Your First Race:

This can be a very daunting task, but this post will hopefully try and take out a lot of that apprehension you will feel about your first race. We have all been there. Nervous, Triple checking everything and hoping not to get in anyone’s way or cause an accident. My first race was more about staying in the group that heading out for the win. I never thought i stood any chance of winning, all i wanted to do was stay with the group and stay upright. The experience i gained was to me more valuable than a win.

Join a Club:

In order to race you are going to need to be a member of a club and most likely your national cycling organization. I suggest you get on the internet do some searching and join a club. That is the first step top getting some time racing. Some clubs will even offer you a one day license so you can try your hand and see if you like it.

Know the race:

Once you have joined a club and decide that you going to give racing a go. choose an event that will allow you to recce the course and get to know it. Better yet, if your club does criterium races choose one of these as your first. They go round and round a set circuit of about 1km. so you can easily ride the circuit before hand and get some experience. Look for things like grates in the road, pot holes, sharp corners, bumps, learn where the hills are, work out how fast you can go down the hills, knowing these things are will help make your race better and easier.
Also check to see if the start point has facilities like change rooms, toilets, car parking, lockers for gear. It is also a good idea to check the weather forecast so you can get an idea of what kit is going to be required.

Prepare Your Bike:

Dont wait until the night before the race to prep your bike, you need to look at getting it ready at least 4 days before. If you get your bike serviced by a shop i suggest booking it in for a service about 3 days before the race. That will give you a day or 2 on the bike after the service to wear in any new parts that may have been required. If you do the work yourself then again try and do it earlier rather than later. there is nothing worse than finding out the night before the race that you need new brake pads and you dont have any. WASH YOUR BIKE. Dont be lazy, i see so many riders arrive at the start line all covered in 2 weeks of training dust and mud. Is it so hard to wash a bike? really it only takes 30 minutes. Pay your kids to do it if you are too lazy… The day before the race you should take the bike for a last minute check. Do a few hard efforts out the saddle, listen for strange noises if you find any, fix them and check they have gone. Check to make sure the gears all shift smoothly.

Night Before:

Eat a high carb dinner. Pasta is my favorite, The Mrs makes a lovely chicken pasta. mmm tasty. Get everything together for tomorrow, make sure your shoes are clean, check that you have all the kit you need, maybe even load the car so you can save some time in the morning. This helps if you have a 6 or 7 am start time. Get a good nights rest, try your very best to get 8 hours sleep.

Essentials:

Make sure you have the following

• Cycling knicks and jersey
• helmet
• shoes
• gloves
• suitable wet weather gear (if the forecast shoes rain)
• Race wheels (again if it is raining remember that those carbon rims are not so good with wet brakes)
• Spare wheels
• spare tube, pump puncture kit (just in case you puncture before the race)
• Race license
• Entry fee
• Water and energy drink
• race food. Beans, Gels, Bars whatever you prefer
• Pre Race banana (part of my ritual, i don’t leave home without one, not really essential though)
• Bike

Race Day:

1. Get up and eat breakfast 2 to 3 hours before the race starts
2. If you have not already, then its time to pack the car
3. Double check you have everything
4. Leave home and head for the race
5. Pay your entry fee and sign on
6. If you are not kitted up already, its time to get changed
7. Prepare the bike with race wheels and tire pressures
8. Warm up on course for about 20 to 30 minutes
9. Head to the start line 10 minutes prior to start. If they running late extend your warm up. you don’t want to sit around for too long
10. Good luck, Enjoy the race

Remember that cycle racing can be dangerous, every racer eventually has some sort of accident. keeping your eyes open and aware of what is going on around you will help keep you out of trouble.

This post is tagged cycling, first race, Racing