you do not feel competent working on your
own bike, then take it to your local shop and have a
pro give it a going over, especially if it has been
a while since the last one. You should also
double-check the condition of your bike on race day
as well, just to be on the safe side.
Obviously, you will want to make certain that you
will have yourself prepared as well as possible for
your racing debut. Many first time racers are not
for sure what to focus on in reference to training
for a x-c race. The first and most obvious thing
you need to be certain of is that you can actually
ride the distance required for your racing class.
Most Firstimer classes average around six miles for
men and three or four for women. Beginner classes
are typically ten miles for men and six for women,
so train with these distances in mind. Many race
facilitators have race results of previous events on
hand (especially on their web sites), so if you
wanted to see an estimate of the time it takes for
average riders to complete the race on that
particular trail, that might help you some.
“New racers should
focus on endurance, skills, or hill strength,
depending on what is limiting them most,” advises
Joe Freil, author of The Cyclist’s Training Bible
and a certified coach.
Obviously, you need to work on developing that which
you see as a weakness. As far as skills are
concerned, be prepared to encounter various
obstacles on the racecourse. While most obstacles
are minor, you should expect to run up against limbs
and small trees across the trail, stream crossings,
roots, various rocks, and mild ruts. With the
exception of streams, all of these elements can be
duplicated in your backyard for practicing, if
needed. If you are curious as to what exact
obstacles/difficulties might be on the trail,
contact the race’s facilitator and he should be glad
to describe the course and its conditions to you.
The Big Day:
When the big day finally arrives, you will no doubt
have a swirl of questions bouncing around in your
head, so here are a few things to keep in mind to
help make the event run a little smoother. While
nothing can take the place of experience, a little
head knowledge can still give you a hint of more
confidence for when you wheel up to the starting
line.
For your first race, show up as early as reasonably
possible. The first place you will want to find is
the registration area. Because you pre-registered
for the event, there should be a separate place for
you to pick up your race pack. Inside your pack you
will find a number tag that you’ll attach to the
front of your bike via the included twisty ties
(just stare at someone else’s rig if you’re not for
sure how it’s supposed to go.) There will also be
some various other items inside your pack like
race/course information, product literature, maybe
some stickers, and sometimes a free Clif Bar or
something. Be sure you let the person behind the
counter know that you are a first time racer and ask
any question that have been pressing your brain at
that moment. Unless things are hectic at that exact
time, it is not unusual for someone working the race
to show the starting area to you and explain its
procedures. Race organizers are usually extremely
helpful people. Just remember, if you don’t know
something—ask!
The advantage to showing up for a race early is that
you will have plenty of time to watch and explore.
Many events allow riders access to the course before
the race day gets started, so that is one way to
help feed some of that gnawing curiosity. Don’t try
to tackle the whole course, just ride (or walk) some
of the sections to briefly familiarize yourself.
Even if you don’t actually ride the trail, checking
out various sections of it will help you have a
better idea of what to expect after the starter
pistol fires.
Since you will be competing in the Firstimer or
Beginner class, your group will be one of the later
ones to be sent off. So, when promoters make the
calls for the first race classes to come to the
starting area, go along as a spectator to watch how
things operate. In between watching others racers
go at it and your numerous first race trips to the
bathroom, relax and shoot the breeze with whatever
other racers you encounter. Not only will it be
fun, but you might learn a lot too. One big lesson
you might acquire is that the other racers in your
class are often thinking and feeling much the same
as you in regards to the approaching sendoff.
When it is your time to race, you will no doubt be
wondering if there is some strategy you should be
mulling over in your mind, or if those other racers
have some sort of keen agenda in store for the
race. While there are definite strategies to x-c
racing, your very first couple of races should be
approached in a manner more relaxed than the racers
vying for a podium finish in one of the more
advanced classes. One of the most common mistakes
with green racers is hitting the start at full
throttle. Frequently, those riders who jump into
the lead in the opening of a beginner’s race can be
seen huffing and heaving near the end of the pack
after the first couple miles.
Freil, elite-level cycling/multi-sport coach, offers
this advice for first timers: “Start near the back,
ride conservatively for the first ten minutes, and
then see how many people you can try to pass.”
Stith tells newcomers to “Just relax and have fun.
Don’t pay attention to [what position] you are in
the race. Ride at your own pace.”
Start the race at what is a comfortable pace for
you. Most veterans will tell you that it is much
more fun to pass competitors during the last mile of
the race than it is during the first. Since you
will have been doing some training rides to prepare
for your race distance, keep that pace in mind and,
if you feel like you can turn up the juice halfway
into the race, give some more and see how it affects
your endurance. Remember to get fluids into your
system before the race and continue to hydrate
during points of the run. If you wait until you
become thirsty then it’s usually too late. A
dehydrated racer is an unhappy racer (and often a
racer in physical pain.)
There are two things that x-c racers work to avoid,
but you should never feel apprehensive or
embarrassed about having to do , especially as a
newbie:
The first is dismounting your bike to finish a tough
climb. Newcomers to racing often have the
impression that dismounting and walking a climb is
some horrible sin or a reflection of some terrible
inferiority. While dismounting is something you
should work to avoid, this is something even pro
racers do on occasion, so don’t ever feel less than
worthy for finishing a climb on foot if you need to.
The other thing is stopping to down some water and
grab a breather if you feel the physical need to do
so. There is no reason to push your body over the
edge during a race—if your body tells you it needs
to stop, then by all means stop for a bit. Of
course, the ideal is to set a pace to avoid this,
but frequently first timers over-exert themselves
and push their bodies past their limits. While it
can be frustrating to stop for a couple of minutes
to catch your breath and drink some fluids, that
scenario is definitely better than collapsing on the
trail.
With a first race, concentrate more on yourself and
the experience and less on the racers around you.
You only get one first x-c race, so don’t feel like
you have to kill yourself. After all, racing is
supposed to be enjoyable. Use your first couple of
races as a break-in period to get used to how events
operate, how courses are set up, training and race
preparation, and the race experience in general.
Hone some fundamentals first and then sink your
teeth into the competitive force the veteran racers
seem to be addicted to.
The Finish Line:
Whether you finish first or last, the finish line is
always a glorious sight for cross-country racers,
especially your first time. It is an experience
that puffs you up with self-satisfaction and maybe a
bit of pride too. You feel a definite sense of
accomplishment. You feel victorious. You feel
relieved. You feel a love for racing. Despite the
numerous times you found yourself panting through
pedal strokes asking “Why am I doing this to
myself?” you now believe that racing is the greatest
experience out there.
Seriously though, after crossing the finish line,
concentrate on cooling down a bit before you sit or
lay down. Either pedal or walk lightly for a few
minutes and drink plenty of fluids. You might even
want to do some cool down stretches. Of course what
will really be on your mind is “How did I do?”
The timing booth should be able to share your time
with you, and will post the times and placing of all
racers after the race is over. Remember your time.
Write it down if you want to. This can be used as a
method of tracking your progress as you continue
racing or to measure your performance against other
racers. Some riders even keep track of their times
on an index card to use as a measuring stick or as a
goal setting device. While numbers on a piece of
paper aren’t the whole equation of measuring
performance and improvement, it definitely is one
element.
Another post-race activity to go through in your
mind while taking a breather is to recall what
mistakes or difficulties you encountered on the
trail. Use this information in your training for
future races to help you see where you need to spend
some focus time on. Did the climbs wipe you out?
Did you have difficulty finding and keeping the
right pace? Did your lack of hopping skills doom
you when you encountered obstacles on the trail?
These and other questions are what you need to
explore and use to set goals for yourself.
No matter how well or bad you feel like you
performed at your first race outing, almost every
rider who tastes x-c racing immediately develops a
driving hunger to continue the experience. My
guesses are you’ll be no different. You’ll soon
discover that racing means different things to
different people, so don’t feel like your racing
aspirations have to fit into some pre-categorized
box when you show up at the trail. Ride it. Race
it. Love it. |
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