I’m entering my first mountain bike race this weekend, the Gorrick spring series and would be interested to know how you prepare for a race?

I’ll be in the Vets which is an 11am start so realise I need to be there early for registration, warm up etc, but is it easier to entre online? Also, what time would you suggest getting there? I was thinking giving myself a couple of hours to faff, fettle and warm up. Does that sound reasonable?

Thoughts and advise much appreciated.

Dont enter always worked for me. 😆

Cheaper to enter in advance, if you’re definitely going then you may as well. Saves needing cash/cheque on the day too.

2 hours is plenty. Bimble round a lap to see what it’s like (it’ll only take 30 mins or so), at least the first half so you know what to expect. Check the bike’s alright, have some food, keep well hydrated, stay warm. Make sure you’ve got everything you want (bottles, pump, tools etc etc), rather than “they’re in the car somewhere” and having a frantic dig around 5 minutes beforehand.

Don’t do any maintenance on the day – if you need new pads, fit them the night before.

Get to the line at least 10 minutes before, try and keep a jacket on to stay warm, and pass it to someone just before you start. You’ll get hot once you start.

Pedal as fast as you can for an hour, then stop, eat, stay warm.

Have fun, they’re excellent events.

On shortish lap races it’s good if you can pre-ride/walk the course first, (so I always turned up early).

My Race day consists of this: Porridge for breakfast + Coffee. Aim to arrived and registered an hour before the race, giving you an hour to get the bike out the car and ride a lap (normally laps are 20min). Get back to car adjust bike as you feel fit. Ride around in circles for a while get to start line 10min before start. Take jacket off on start line pass to other half/friend etc. Stand on start line pretending you know what your doing by breathing oddly, checking your wheels still rotate etc. 30sec warning. start panicing more odd breathing. Anytime within the next 15seconds butterfly’s. Go go go pedal pedal pedal flat out for and hour and a bit finish. Drive home with a stop off at KFC or Mc Donalds and smile!

I love racing!

Make sure you’ve got everything you want (bottles, pump, tools etc etc), rather than “they’re in the car somewhere” and having a frantic dig around 5 minutes beforehand.

Oh Yes ,we have all been there 🙂

Drink beer, eat pies, repeat until fall asleep. Wake up late and use first lap to eradicate hangover.

Works for me every time 😀

Yeah as above.
Have everything sorted the night before.
Find a friend that can look after your car keys.
You will be very warm when you start racing.
Poo at home.

Njee speaks wise words.

Don’t use any new parts or kit on race day that you haven’t tried on a previous ride. Do pre-ride the course.

I’m doing Vets too, I usually arrive around 9, and get my race number and my kit on and then start a practice lap by 9:30 (so that the 9:45 group of races don’t catch me on the way round).

Try and get in a couple of hard efforts on the practice so that you can judge how much clothing you’ll need when running hot. Then put something warm on and chill out for a bit and eat some bananas. Then head to the start line around 10:45.

On the other hand, its easy for me to get there early as I live very close. If its your first race, don’t worry about taking it too seriously, you’ll soon work out what routine works for you!

Good luck 🙂

I assume it’s short so I’ll base it on cx races.

Get everything ready the night before. Arrive early, register/get number. Warmup/ride a lap of the course, if you are intending on doing well you should be thinking about how to race the course. I know I’m a good climber so I work out which sections are going to give me an advantage/ability to overtake. In CX particularly I look for options off the main line where I will still have speed/grip to get past people.

Eat and drink a little before the race. Not so much that you need the loo 5 minutes in. Go to the loo. I actually prefer to have a big breakfast and very little to eat in the hours before a short intense race as I feel sick.

Warm up in extra layers as you won’t be at full race speed. You should be a little bit chilly on the start as you are going to warm up fast. At this point it’s useful to have someone to hand a warm jacket too minute before the start. I very seldom have someone there so I just have a windproof and shove it in my jersey pocket.

Car keys are on piece of string around my neck as I don’t have zipped pockets or a saddle bag.

There will be a sprint off the line. Decide if you want to get involved or not. You need too if you are going to win. Pace yourself, don’t get caught up in the race for 1st on the first lap if you are hoping for mid table as you will blow up.

First time we did a Gorrick we had no idea, full stop.

Even took our lunch with us and stopped for a picnic half way through the second lap…

And be aware that the Vets is one of the more ‘competitive’ events…

Raced cx this season so not completely blind and I’m familiar with the ways of getting a good placing at the start.

Although I’m annoyingly competitive the first few races I’ll be getting a feel of racing and judging my fitness against other racers. Will be happy if I finish anywhere around mid pack.

The fields at the Gorricks are getting massive and as they don’t grid you need to get to the start line really early to get to the front. It is more fun further back though as you’ll (hopefully) have people to pass for the whole race…

Find a secluded hedge/tree/wall and pee against it every 10mins up until due to be on the start line. Then stand on start line and desperately need another wee.

They will grid the top 10 later on in the Spring Series, not sure whether this starts at Rd2 or Rd3. But obviously no gridding for Rd1, and yes the Vets field can be pretty big!

Bear in mind that Grand Vets and Senior Vets will also be lining up at the same time as they go off a minute or two later, followed by the female Masters/Vets/Grand Vets. So try and make sure you’re lined up in front of all of them, or else your race will start but the people in front of you won’t 🙂

I’d recommend my pre-race planning for this weekend just gones Thetford Winter Series round

Build up new bike the day before, with all new parts. Don’t test ride bike, its cold and your mates have asked you round for a curry

Wake up late, with a slight hangover and feeling ropey from the curry. Throw kit in bag, make bottles up and make sure you have gels with you.

Leave everything on the side in the kitchen and head outside to where your newly sealed tubeless tyres haven’t sealed.

Swear

Take tyres off, re-seat them and throw everything in the van. Except your bottles and gels that are still on the side in the kitchen.

Drive to event

Park 10 miles away from the start line because you’re late. Sign on. Think about doing a warm up, then sack it off, sit in van with heater on. Listen to RJD2 to get you in the mood for racing.

Get to the start line late and queue up next to the bloke wearing jeans, pisspot helmet and riding about 8k’s worth of Marin

Gun goes, race past everyone you can, apologising to anyone you might brush past in your rush to make progress. Stamp on pedals out of 3rd corner, snap the chain, walk back to pits.

I’m not saying its ideal, but it’s what works for me.