I'm thinking of putting in for a local race this summer. However, I don't want to be embarassingly slow. What kind of average pace is the norm for an amateur XC race?

Too many variables Mr Tron – it's not like a road race where the pack will gallop around at a steady and measurable 25mph.

In a flat non technical course like Sherwood or something you will do a much faster pace than a proper hard hilly technical course with descents like Badaguish or something.

Then put mud in the equation…

The pace should be "go as hard as you can until you think you will puke, then go a bit harder. And start even faster"

You won't know until you try just enjoy your first race.

I was fairly fit when I entered the Cheddar Challenge in the Sport cat. Fit enough to whip most of my mates, biking ~50 miles offroad a week at pace, and 40 on-road at the weekend at pace. I was lapped by the elite riders and my heart rate hit 200 just trying to keep up on the hills.

Do you want to compete, or just enjoy it?

just go along and do one for the experience, then you'll find out what you'll need to do! As mentioned, lots of variables in mtb races.

Righto. I reckon it'd be a 12 month job. A mate from Uni races a bit and he was fast, even when he was riding on the road on a full downhill bike…

It would be Sherwood that I'd go for by the way.

If you ride once a week or more you will be fine in a local series, just try and measure your pace a little from the start… (you wont do this though, you will go flat out for a lap and spend the rest of the race surving, everyone does first or 20th go)

The only way you'll find out is by doing it.

You will never ever go as fast in training as you will in a race, no matter how hard you try. Best bet is to make sure the bike is in good working order, turn up and ride in the Fun or Open category. You'll soon find out where you are in the pecking order! And trust me, from my experience at races there is always someone slower than you – even my very first race, done in tracksuit trousers, a fleece and a pair of trainers I wasn't last!

Ahh Sherwood – the drafter's paradise, I ponced so much energy off guys in the Sport cat racing there at NPS it might as well have been a road race !

tron – Is is the first round of the BMBS on 28th you are thinking about?

If you can find someone that knows last years course you could do a couple of laps and compare your times with those published from last year.