First time racing

[jpedersm]

Im am thinking about doing 2 or maybe more races this year ones down in southern mn this will be a new expeirece for me as i never did this before i dont really got any down hill trails around me but does anyone have sugestions how i could get in shape so when i go there i wont be so tired out

[Danimal]

Spinning classes in the off season. Weight training as well for the upper body. Your first time is gonna hurt, after that it should get easier. Ride, ride, and ride some more, is the only training you need. High carb intake prior to your race should help as well.

Remember too have fun above all, and don't set your "bar" too high, enjoy it.

[mtnbykr]

Im am thinking about doing 2 or maybe more races this year ones down in southern mn this will be a new expeirece for me as i never did this before i dont really got any down hill trails around me but does anyone have sugestions how i could get in shape so when i go there i wont be so tired out

start now by riding your bike and ride it alot ride fast ride slow ride it every day don't worry if the other guy is faster than you cuz he's gonna be i got nothing else

[TML]

Just go out and have fun with it. This should be first and foremost.

Best preparation: Saddle time.

Hydrate the day before. Drink plenty of water/electrolytes. This is especially important if the race is long. Cramping is not fun.

Good luck and have fun!

[trogolodyte16]

Prepare by riding, visualize the race and above all HAVE FUN!!!!:)

[Stonehenge]

Ride for fun and train to ride.
I take it you will race in Citizen class your first race ( go to MNSCS.COM ) and read everything. For training info try Active.com for a start. I suggest you Pre ride the race course on the saturday before the race to get a feel of what is to come and judge your class to race. You will ride harder than you think when your race- Its in the air.

Race season is just about here- Riding is what you will do in a race so riding is what will be best at this point of the season and your desire. Any other work outs you should be good. You can learn alot when you go to the races. You can see what others do and talk to them.

Caution - changes to your bike or clothes or drink on the bike or eating before a race should be tried before race day.
A cheap and easy way to start fixing bottles for training and racing is mix gator aid with water dilute to 50/50 or even less gatoraide. Try to drink a little every few minutes while training (practice getting the bottle out-drink-and back in cage quickly). May be a bottle per hour while ridding. Mix one bottle for before and after our ride. Half in the 30 min before and the other half right after your training ride. This is just to start...you will learn alot quickly.
Try to eat a few hours before riding real hard.

It is work but it is fun,

With no big trails nearby- ride the road or a big park in the grass. find hills if you can, if not then ride fast on the flats and get out of the saddle quite a few times till you really feel it.

It keeps getting more fun as your fitness and bike skills get better.
Good luck !

[EDahl]

Ride the bike a really long distance at a really slow pace. B-A-S-E.

Oh and try and have some fun.

[dejorn]

Base miles are great and have made the biggest difference for me, but they need to be done at moderate intensity. The general rule of thumb I use is you should be able to carry on a conversation but should be working fairly hard. Duration is the key at least 1 hour at a time.

[EDahl]

Base miles are great and have made the biggest difference for me, but they need to be done at moderate intensity. The general rule of thumb I use is you should be able to carry on a conversation but should be working fairly hard. Duration is the key at least 1 hour at a time.

I guess "slow" is a matter of one's perception:cool: :cool:

[dejorn]

I didn't mean to offend anyone. The main point is to go out and give it a try and see what you think. As many of us have found it is very addictive and has many positive benefits.

[Heuy]

Hi Justin,

I thought I was the only one from Jackson county that ever put a leg over a mountain bike. Yeah, there's not much to ride down there, Fort Defiance in Esterville is a jungle and always wet, but there is some dirt. Wear bug spray.

Have you ever ridden hog's back by Big Spirit Lake? There's only a mile or two but you can ride it a couple hundred times. This is the best local option I've found. My parents live in Sioux Valley so I can ride the gravel roads there from home and that makes a good workout.

Its a shame that Kilen Woods is illegal. Other options if you really need a fix is the hiking trails that no one uses on the east side of Loon lake. I don't remember how good they are and don't know if they're legal but no one is ever there.

You should get some buddies together to ride mount kato or make friends with MORCers from Mankato. It'd be a good day trip some weekend. It'll also give you a feel for the typical MNSCS race course.

Best advice I have for getting better physically and technically is to ride with people who are better riders than you.

[mb598]

I am glad someone asked this because I was just about tothanks for the tips what is the benefit of the 50/50 mix of gatorade

[Stonehenge]

I am glad someone asked this because I was just about tothanks for the tips what is the benefit of the 50/50 mix of gatorade


Good question, the answer was some what disguised in this quote

Just go out and have fun with it. This should be first and foremost.
Best preparation: Saddle time.
Hydrate the day before. Drink plenty of water/electrolytes. This is especially important if the race is long. Cramping is not fun.

Your body will store approximatly 2000 calories (unit of measure for fuel) in it. Your body also needs certain chemicals called electrolytes for proper function. When you ride hard,train or race, you will burn calories at an excellerated rate and you will begin to throw off your bodys chemical balance which means cell function will degrade. Ever taste sweat? Tastes salty right? Well that is sodium one of the key electrolytes coming out of your body. So if you need it and it is coming out they why not replace it!

I only suggested the Gatorade 50/ 50 as an inexpensive way to start with replacement and it is readily available (Poweraide too). It contains some electrolytes and some calories for replenishment. The 50/ 50 mix part of this for simplicy to intake both water and replacement energy/electrolytes and doing so without throwing up when you go hard. There are many products on the market and many people have opinions about which to use and there are some suited/ taylored for different types of exurtion. When you read past the labels advertisement/ hype/ buzz words you basically have the same thing in that they are for fuel and or electrolyte replacement.
Again this Gatoraide suggestion is just a place to start for active replacement......very much in line with your asking where to start with biking/ training. Insulin level and reaction to fuel intake are for later discussion unless you currently have diabetes

[egoo]

And don't forget to eat when doing base miles. The pace may seem easy, but everyone needs calorie replacement after 2 or more hours. Bonking REALLY sucks! And you don't have to go and buy expensive power bars or cliff bars. Just bring anything you can put in your jersey pocket that will not melt. I personally like granola bars and fig bars, but I've seen cookies, candy bars, etc used for energy. Anything's better than being 10 miles from home and cooked.

[mill0298]

And don't forget to eat when doing base miles. The pace may seem easy, but everyone needs calorie replacement after 2 or more hours. Bonking REALLY sucks! And you don't have to go and buy expensive power bars or cliff bars. Just bring anything you can put in your jersey pocket that will not melt. I personally like granola bars and fig bars, but I've seen cookies, candy bars, etc used for energy. Anything's better than being 10 miles from home and cooked.


Aren't you going to tell them about the Pop Tarts?? I've watched this guy^ down a whole box of pop tarts on a ride, then turn into some sort of wild animal on a bike. I didn't believe it at first, but when I became a cross-eyed drooling sorry excuse for a bike racer trying to follow him after he consumed a box of frosted strawberry P-tarts, I was sold. Now I eat them before, during and after every ride.