# My First Race



## SWSteve (25 Apr 2014)

So, I've signed up! And here it is! However, I thought I should ask some questions to ensure I am where I need to before I turn up in a skinsuit and realise that I should have avoided that...
Plan for the day:

Work
finish work
on way (either train or lift if GF is feeling lovely) eat a banana and a small sarnie (I don't want to start feeling hungry, nor do I want to feel full/bloated on the start line).
Arrive and check in etc, pay for day licence
Enjoy the race
What tips can I follow? From what I understand on the BC site, you cannot wear kit for a team unless you are a member, is that correct? (my Maglia Rosa will be staying at home)

I've been on club rides where possible before this, to try and get a feeling for riding in a group, but I'm nervous that there's something I've missed....

Thanks in advance


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## sight-pin (25 Apr 2014)

Can't offer any tips, But wish you all the best, and don't forget to enjoy it


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## montage (25 Apr 2014)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> So, I've signed up! And here it is! However, I thought I should ask some questions to ensure I am where I need to before I turn up in a skinsuit and realise that I should have avoided that...
> Plan for the day:
> 
> Work
> ...



Communicate, look where you are going before you go there (this means looking over your shoulder), don't overlap wheels, safety first performance second.

Performance wise, make sure you are well warmed up - personally I'm dripping with sweat at the start line. Rollers or a turbo is best for this but sometimes you need to make do with cycle track etc.


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## totallyfixed (26 Apr 2014)

First race, sit in, draft and observe, if on the last lap you are feeling good, go for it but not on your own unless you can see the finish. Enjoy.


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## zizou (26 Apr 2014)

+1 on safety first, performance second.

Be predictable, be smooth, hold your line. Be the sort of rider you want to be around - if you catch the racing bug then you will get to know the people you are racing against, get to know the ones you are comfortable with and those you want to avoid. If you are considered a safe wheel then others will let you in and do other little things that help. Obviously this will take a few races to get to this stage. 

If you feel you are about to lose contact with the group then dig deeper for a few more seconds and hold the wheel in front / close the gap, the extra seconds of effort can be the difference between staying on and being able to recover a little when the pace drops or going out the back and game over.

Good luck and enjoy. At times it can be scary, at time physically demanding...but its also a hell of a lot of fun


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## JasonHolder (26 Apr 2014)

Enjoy it. 
Personally, lessons from my first race, crit-
Concentrate and dont be a hero.
I blew up on mine and got lapped several times.
Normally easier to do this by spending a few minutes deciding what you want out of the race.
Because when it starts, all hell breaks loose and you don't think much.
Dont work too hard because the last lap is always longer than one would think. Just survive.
Youll get real hot fast so dont bother with any warm kit.
Ditch pocket pumps etc
Good luck


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## montage (27 Apr 2014)

JasonHolder said:


> Enjoy it.
> Personally, lessons from my first race, crit-
> Concentrate and dont be a hero.
> I blew up on mine and got lapped several times.
> ...



There is plenty of time to think, between 30 minutes and an hour in fact. It's the hot heads that don't think that cause accidents.
You'll be fine Steve, just think through everything you do, an treat your first few races as a learning experience, even if you are the strongest there.


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## Andy_G (27 Apr 2014)

People told me to to sit towards the back and get used to racing the first few races, i semi agree but the second race in i was sitting around the front and i found it better, at the back its a yo yo effect and it can be a killer(for me anyway) but at the front its smoother but be ready to jump when riders around you do but after a couple of laps its always around the same place so you know what to expect.
Don't feel intimidated by other riders your racing against them BUT respect them.
"Hold you line" you might hear that being shouted a lot and its pretty much the most important thing.
Every lap usually has a back off section where you fuel up, but careful because it sometimes slows right down and the amount of times i've seen riders touch wheels because of braking.
If you get a puncture/mechanical stick your hand up and hold your line don't just stop and pull over.
Fingers crossed you make it and you get to join in on a sprint finish, but when you cross the line don't sit up because there might be riders behind you sprinting.

Oh and dont forget to enjoy it, youll never forget your first race even though you would want to lol

Practice clipping in because you need to quickly, if you do the start wont be as bad as it could be.

Ive just read what others have said and warm is a strange one, i was told use the British cycling(turbo or rollers) way because the pro's use it, so i did and i struggled in the race, then i done 5/6 laps of the circuit and i struggled again, now i do about 5 mins of a mixture of high cadence and grinding and im finishing in the pack and have nearly won(crashed last lap due to rider not holding their line).


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## SWSteve (28 Apr 2014)

Thanks for all the tips. Re: warm up, I'll see what I can do. there are races prior to mine, so I am unsure what space will be available as we are on a local race track, I may end up on local roads. 

If I puncture/suffer a mechanical I assume the procedure would be pull out? As I will not be carrying kit in my pockets...


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## oldroadman (29 Apr 2014)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> Thanks for all the tips. Re: warm up, I'll see what I can do. there are races prior to mine, so I am unsure what space will be available as we are on a local race track, I may end up on local roads.
> 
> If I puncture/suffer a mechanical I assume the procedure would be pull out? As I will not be carrying kit in my pockets...


If laps out are allowed and you have spare wheels, then you may have a chance to get back in. Check with the commissaires if you do have spares and find the pit area. Ask a more experienced club member (you are a club member, if not should be) how it all works. Usually in a short race mechanical = gone. Simply no option to repair, it's a bike change and a hard chase, or nothing.


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## Rob3rt (29 Apr 2014)

Andy_G said:


> People told me to to sit towards the back and get used to racing the first few races, i semi agree but the second race in i was sitting around the front and i found it better, at the back its a yo yo effect and it can be a killer(for me anyway) but at the front its smoother but be ready to jump when riders around you do but after a couple of laps its always around the same place so you know what to expect.
> Don't feel intimidated by other riders your racing against them BUT respect them.
> "Hold you line" you might hear that being shouted a lot and its pretty much the most important thing.
> Every lap usually has a back off section where you fuel up, but careful because it sometimes slows right down and the amount of times i've seen riders touch wheels because of braking.
> ...




What exactly did you do, and what exactly do you do now? BC way? Can you elaborate on that?


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## Andy_G (29 Apr 2014)

Rob3rt said:


> What exactly did you do, and what exactly do you do now? BC way? Can you elaborate on that?


I used to ride around the track doing sprintervals, different cadence, etc.
This is the BC warm up.
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/in...for_performance/article/izn20130214-Warm-Up-0


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## JasonHolder (29 Apr 2014)

Spring tervals for a warm up sounds good. I'll start my workouts from now on with them. :/


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## Andy_G (29 Apr 2014)

JasonHolder said:


> Spring tervals for a warm up sounds good. I'll start my workouts from now on with them. :/


Fair play if you do lol, i see loads of peeps on rollers going for it 10 mins before a race but mind you there half my age and twice as fit so ill pass.


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## Rob3rt (29 Apr 2014)

Andy_G said:


> I used to ride around the track doing sprintervals, different cadence, etc.
> This is the BC warm up.
> http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/in...for_performance/article/izn20130214-Warm-Up-0



That sounds reasonable, Sky use a very similar warm up and the GB pursuit squad also do something like this. I use a slightly different routine passed on to me by one of the pursuit squad for TT's.


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## Andy_G (29 Apr 2014)

Rob3rt said:


> That sounds reasonable, Sky use a very similar warm up and the GB pursuit squad also do something like this. I use a slightly different routine passed on to me by one of the pursuit squad that he does for TT's.


My mate who i race with who yet again is twice as fit as me used the same BC warm up but has now gone down my road as has improved, but hopefully ill find the right one for me.


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