Race Preparation

andsoitgoes

Hi all, I'm sort of new here...
My question is, what is considered a good rest period before a race? I have a very hilly (with a major climb at mile 1!) 42 mile cat 5 race on Saturday. I rode really hard all last week, weekend, and monday with a double session on tuesday. Took wednesday off. So, what is a good plan for thursday and friday? I'm thinking maybe I should do nothing but eat carbs and rest. Or a light spin thursday and take friday off, or vice versa? I have noticed in the past that some of my strongest days seem to be when I have been off the bike for a while. Is there a science to this or is it simply an individual thing? What do people here propose?

mace112961

If it were me...........

I'd take Thursday off (that's two days rest after 6-7? days of training), and then go for a 15-20 mile spin on Friday. Nothing hard, just a high cadence to get the heart rate up and loosen the legs.

One other thing to make sure of, get a SOLID warm-up in before the race so that you're ready for the first climb. Nothing worse than getting dropped early and chasing from behind the rest of the race.

Good luck!

andsoitgoes

Thanks, Mace. Sounds like a plan. Kind of the direction I was leaning anyway. Yeah, the climb at mile one will be a shocker. Also, I found out after I registered that we will be on dirt road for a mile. (Balloon festival race in Cambridge NY). Sounds really sketchy. Is that even legal in a designated "road" race?

daveryanwyoming

+1 on mace112961's advice. Rest two days before the event or if you're really tired from your build up block rest two and three days out but always ride the day before the event. I like to add a 3 minute effort near threshold and one or two one minute wake up hard efforts during that hour of easy spinning. I feel they help me wake up the legs better than just spinning but the key thing is not to get tired out and be absolutely sure to fuel yourself well as soon as you get home frm that ride. A hard warmup for me includes five minutes at threshold and another couple of one minute hard VO2 max efforts during a longer spin. You don't need to warmup to the last possible second and risk missing your start. I usually plan to finish my warmup about fifteen minutes before race start for a last minute bathroom break, a layer change if necessary and plenty of time to get to the line.

Yeah, road races sometimes have dirt, gravel or road that might be better if it were dirt. It's all part of the game and usually no big deal. Road bikes ride just fine on packed dirt. Just stay aware and ride where you can see up the road a few riders to see any loose sections or potholes coming. If the dirt section is flat I like to push a bit bigger gear, it's hard to spin well on bumpier roads. Don't worry about the dirt stretch, it probably won't be decisive in the race, but if you think it might result in a pack split then you'd better enter that section right up near the front of the field.

Good luck,
Dave

andsoitgoes

Thanks, Dave. I'll stick with your advice and provide a race report when all is said and done. This is my second season back racing (sort of casually) after about a ten year break since my college and high school days. My main competition is myself, at least until i can get faster. I already have dropped forty pounds and am healthier than i've been in a long time. Last year I got better and better as the season went on but usually got separated from the lead group on decisive climbs. Ironically, i consider myself a climber, if anything, i am definitely not a sprinter. My tactics probably need some work, too, in addition to mental toughness. My goal for this race is to hang on in the big climbs and finish somewhere in the main field. It is a "tactical" downhill sprint finish through narrow ninety degree turns, so i'll just be trying to stay out of trouble there. I'm nervous yet excited. (Does being nervous before a race ultimately hurt your performance?)

daveryanwyoming

I think a few butterflies in the stomach before a race is a good thing. Obviously it shouldn't get out of hand and keep you up all night or make you a nervous wreck, but a few pre-race jitters just show that you're amped up and not bored by going to just one more race........

If the jitters get to be too much just trust in your training and remember you're just going for a bike ride with a few friends you've never met

Good luck,
Dave