Here are a few mountain bike race day tips from Cecilia Potts who received the Junior Cross Country Mountain Bike World Championships in 1997.
The final 10-2nd countdown continually sums up the race for me. It doesn’t count number how lengthy I’ve been retired from expert biking. When I’m behind that beginning line–whether or not it’s at a neighborhood 5KM run or the start of a a laugh motorcycle race, the ones final 10 seconds before the starter’s gun shatters the silence are when it all comes together for me.
Before any race day there’s plenty occurring each mentally and emotionally that’s a long way beyond than the ordinary habitual of getting geared up for another training experience. I’ve ridden that emotional and intellectual roller coaster somewhere north of 200 races in the course of the course of my profession, and the concept move that saved me most grounded was continuously reminding myself whose race it changed into to win.
Mountain motorbike racing is simply as a whole lot about being bodily organized as it's miles to have your mind conditioned and prepared on race day. You can do as many VO2 Max periods as bodily possible and journey at your Lactic Acid Threshold all day lengthy, but if the stuff among your ears isn’t also in training for the big day, it'll be like displaying up to the beginning line with a flat tire.My number one tip for mountain bike race day: Don’t overlook to educate your brain.
Over the years I’ve been on training rides with people who can actually college me. They out pace me on the apartments, drop me at the climbs, and are looking forward to me at the lowest of a decent sipping on a water bottle and searching bored. Yet, on race day I could effortlessly ace them.
Why? Because along with chasing their rears on our education rides, I also turned into spending time conditioning my mind.
Training your brain starts offevolved with the little things. For instance, each time my education agenda included a ridicule time trial, I’d set the “end line” as a landmark in a fairly visible area like the metropolis limits signal coming into a busy town. When I crossed that line, after retaining it in thoughts whilst pushing tough for the entire time, I constantly threw my hands up in the air and smile and could shout like I became finishing a level within the Tour de France. People could study me like I was loopy, but I knew I was the winner of the Tuesday night time time trial world championships. (That possibly sounds silly, but I continually felt like I become beaming with joy inside after the effort, and I know for me it’s made the distinction among first and 2nd places typically.)
Combining my physical energy with the energy of nice self-communicate – encouraging myself with each pedal stroke carrying me toward the city limit signal – and then worthwhile my efforts through throwing my fingers up within the air, created form of a Pavlovian reaction of bodily exertion desiring to result in a triumphant effective feeling.
I knew of others who were positive when they were schooling, but then on the race path they’d crumble. It might begin with the negative banter at some stage in warm-up before the race. My competition might say such things as, “Awe, I haven’t virtually been training that lots and I’m not geared up for this,” or “I desire I don’t get a flat tire once more these days.” They’d be within the starting area with uncertain seems on their faces and fear in their eyes as they gazed out at all the spectators. Before the gun even went off, the ones competitors have been racing for fourth place.
Long earlier than you % up your race day bag, positioned your motorcycle inside the car, and power to the race, you want to telling yourself that that is your race. When you roll as much as the starting line, that is your race. It doesn’t belong to the character leading the collection or the person who came in beforehand of you on the remaining race. This is your race and you're going to throw your palms up at the end and bask in your victory similar to did for your schooling rides.My other mental mystery weapon for race day: Ride the course on your head.
I are aware of it’s not always possible, but pre-driving the path if feasible will always assist on race day. This advice goes beyond the plain reasons of understanding the maximum efficient lines and being organized for all the terrain and obstacles. This, again, is all about your head.
Every time I’ve accomplished a race–mountain or road–on the night time earlier than among the time my head hit the pillow and I fell asleep, I rode the course once more in my head. (I even have buddies who now use their GoPro cameras and report the direction after which watch it like a film earlier than going to sleep each night.) Sometimes I would lay on my again with my palms stretched out in front of me pretending my arms have been at the bars. As I rode the path via my mind, I’d use the brakes, shift, and keep in mind unique rocks and roots and the great lines I took to clear them. This technique gave me confidence on a path even though I hadn’t spent plenty time really using it.Putting it all together at some stage in the 10 2nd countdown before the begin.
Those closing ten seconds had been continually the most peaceful 10 seconds of my entire day. The international regarded to move in gradual movement, and the most effective issue I may want to listen became my coronary heart beating in my ears.
This is the 10 seconds when your mind flashes ahead. As the clock clicks down, you’re seeing yourself together with your mind’s eye flying via the sections of path you know you’re sturdy on. You’re remembering that one rock or root which you want to clean to smooth a section. You’re also seeing yourself crossing the finish line along with your palms over head and the crowd cheering within the historical past. The pop of the starter’s pistol is what ends this wonderful visualization, and it's far what starts offevolved you at the route to the high-quality race of your existence.
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