Mountain Bike Racing Is Awesome

This article is Part II in a series, to read part I see Mountain Bike Racing Sucks

I’m kind of pissed that I keep figuring this out at the end of the season, but like I’ve said before - this time I mean it. Racing is hard, but it is worth it. This week I entered my second ever mountain bike race and improved my standings 1000 to 1. What that means is that I finished the race this time, and had a blast, as opposed to last week, when I blew up after one lap, called it quits, and then had to live under the dark shadow of shame and regret for the next 167 hours.

This week’s race re-enforced what I have learned so far. Bike racing (whether road or mountain) is about experience as much as it is about legs and lungs. The body needs to be in good shape, no doubt. But how you attack the course is at least as important. If you race only one time, fail and never come back, you’re missing out. The first race is going to suck, there is no question. There is a lot to learn about pacing yourself, conserving energy, playing chess with the other riders, etc. I think the learning curve is steepest at the beginning, and I can’t wait to report back after gaining a little more experience. Look for frequent updates next season, as this one, unfortunately just ended.

Wednesday’s race was on a muddy course, after a day-long deluge. Good times! Once again, if you’re staying inside because of a little rain, you’re missing half the fun. Here are a few things I learned about mountain bike racing this time around:

• You can rail around a muddy corner faster than you think before you lose traction (way faster).
• The lap counter is a countDOWN, so when it says 8… that means 8 laps left, not 8 laps done (DAMMIT!).
• You are supposed to bring your number back with you from last week (oops).
• Mountain bike racing in the mud/sand/rain will put an entire year’s worth of wear on your bike in 1 hour.
• It is foolish and dumb to sprint up to the rider in front of you, then fist your brakes on the turn so you don’t run into them. Pick a middle pace, you’ll catch him in the turn, no wasted energy.
• Sand sucks.
• If you see a rider squirt their water bottle onto the trail before taking a sip, it’s not some silly superstitious ritual, they are getting the mud and grit out of the mouthpiece… note to self.
• If you forget your front wheel, you won’t be racing today (sorry, Mike).
• Race, recover, race, recover - that’s how you keep going for 12 laps.
• You can lean into a tight turn faster than you’d think, by leaning your body into the bushes. Your tires stay on the track, but your body leans way into those bushes on the inside. This way you can rail without slowing down. Riders who try to keep both bike and body upright over the path have to slow down to manage the same turn.
• Sand really really sucks.

Photos of the race are available in the Velotopia Gallery