Thread: Entering first race on 8/25....newb ?s

Lol Anospa ... Why not tell yourself it's a 15 mile race and bonk at mile 12.

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoelaces

Less weight. And your body "breathes" better without it. And you don't have anything bouncing around on your back (just riding around with friends is usually no big deal, but in a race, it can be).

Many people race with them though...but as you go up in classes, expert level and beyond, you see less and less of them for those reasons.

All good reasons. I don't have problems with my pack (Mule) ventilating and bouncing around, but others do. Pack weight compared to bottles is another good reason, as well as the ability to carry both water and electrolyte mix.

Thing is, WG's not in expert class. (No offense mang) Miss a bottle hand-off, you're toast. And on a XC course (at least the ones I used to race in Sport class), you are constantly maneuvering - not a lot of opportunity to ride one-handed while you reach down, grab bottle, drink, & replace bottle. It's a lot easier to grab the hydration tube, drink and spit the tube back out.

Other advantage - hydration packs soften blows to the back when crashing hard. This is first hand wisdom borne of pain.

My $0.02. YMMV

Either way, enjoy your first race WG. A couple of other pieces of advice:
(1) Your helmet should be above your tires at all times, and
(2) Ride technical and downhill sections fast enough to scare yourself

Originally Posted by Whiteroom_Guardian

Makes sense. For my first race I think I will roll with one on. I still haven't been able to dial in my water intake in ounces per mile or hour. .

yeah sure that makes sense too.

Above all else, just have fun.

XC racing is painful and brutal. You'll suffer in ways you never thought possible. Then, when you think it can't get any worse, you'll find yourself stuck behind the guy that thinks he doesn't need to wash his jersey/shorts/self. As a beginner, it'll be impossible to pace yourself as you get passed by the pack, so you'll push your lactic threshold until you can't anymore, then you'll spend the next 20 miles just hoping to finish. You'll likely run out of water and/or crash and/or flat and you'll curse they day you decided to register.

THEN, when it's all over, and you're drinking beer, half asleep, feeling intensely satisfied with a smile on your face, you'll think it was the best time you've ever had, and you'll do it all over again.

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoelaces

Stare people down, and snarl a lot

On second thought toss out everything else said in this thread and just take Ty's advice above. It's all about the stare down and snarl.

Also go pee like 3ft from the start line when everyone is there staged ready to go. Mark your territory.

Don't get complacent following anyone...use passing as motivation to ride harder.

Don't be a dick, but don't get off your line to let someone pass unless it's convenient.

Don't be afraid to get off and hike steep climbs. You'll often pass people grinding away.

Don't be a pussy. Don't cover the brakes. When in doubt, point it.

I'm also a fan of a sturdy warm up. And barge your way to the front at the start, and get the hole shot.

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoelaces

Stare people down, and snarl a lot

Originally Posted by shirk

Mark your territory.

and have fun!

Relax and have fun, realize that no one cares about your time but you. Getting nervous and over thinking takes the fun right out of it and your body wont function correctly.

Disclaimer: I suck at racing

Rode one lap of the race course after work today. Alot of route finding since most of the trails are unmarked. Our moving time for 11.5 miles was around 1:25.

Course is fucking tech city. Lots of raging downhill with blind turns into washouts and boulder fields. There will be carnage.

Of course I was feeling great on the last mile back to the car. Ripping balls to the wall at around 20-25 into a total washout with a huge 6ft ditch. Supermanned into a nice rock chin first. Blurred vision and the whole bit. I look like fucking jay leno. Brain is fuzzy.

Good times. More tomorrow.

a word of advice, dont do this in the race, it really slows you down for your second lap.

Originally Posted by Whiteroom_Guardian

Ripping balls to the wall at around 20-25 into a total washout with a huge 6ft ditch. Supermanned into a nice rock chin first. Blurred vision and the whole bit. I look like fucking jay leno. Brain is fuzzy.

Lewis Morris Park area, eh? I rode there a lot 1994-1998. Fast rolling tires will be perfect. I would use something like a Maxxis Ikon rear, Maxxis Aspen front.

Otherwise everyone covered the bases. Stay in the saddle for your climbs. Don't blow up early. Be well hydrated 48hrs before the race. Keep your belly happy. Munch on CLIF shot blocks or figs. Have cold beer ready for post-race.

Where on the course did you find a boulder field?

Originally Posted by creaky fossil

Lewis Morris Park area, eh? I rode there a lot 1994-1998. Fast rolling tires will be perfect. I would use something like a Maxxis Ikon rear, Maxxis Aspen front.

Otherwise everyone covered the bases. Stay in the saddle for your climbs. Don't blow up early. Be well hydrated 48hrs before the race. Keep your belly happy. Munch on CLIF shot blocks or figs. Have cold beer ready for post-race.

Where on the course did you find a boulder field?

About 15 miles nw of lewis. Basically boulders everywhere.

Someone elses video, but it gives you an idea of what its like there. Not your average hardpack bermed singletrack.




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Oh I was going by the posted map. Allamuchy's different from LM region. Maybe you'd want bigger knobs for Allamuchy? Depends on what you like. Ardents F&R would be good, 2.25 rear 2.4 front, if you want more knobs. They still roll pretty quick. Aspen rear would be quicker but shallower knobs.

On thursday I rode with kenda happy medium 2.35 front and back. Seemed great as it was bone dry. Rained a ton friday night so I rode yesterday with the happy med up front and a high roller 2.4 in the back. Definitely rocked it on the climbs when my bro in law was losing grip.

Still don't know what combo is best.

Yeah you should go hit the ugly supergnar of Peapack/Gladstone, makes Plattekill look like Nowheresville, Indiana.

That's manly and smart, riding a smallknob front and a fullknob rear. You'll win the race for sure.

No doubt the traction you had where "your bro was slipping," that's wise tire choice right there. You always want the best traction out back, and least rolling resistance up front.

You know, because you do the whole ride in a stoppie.

I never claimed to know wtf I was doing.

Originally Posted by creaky fossil

Yeah you should go hit the ugly supergnar of Peapack/Gladstone, makes Plattekill look like Nowheresville, Indiana.

That's manly and smart, riding a smallknob front and a fullknob rear. You'll win the race for sure.

No doubt the traction you had where "your bro was slipping," that's wise tire choice right there. You always want the best traction out back, and least rolling resistance up front.

You know, because you do the whole ride in a stoppie.

People complained so they made the race longer. Now its 26 miles. The section they added is the steepest part of the whole park basically. Rode the course again this afternoon. Took us 2 hours to do 13 miles. My goal is simply to finish the race at this point.

Definitely switching my tires around again. Now I am thinking of ardent up front and happy medium in the back.

in the future you should just go to mtn creek and ride the lift up. its killed my trail riding this year. The mooch is a rough place to race/get much flow. good luck.

Finished 7th in my division with a time of 3:56. Almost half the division DNF. Not bad for starting riding in january and starting "training" two weeks ago.

^^^Congrats mang! Finishing is a victory in itself when half the field did not, but a top 10 is great.

You catch the racing disease?

Nice! How'd ya do it and what'd ya learn?

Originally Posted by telebobski

^^^Congrats mang! Finishing is a victory in itself when half the field did not, but a top 10 is great.

You catch the racing disease?

Probably doing 2 more races this season.

Originally Posted by TomCrac

Nice! How'd ya do it and what'd ya learn?

I paced myself early and knew I would catch the bulk of the field on the first big climb (which I did), and save some energy for the second lap. I was fast on the DH sections, but not going balls to the wall. Many of the DNF riders got taco'd wheels, etc from trying to make up time ripping into rock gardens.

I also learned that my fork does indeed suck. It almost seems to do nothing sometimes. No absorption of small or medium hits at all.

I need to start using chamois butter or whatever you use on your ass to keep it from getting shredded.

Congrats WG! Sounds like you did a really good job of pacing for your first race, especially given how long this race was for a first timer. Sounds like you've got the virus now, good luck and much success going forward!