[Closed] XC Racing - What should I know ?

Go for it - just by lining up at the start you've already stepped up
Don't worry about kit - use what you've got
Don't worry about results - it'll be faster and harder than you think
Don't be a dick
Do enjoy it - it'll be a great experience

If it's anything like the events I've done/watched there will be all kind of bikes entered.
I started about 4 years ago and wished I'd gone for it earlier. Set yourself a realistic target and enjoy it.

The only thing you need to worry about is getting in the way but they will usually tell you which side they are coming past.

Would flat pedals and wide bars be a XC faux-pas ?

No more than a fully rigid bikepacking bike with luggage still attached was:-)

Go for it - just by lining up at the start you've already stepped up
Don't worry about kit - use what you've got
Don't worry about results - it'll be faster and harder than you think
Don't be a dick
Do enjoy it - it'll be a great experience

Perfection.

I did my first one in many years at Gorrick last month - totally unplanned (decided en-route to Swinley when my mate cancelled meeting me). Not many people on 150mm bikes wearing baggies but I entered, had fun and did OK in the end! Came back and told the kids about it and they now want to try so we'll be entering the Black Park on too!

Go for it - I hadn't done any training and prepared with a curry and a few beers the night before and still managed to enjoy myself.

If entered the 'fun' class and felt a little like a cheat, but the timings in the more serious classes were no good for me. I placed well but would've been very mid-table in a 'proper' class, way behind the leaders.

Good fun and good training for the Tweedlove Enduro I've also entered this year!

Basic maths for analysis of results 🙂

Don't get carried away at the start. It's really easy to batter yourself trying not to lose places in the first bit and then spend the next 20 minutes paying for it and have all the people you went past return the favour while you try and get your lungs the right way out again. This is especially true if, like all normal people, you don't do any sort of warm up other ride from where you parked to the start.

NB: you will probably still do this because it's a race and people are getting away.

Do thrash yourself trying to catch that person just in front at the end though because no matter where you finish the "I could have made up that one place" after race analysis is a thing.

Remember to eat and drink, not many long fflat open bits at gorrick races so you have to make a concerted effort to refuel.

Thanks for all the replies. From my experience of 10k running I'm expecting the pacing to be the hardest bit to get right !

thebees - Member
Thanks for all the replies. From my experience of 10k running I'm expecting the pacing to be the hardest bit to get right !

I had no idea about pacing at all - just set off at a comfortable rate and found myself in a pack that I could keep up with on the flat bits but get away from on the technical bits so just picked my way through slowly. Hardest part was being on my own (leading!) for half of the last lap and not knowing what pace to go at. The guy who beat me was fitter and faster so reeled me in on the slog sections when I found it hard to keep my pace up.

Good fun though but I'll be sure to enter a longer category next time and hopefully pick up some racecraft being in the midst of it all.

Suspect Enduro racing will be a whole different ball game though!

XC racing is pretty friendly, sure you'll have a great time. You seem to get nice big fields in the SE so you should have people to race against whatever your ability.

What cat are you racing? For fun just go flat out, its a short race, open doenst really need pacing either. I race in sport and while i pace myself a little bit, I almost think there is no point as even with a longish course and bad conditions you are unlikely to be riding more than 1hr 45.

Make sure you bike is nicely tuned up brake pads ok etc a few days before, nothing worse than the additional stress of trying to sort somethin the day before. Its worth doing a short (45min) ride the day before just to get your legs in gear.

Definately do a practise lap at a moderate pace.

You'll enjoy it.
Don't worry about what other people think, trust me know one gives a damn what bike you ride or what kit you wear.
Don't expect to win but set a nice personal target like not coming last or as you get better staying on the lead lap, but still making sure keep the fun in it.
As above do a practice lap, it will give you chance to not only warm up but to make sure there are no surprises on the lap.
Listen to the brief at the start of the race it will tell you pretty much everything you need to know.
Make sure you drink, very easy to forget to do.
I've only been racing a few years but in that time I have made so many really good friends, become part of a great club, got fitter than I have ever been.

Have fun. Enjoy the nerves.

You're likely to be passed. How people pass varies but they should give you warning. If you're knackered it's probably the time you're most likely to have an off. Hopefully they will shout 'rider' followed by something like 'on your right' This should mean they want to pass you on your right so if you can move a bit to your left all well and good. Most important thing is not to do anything sudden nor lose concentration on your own riding.

Pacing - whatever level of physical agony you are willing to endure.

Got my first race in a few weeks at Sherwood Pines.

Bit nervous to be honest, but I'm only in the fun class and will just try to enjoy it. Think I'm going to stick the word "pace!" on my bars in tape before I start, I'm rubbish at not chasings people down, which usually equals blowing up and needing a rest. 🙄

My bike doesn't have a bottle cage, so I'm thinking of just drinking plenty beforehand... may be a big mistake, but it's only 2 laps (12km ish???), so shouldn't take too long (hopefully!)

My first race was just over a year ago, and I'm rubbish, but my advice would be:

As above, don't worry about gear. I use flats, baggies and a 150mm bike and feel like the bike is not whats holding me back, my fitness and racecraft is.

On the start line, grid at the back. If you're fit enough, you'll pass people later on, and you'll not have to worry about the pressure of so many people being behind you.

Don't change anything on the bike before the race. Ride the setup you're comfortable with.

Don't forget to eat and drink, but don't over eat before hand. I prefer a light breakfast a couple hours beforehand.

Also I'd say stick at it. I did 4 or so races then nearly stopped, did the next one and everything suddenly clicked and I placed way higher. I think it takes a while to get your pacing and fuelling right.

Conversely - I would advise against all the "don't start fast" stuff. The bigger the field, the harder it is to make up lost places. And how will you ever know if you have a fast start if you don't give it a go ?

Def don't start fast in a 10 hour race. 60 mins XC in the fun class - flat out until you fall over. Or vomit. Or both.

60 mins XC in the fun class - flat out until you fall over. Or vomit. Or both.

🙂 Liking this advice!

Ignore this go slow stuff..,

Start fast!!

Your not going to go faster later on

Puke. Puke everywhere.....

hels - Member

Or vomit.

The real meaning of race nutrition stategy is the ability to swallow your own vomit while gasping for air without choking.

I'd definately go for all out from the start, there is nothing worse than finishing a race feeling like you have something left in the tank.

there is nothing worse than finishing a race feeling like you have something left in the tank.

Agree it's unlikely in an XC race but not finishing because you've started out too hard and fast feels worse.

Valid point! Only happned to me once, when I was a teenager, still feel annoyed 15 years later 😳

60 min race give or take give it everything from the whissle
try to spot the person in front and gradualy reel them in...on to the next and so on.
head to head on the last straight power all the way to the line
You may/will puke
you may/probably not walk properley for 5 mins after
BUT you will no you gave it everything and belive me ul be back for more its an adictive feeling when you get the rush of peaked hr like never before.

Definitely start fast. Go all out to the first singletrack. After that keep pushing as hard as you think you can for half race distance. You can deal with the next half of the race when you get there....

Pacing - find that sweet spot between 'I think I'm going to puke' and 'I just puked' and feather it between the two.

If at any point you don't feel like puking, up the pace until you do.

And enjoy it 😀

60 min race give or take give it everything from the whissle
try to spot the person in front and gradualy reel them in...on to the next and so on.
head to head on the last straight power all the way to the line
You may/will puke
you may/probably not walk properley for 5 mins after
BUT you will no you gave it everything and belive me ul be back for more its an adictive feeling when you get the rush of peaked hr like never before.

This is true. My races generally go:

[b]5 min[/b] - Uuurgh I feel really sick, sprinted too hard
[b]5-20[/b] mins - I still feel sick, not sure I want to do this any more
[b]20-40 [/b]mins, I can't do this, maybe I'll stop, my legs hurt, I'm unfit.
[b]40-60 [/b]minutes, just X more laps, oh look, if I can get past him...
[b]60 min +[/b], I'll just ride to there, Then there, then their.
[b]Final 20secs[/b], Oh look a rider! *massive sprint effort from hitherto unknown reserves*
[b]The end,[/b] I feel sick, my legs hurt, I wish I'd done this, that etc. Hmmm, thats was great, I was 9th? - whoop!! Whens the next one! Oh look, cake...

All of the above is in-dispersed with joyful moments of a good overtake, realisation of a good position, or riding a section in afast flowing manner which you know is just awesome compared to your skill set. And feeling sick.

Ferrals, are you riding the Welsh XC on May 8th at Builth?
I think I'm going to have a stab at it but not sure as it's Champs whether to just ride in the fun class as opposed to Sport, any advice?
I know how my pacing goes in a 'cross race, similar to Krytons above but over a shorter time span and interspersed with running/walking thinking that I hate it.

Definately do a practise lap at a moderate pace.

Yep, strongly agree. Arrive nice and early, but don't warm up so soon that you cool down again.

My bike doesn't have a bottle cage, so I'm thinking of just drinking plenty beforehand... may be a big mistake, but it's only 2 laps (12km ish???), so shouldn't take too long (hopefully!)

Should be fine, I did a two-hour XC race last year which was so slippy I never got the chance to reach for my bottle.

Conversely - I would advise against all the "don't start fast" stuff. The bigger the field, the harder it is to make up lost places.

+1

I used to start slow-ish, but have got much better results by setting off from the second row on the grid and going hard from the off. You're only postponing the inevitable pain if you start slow.

Bit sad I don't have a suitable bike for it this year. Can't bring myself to race on a 30lb+ full-sus bike.

Practice lap, with tyre pressures somewhere close to where you want them. If you do change them, have another practice lap to check that you have improved the bike. I tend to do my warm ups these days on a turbo trainer, with head phones, 20 minute steady spinning, with good lively music on. Get on the line, and wait for the whistle, as at that point the bull$hit stops. Most of all enjoy it, and think if you aren't it possibly isn't for me, but don't worry as at least you have tried it.

+3 warm-up + stretch.

Go for a 10 minute ride away from the main race area to get the heart properly going/get on the turbo trainer next to your vehicle (if that's how you got to the race). Sounds irrelevant to the actual racing, but the warm-up is going to help reduce the feeling of legs being torn off and lungs climbing out of your mouth moment in the first five minutes of the race. Also, find out where the first proper bottleneck will happen... It'll be elbows out moment on the first lap, but could also be a good chance for a rest!

yeah dont start at the back. Get yourself as close to the front as possible. The fast people will go past you easy enough anyhow. Its no place to be polite thinking ooh i'll keep out of everyones way. Get yourself as close to the front as possible then follow Krytons game plan, try and enjoy it - probably when it's finished 🙂

All you start fast people clearly work differently from me 🙂 IME that strategy never seems to end as well as the catch the people who didn't pace themselves in the second half of the race. But then I always seem to get on better with longer races.

shedbrewed - Member

Ferrals, are you riding the Welsh XC on May 8th at Builth?
I think I'm going to have a stab at it but not sure as it's Champs whether to just ride in the fun class as opposed to Sport, any advice?

Yep I will be, the fforest fields course is one of my favourites I've done since getting back into mtb.

Definately do sport, fun normally has about 4 people in and you'll probably lap them. Last year at the champs the sports race was seperated from the championship race - actually ended up a bit weird as some who normally ride sport decided to race for the championships so sports was a smaller cat. than normal. The year before was my first race in 15 years, we all got set off together as one race (sport,expert,elite), everyone set off at elite pace and i was dropped before we left the start field! 😳

Are you doing any of the others? First one in 11 days!!

Start flat out, pick up the pace halfway through, then sprint for the finish.

My bike doesn't have a bottle cage, so I'm thinking of just drinking plenty beforehand... may be a big mistake, but it's only 2 laps (12km ish???), so shouldn't take too long (hopefully!)

Wear a camelbak then. There are no rules. Well actually there are, but they don't concern clothing, drinking and so on.

60 mins XC in the fun class - flat out until you fall over. Or vomit. Or both.

Yes. If you're not totally and utterly ****ed by the end of an XC race you're doing it wrong. Somebody up there mentioned 'comfortable pace' or something. That kind of misses the point of entering a race, which is to go as fast as you possibly can. If you're comfortable at any point then you can go faster!

There are no rules. Well actually there are, but they don't concern clothing, drinking and so on.

My best ever result was a 2nd place (in the fun category, obvs) and the guy who beat me had no bar-end plugs in, very naughty at that race series. If I'd spotted it at the start and grassed him up on the line like you were supposed to do, I would have won. So, top tip: dob in anyone breaking the rules. 😉

Oh, and just in case it hasn’t been mentioned, no eye contact on the line and yawn a lot.
More seriously, make sure that your bike is tip top, because regardless of fitness, skilz or gnarrtitude, a mechanical spoiling your race is the most horrible of things.
Good luck,[s]have fun [/s]and remember to breath.

Kryton, linking your race summary 🙂

Kryton, linking your race summary

Its worth remembering I have a glass half empty psychology.

theotherjonv - Member
Pacing - find that sweet spot between 'I think I'm going to puke' and 'I just puked' and feather it between the two.

If at any point you don't feel like puking, up the pace until you do.

And enjoy it

I liked this quote, I get this CX'er racing..

Ferrals, ok ta. No, contrary to my original plans I can't race half the series due to either not being in the country (next race) or expecting a baby (last race). I'll be doing Battle on the Beach next so this would fit in nicely before starting to race some summer CX.

Hope the race goes well for you and see you at Builth if not before.

Congrats on the baby!

summer CX.

No, over the border in/around Bristol. Chatting to the commi after lovecrossed and he was saying they start up around may time. Should be fun, and another opportunity to use the file treads!

Ah, bit far for me I reckon