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Top 5 tips for your first race
Need some advice for your first bike ride. Read Jacks five tips for first bike race. Jack has years of cycling for many years and has entered many races. Read Jacks story.
Check over your bike.
Don’t leave this until the day of the race. You don’t want to find that you have worn brake pads or tyres that need replacing the day of your race because you’ll panic and will not perform well, or you may even not make the start of the race. how to get into track cycling.
Instead, take time to look over your bike a couple of days before the race. You should look over all of the key elements of your bike such as the chain and gears, tyres, brakes and brake pads and ensure that all of the bolts are done up correctly. how to increase your cycling fitness with interval training.
For the chain and gears, make sure you clean and correctly lube your chain and that your gears aren’t skipping or jumping. For your tyres, make sure you pump them up to the normal pressure that you ride them at and thoroughly inspect them for any cuts or holes.
If you have any cuts or a slow puncture, then you should immediately change your tyres. Next look over your brakes. Ensure you check your brake pads have enough material left and that your brake cables are in good condition.
The final thing you should check over is all of the key bolts on your bike, including the stem, handlebars, saddle and seat post. All of this advice may seem really obvious, but you’d be surprised at what can go wrong with your bike when you are in the heat of the moment right before a race.
Plan ahead
Make sure that you plan ahead, know what time your race is, know where your race is and what ID you need to bring with you.
It is likely that you will have to enter your race in advance on the actual race date, so don’t leave it to the last minute (I have missed the entry date for races too many times, and it is not fun).
So know when the entry deadline and make sure that you enter the race before that date. When you do sign up make sure that you note down what time you need to arrive before the race and where the sign on location is.
this is your first race, it is likely that your race will be short but this still means that you need to plan for lots of different things.
You should know what the course is like and how long each lap is. Normally race organisers will give you a course map or even a GPS file to follow. So spend some time and learn the course, try to find out where all the hills and descents are and even when the race is lily to split up maybe on an open section of road.
You should also aim to plan for some of the basic organisation of bike racing, such as working out how long it will take you to get to the race location and what things you need to take with you to the race.
If your race is long or if it is a big race, then there may be a feed zone or a support car. If this is the case you should think about what things you might want to eat and drink towards the end of the race and also what spares you might need in case of an emergency.
Don’t go into the red too quickly.
This one is really important but super easy to get wrong. On the day of your first race, your body will be full of adrenaline, and you may be nervous about what is ahead of you. how to improve your cycling by steve robinson.
So, it can be really easy to start your ride too hard, especially if you find yourself towards the front of the race. In the first couple of minutes, everyone feels like they can win the race however, in reality only a select few can actually do this. Common mistakes for long distance cycling.
Try to be smart about how you use your energy and sit in behind the riders in front of you and only ride on the front when it is absolutely necessary. Long distance cycling tips by Robbi Ferri.
A relaxed and simple attitude helps
Your first race may give you a lot of new experience but try to stay calm and try not to worry about what everyone else is doing.
The more you plan, the more relaxed you will be and the better your race will be. If you don’t know where something is on the day of the event, just ask another cyclist at the race, and I’m sure they will try to help you as much as they can.
When you are actually in the race, try to breathe and just relax. This might be your first experience of riding in a fast-moving bunch and I know it can be stressful and daunting at first but keep breathing and you’ll be fine. nutition tips for long distance cycling.
The more you relax, the better it will be, your bike handling will become smoother, and you won’t be so afraid of riding fast into corners surrounded by lots of other cyclists. As you relax and get deeper into the race, your confidence will improve.
Remember to have fun
Cycling and bike racing is meant to be fun, so remember to smile and enjoy the experience. Even if you finish in last place, you will have gained so much experience that you will be able to put it into practice for your next race.
Bike races aren’t just about the race itself. The social aspect that comes before and after the race is what attracts most people to races.
So make sure you stay around after the race and talk to people that you know, ask how they got on.
Bike races can also be a good place to make cycling friends, so try to talk to people you haven’t met before, and you may meet a new cycling friend that can help you progress your racing career.
Finally, most races will have photographers out on the course, so find out who the photographers are, and you will be able to use their photos for any future social media posts as well as team bragging rights.
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