Learning to Race
I’ve caught the bug. Every time I get on my bike I want to go faster, or more efficient, or out skill my opponents. It’s a mindset that has crept in, altering the way I look at the road, my road and my body.Â
To get started in cycling the barriers to entry are fairly low. All you need is a bike. Most of us experienced the freedom of two wheels at a young age, as the bicycle become your way to explore the world beyond logistical dependency on Mum or Dad.
Now for the large majority of people, the bicycle remains a utility. A means to get around from A to B, or means for social activity. I’d argue that most of the people in cycling clubs today are their for social reasons, just like the tens of millions that go to gyms just to talk to people. But there is a subgroup that has a different aspiration, one that tests the performance of the marriage between man and machine. I’m talking about bike racing.
I’ve started racing my bike, and I love it. It’s become the focus point for my goals, my training and my equipment. But racing isn’t as easy to get into. Firstly, you need to find a race, something dependent on race organisers.
Once you have an event booked in the calendar, you start to enter an entirely new world within cycling. A place where awareness of strategy, preparation and tactics, where not only your body is tested, but also your mind.
Last weekend, I did my first race in over a decade. The hot and humid Tour de Barelang. A popular event on the Singapore race calendar. Despite my training and preparation. A last month need to drop back to Fuel Efficiency training forced my ego to drop from Cat 2 to Cat 3.
Racing is all about experience and skills. The fittest guy on the morning ride maybe terrible in race conditions, as the wisdom and handling skills of those around him prove strong.
My race experience wasn’t ideal. Although I was top 20 at the 80th kilometre of 135kms, four mechanical issues (dropped chain) in the space of one kilometre saw me drop far off the back of the pack. Of course, in the heat of the moment my ego took control and I chased... oops, I missed the drink station. 25kms later, with the pack insight, my reality come crashing down as my dehydrated body started to bonk. Which the water bikes out of reach, all I could do was look for a local drink vendor, which I found in a small family shop. My secret sauce was a can of Coke, bottle of Pocari, and two bottles of water.Â
Back on the bike and fuelled, well almost, I had to wait for it to be absorbed. But despite my desires, my body was going nowhere, as cramps started to haunt me. The final 20kms become a battle of survival.
My goal at the start of the day was race experience. I wasn’t aiming for the podium or to break records. It’s fair to say I got experience, but what did I learn?
1. Have a plan: A plan for the race acts as your self control. When the field is moving slower than you’d like, take the rest. Especially if your inexperienced. Having a plan and sticking to it also heaps gauge your skill and fitness understanding.
2. Plan your feeding: No matter want the length of the race, know how often, how much and what you’ll be feeding on. In 135km I had one bar, and two gel shots, each an hour apart. I learnt a trick from a mentor. In a race with bottle service, start with small bottles. It means you’ll finish your water first, and as a result you’ll always be first to call for water. Avoiding lengthy delays to get the bike riders attention.
3. Ride with people you know or trust: Racing can get hairy, so you are best to surround yourself with people you have ridden with, or trust. During my race I got stuck behind to non-English speaking riders, not great when your dependant on them to call the holes in the road.
4. Soak it up: Unless your at an elite level, try to enjoy the race. Yes its a test of your performance, but enjoying the race, the scenery and the experience will help boost your confidence and motivation. Both are positive influences on performance.
5. Learn; the more you race, the more you learn. At your first race you are short on skill and experience, so make every effort to learn from the more experienced riders around you. Everyone was a first time racer at some point
My next race will be the bike leg of the Singapore International Triathlon. My next chance to learn.