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1. Mulletus Maximus - Member

   Interested to now what sort of effort you put in when you race and how you manage your energy resources.

   I'm going to taking part in my first mountain bike season racing in the Gorrick Series and Southern XC in the Vet category so races will be around 1 - 1.5hrs depending on how good/ crap I am.

   Do you all just go balls out for the duration similar to cyclocross or do you start off steady and try and go harder towards the end of the race? If you use a HRM, do you try and stay in a certain zone if possible? Finally, how do your legs fell throughout the race, is there a constant feel of lactate build up in you thighs or does that kick in towards to end of the race when energy levels are low?

   All view greatly appreciated as always.

   Posted 4 months ago #
2. njee20 - Member

   Pace yourself, but to be honest I've been doing it long enough that that's basically balls out from the start, the actual start, first 60 seconds or so is absolutely flat out!

   I wear my HRM, but ignore zones, your legs will tell you how you're going, usually average c90% MHR. Used to always get cramp, played around with what I drink and find Elete Water added to High 5 sees me right. Don't bother with gels or anything, but aim for about 2/3 of a bottle of High 5 per lap.

   Legs generally get more tired as the race goes on, not necessarily a feeling of lactate build up, mine just often feel a bit 'wobblier' at the end (my races are a bit longer though).

   Posted 4 months ago #
3. Taff - Member

   I've not raced offroad for a while but I tended to go steady off the start and pick people as I went. If you're serious about racing it tends to be a fast start and try and keep it up. I get better with riding up to the four hour mark and then tail off again where as others start fast and finish slow.

   Posted 4 months ago #
4. ac282 - Member

   In most XC races I just go flat out(I can't really sprint so I often out loose places anyway). If you start steady you will be stuck at the back in the singletrack sections and you will never make the time up.

   I wear a HRM sometimes but that is more for looking at the file afterwards.

   Posted 4 months ago #
5. The Swedish Chef - Member

   Pretty much what Njee said, nail the start and try and rest in the singeltrack, XC is one long interval session!

   I drink a sports drink for XC and use a gel every 45 minutes or so for a marathon.

   Posted 4 months ago #
6. lazybike - Member

   Thats all good advice above, if its your 1st race I'd treat it as an offroad TT, stay as close to your threshold as you can, but don't go over, when you get a few races in your legs you can change tactics.

   Posted 4 months ago #
7. flip - Member

   Flat out for first half lap then settle to your own pace, realistically in an xc race of 1.5 hrs just below the red zone and you'll be right.

   Remember to factor in your adrenaline keeping you going

   Posted 4 months ago #
8. Mulletus Maximus - Member

   I have a little experience of racing as I've raced cx this season so I'm not going into it completely blind. In my first race I took the conservative approach off the line and realised what a pain in the arse it is to get held up at the back so I quickly learnt my mistake.

   Posted 4 months ago #
9. lazybike - Member

   I have a little experience of racing as I've raced cx this season so I'm not going into it completely blind

   In that case, just hammer...

   Posted 4 months ago #
10. trickydisco - Member

    Remember to warm up! I know in my first race i suffered badly on the 1st few lap.. Once i got into it I started taking places and felt 'fairly' comfortable (until i DNF'd)

    Posted 4 months ago #
11. DT78 - Member

    Not as experienced (or good) as many who post on here - I've only done 20 or so races now. For the short races (under 1.5hrs) I pretty much go flat out, I set the garmin at 180bpm to warn me if I'm pushing too hard but tend to spend the majority of the race well into z5. Fueling wise I drink an energy drink before the race and a recover one after.

    I think fueling and energy management is much more important on the longer races (2+). Last enduro I tried drinking SIS GO during the race rather than just water, normally a bottle of this is fine, but after 3 bottles I was feeling sick. Lesson learnt don't try new things out in a race!

    If you are looking for a decent place best to go flat out from the start and try to get into as high a position as possible entering the first singletrack section. If you are near the back you can get caught in a bottleneck and end up having to wait, losing you a lot of time over the guys who made it through ok. It is near impossible to overtake safely in singletrack so save some beans for the fireroad, this is where the pros fly past me like I'm stood still!

    Posted 4 months ago #
12. keavo - Member

    flat out effort in an xc race. the only time i'll back off is later on if/when positions are more or less sorted out and i'll just maintain my placing. i need to be in good condition to last the distance at race intensity. i have blown up near the end a couple of times and lost several places on the last lap.

    Posted 4 months ago #
13. oldgit - Member

    IME 50+ Vet

    First few seconds flat out to gain a good position. I then tend to hold that for the first lap and take advantage of the leaders wheels.
    I can't keep up the pace, but the a good start pays dividends on a tight course.
    I then find I can work my way up.
    If I go balls out I run the risk of fading early on, then have to kick back before going again.
    Edit. Slightly different to above, I tend to take a fair few fading riders last lap.

    Posted 4 months ago #
14. trickydisco - Member

    Re:Warming up.. I've learnt lots since my first xc race after doing local cross races.

    I now know how to warm up properly and how to pace it properly. I look back at that now and realise how much nerves affected me and how gaining more fitness and experience gives you more confidence

    Posted 4 months ago #
15. The Swedish Chef - Member

    Also for XC races ride the course as warm up so you know what is coming up.

    I saved myself from two nasty surprises this year with technical sections that could have really ended in tears.

    Posted 4 months ago #
16. nick3216 - Member

    You need to go balls out at the start or you have so many people to pass later in the race that you'll never make up the places, even if you're feeling fresh and the leaders are tiring.

    Posted 4 months ago #

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