I’ve never raced before, and I have my first race this weekend.

It’s part of the Khao Yai Vinyard Tour race.

I’ve signed up for the 46k ride what you bring group, all on road, some good, some potted, mostly up a constant gradient for the first 20km.

I don’t really have a competitive nature, riding does me as a nice loner activity that gets me out, but means little need to communicate. I signed up for the race as I felt it would force me to mingle with people whilst still staying on my own.

There are other classes that weekend – 96km road 96km mountain bke (on road) and for the insane 96km fixed gear plus a family ride.

In a moment of madness, I signed myself up for the TDF as well for the 60km, local bike club has invited me to ride with them. I’m told it is a lot of fun as large groups stop mid race to have lunch, then continue at their own pace.

What was your first race like and did you take it really seriously? And was it worth it. This has got me up at 5am doing training rides, which must be a postiive of it all.

I was exceptionally serious for my first, trained hard… finished SOOOO far down the field it was almost funny. Hard doesn’t even begin to describe it.

There’s always someone quicker, remember that and have fun.

Racing’s a brilliant experience, and if it gets you to ride more then there is nothing wrong with that.

Utterly destroyed in my first race. Still happens now, all be it in a few classes higher.

I will be happy with second last.

you’ll always get some DNF’s… .you beat them just by finishing 🙂

My first race I bailed out of Open into Fun at the last minute and it was the right decision. The way racing pushes you to improve and go harder can be a plus or a minus depending on your personality. I think picking a fair category for your ability is key- you want to feel a sense of achievement but without it being easy.

It has certainly motivated me to stop making excuses this winter and keep the milage up 🙂

Mine was 10 Under the Ben. I hated it tbh- I wasn’t fit enough to beat the roadies up the hill and I wasn’t good enough to pass them in the margins when they had to get off in order to carry their bike over a fir cone. We were supposed to be a trio but we’d dropped to a duo and I wasn’t that up for the extra riding. Also having to ride under the gondola every lap- “I could be doing an uplift day for less!” and it all got a bit wearing 😆 So after a few laps I spat the dummy, ChrisL got told his trio was now a solo