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But at first blush, you want to just haul ass.
Just chill for awhile and ride as fast as you are comfortable. Push if you need to, but just ride comfortably fast and you will find out where you are.
Don't try to win your first race.
Consistency wins.
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For hydration...the week before the race...I'll start drinking 1 gallon of water/day. The day before the race, I'll mix in a liter of pedialite...then try and drink another liter of pedialite the day of the race. while drinking from a hydration pack throughout the race.
Marathoners/hard core cyclists say to time your meals so your last meal is 2 hours before the start of the race...that doesn't work for me...I eat two hours before the race, then again right before I head to the line (Usually a turkey sandwich, a banana, and a power bar).
Lots of guys use those "Gu" packets...I prefer Gatorade Prime Energy Chews...the Gu packets are disgusting, and trying to take one at a pit stop is gross...but the Gatorade Prime Energy Chews...two before heading to the line, one at each pit stop if you stop more than once...two if I only stop once.
I don't carry tools during a race...thats what sweepers are for...if I break down, I'll take the DNF. (trail riding...I always bring tools).
If you do break down, you could be sitting there for a while (I broke down once 15 miles into a desert hare scramble, and had to sit there for 6 hours before someone could come an get me)...so I always pack some food (some candy, and a few power/protein bars, some jerky), an emergency blanket (one of the foil ones), a rain poncho, a lighter and some fire starting material-dryer lint, and some paper (if its cold). Just to make sure I don't freeze or starve on the trail.
I don't use knee braces but I do wear skateboard knee pads. I'm 6'3" so my inner knee area gets shredded by the radiator shrouds...the pads prevent this...also, when your knee smacks a tree the hard plastic guard really helps.
As others mentioned, a good chest/back armor is a must have for me.
If you don't have tear offs/roll off...get them and have spare goggles at your pit. If it's muddy...spare gloves won't go amiss.
I don't wear knee braces either...but there are a ton of knee/shin guards/pads on the market. Fox Titan Pro's are one of my favorites.
https://www.foxracing.com/titan-pro-knee%2Fshin-guard/04266.html?dwvar_…
(The shin guards actually make the boots fit right, since they go down in the boots...and the boots hold them in place so they don't move around).
When it comes to chest/back and elbow armor...The Fox Titan Sport Jacket is my go too...I like that the elbow pads are attached to the jacket...otherwise they end up sliding down my arms when I ride.
https://www.foxracing.com/titan-sport-jacket/24018.html?dwvar_24018_col…
(No I don't work for Fox-nor and I sponsored by them...and no my handle isn't because of those.
On the tear offs...makes sure tear offs are allowed per the club/sanctioning body...some don't allow them (in which case you'd have to use roll offs).
SO much off road racing in California...pick your format: GP, Hare Scramble, Hare and Hound, Enduro, Sprint Enduro...You're lucky! Here in Utah we have one state series (USRA) and a couple National Hare and Hounds, and the occasional WORC's race...MRAN (Nevada), and SIDRA (Idaho) have some races close...but nothing like what you've got in California.
My buddy keeps telling me, that you have a higher chance of destroying cases and or putting holes in your radiator, but you can do the same sorts of things on a mx track as well.
If that makes sense?
I like a big breakfast on race day with as many calories as I can get...eggs, pancakes, bacon, potatoes, cheese (everything) I try to time that about four hours before the race. Two hours later I’ll have a snack (a banana and usually a power bar Or protein bar something like that) then right before I head to the line I’ll eat a Turkey and cheese sandwich a banana and another power bar/protein bar. I know that if I get hungry during a race I’m toast and I’ll totally bonk (which is why I eat right before going to the line)...
My races usually start at noon...so big breakfast around 8:00...snack around 10...lunch right before I go to the line.
That doesn’t work for some people though.
Also, as for having enough energy...what you eat in the days leading up to race day are also important-carb loading. Google some pre-marathon meal plans and use some trial and error and see what works for your body. I’ve found that if I change up my diet to much, I don’t do as well...so I tend to just eat the same things I usually do...but I do it a little more structured. Sometimes I’ll skip breakfast...I don’t do that on a race week.. I’ll maybe switch it up a little and purposefully eat more carbs. There is a science to pre race diet planning...and I’m not a scientist though, but so far this is what works for me.
I know a lot of fast guys that eat a big spaghetti dinner the night before...oatmeal for breakfast...snack on the way to the line and they are good to go. That doesn’t work for me.
Trial and error...and stick with what works for you.
Bark Busters (not flimsy MX style handguards) are a must.
I always cut an inch off each end of my bars, it makes up for the additional width that Bank Busters give them and really helps dodging trees.
Experiment with your Camelback A LOT before you race with one. In the end I didn't bother faffing around with one and just hydrated a lot before & after.
Get a large capacity gas tank which saves the need to refuel. I hate stopping and having to get going again. I ran an IMS on my EXC 200 and it did me for the entire race.
If you suffer from monkey butt or blisters get an anti chafing gel - it works.
Pack a bum bag with fresh gloves and goggles loaded with tear offs.
I always ran a flywheel weight to help prevent stalling in tight stuff.
Even with a long 5 mile lap you'll get lapped a lot. Don't get disheartened. Like someone else said, treat it like a trail ride and not a race. It's always tempting to try and pass the guy in front but I would experiment following someone who's pace your comfortable with.
You'll feel like you've done 10 rounds with Mike Tyson the next morning and the day after that can be even worse but the satisfaction you get from just finishing makes it all worth it.
Have fun coz that's what it's all about.
Pit Row
What has worked for me is a big bowl of oatmeal in the morning with a pile of fruit. I snack on nuts, seeds and fruits throughout the day before my race and make sure to stay well hydrated. Whether it is an enduro that starts at 9am and lasts tile 2 or 3, or just a grandprix that starts at 11 and is over by 12:30 its what works well for me.
Quality of food is more important than amount of food.
Another way to help your body be more efficient is to start fasting. Fasting will help get your body use to switching in and out of ketosis so your body burns glycogen and fat for energy rather than relying on a food source for energy. Historically we are not wired to eat 3 square meals a day. I started fasting 16 hours a day about 3 months ago with a few 24hr fasts in here and there and i can say i feel like i have more energy, sleep better, the gym routine seems to be more effective and i generally get through the day better. This is of course not something you would want to do the day of the race but it is something a lot of top teir elite athletes use. I will usually do a workout on saturday 15 or 16 hours after i last ate.
This is all of course my opinion in what i have found works well for me. Everyone is different, but this is some more ideas for you to try. But with doing these things i have often found myself being the guy that says "the race is already over?" Just some ideas for ya to do your own research on.
To the OP: If youre use to MX dial it back about 50% from what you are use to. I promise it is a long race, people will screw up, people will get tired, people will go too hard too early and you will be able to take advantage of that. Its not until you get into the A, AA levels of racing that you have to really be pushing yourself for the majority of the race. Ive had moto guys try to cross over only to blow their wad 30 minutes in and not be able to finish, but they sure looked fast for the first 20.....It doesnt matter how you start it matters how you finish. I have won more races being last off the line than i have being first....
Holy crap was I wrong, those guys are gnarly.
I have to eat lots of fat and protein. So, for me, scrambled eggs, butter, bacon, salmon, with a little extra coconut oil is the best breakfast I've found. I can run all day long on something like that.
KTMDan is gonna have to experiment and find what works for him, I think.
It doesn’t help to have bouncy mantits either.
My advice I haven't seen in this thread is learn to relax when you're in open sections and areas that flow more through the trees. I always seem to tighten up when things get technical and I forget to release my muscles once I get through the technical stuff.
If you get to practice the terrain before you race it, learn the sections going into the woods. It seems like people always slow down WAY more than they need to. Just because there are trees or a blind corner coming doesn't mean you have to come to a crawl to enter the sections. Some sections you do, others you can fly through.
My issue is that if I don't eat...my blood sugar drops and I can't function. I do fast once a month for 24 hours...and then on Sundays I'll usually fast half the day and then eat a big dinner. So I'm no opposed to it. I just don't see how I could function that way.
Im not saying this is your issue but i was the same way
Your body tells you its hungry to avoid burning its own reserves. If you were to start slow (say fast for 12 hours) and work your way up to a 16 or 18 hour fast daily, most of those issues should resolve themselves. I had shakes, light headedness, low blood sugar and all for the first few days/ week. After my body got use to finding its own source of energy instead of relying on me to feed it every time it wanted it i quit having those issues. You just have to retrain your body. At least that is how it worked for me. I went straight to a 16/8 schedule and toughed it out. It sucked but it was worth it. My sister inlaw said the same things you have, a week into committing to it those issues were gone.
A guy once water fasted for over 300 days....
But I've got to ask...what else did you change when you started this a few months ago?
So many people get on a special diet of some sort (Keto, Vegan, Intermittent fasting, whatever)...and completely change what they eat, how often and how long they exercise, or what type of exercising they do, their sleep habits, etc. and then claim it was the diet that is making all the difference in the world (they have more energy, losing weight, etc). When if they'd of just ate healthier, exercised more, exercised more effectively, got more sleep, etc they'd of gotten the same results without the hard core/extreme diet. (I'm just saying too many things seem to change when people start a new diet that its impossible to nail down which variable(s) is the cause of the positive health benefits...and the default is always the diet)
I'm sure there are exceptions...maybe you were already fit, and already ate healthy...and the intermittent fasting took you to the next level...
But everyone that I know that is on it and claim its the best thing ever...were/are over weight, ate like crap, never exercised...now exercise, and eat way healthier (with way less calorie intake)...and suddenly feel better, have more energy and are losing weight...and are giving the intermittent fasting all the credit...when in reality its just that they are eating healthier and exercising more and could have gotten the same results without starving themselves most of every day.
(Sorry for the thread derail, OP...)
Post a reply to: First enduro race, any advice? (Update)