Originally Posted by lunacycle
Advice for a newbie? I would say to just set your own pace the first few races. 30 minutes can seem like a very, very, very long time in cyclocross. There's always the tendency to go like hell the first lap, cross the finish line totally spent, only to realize you have six or seven more laps to go. It can be somewhat demoralizing. Focus on developing good form with your dismounts, carrying techniques, and remounts. You'll get more enjoyment and satisfaction from the experience.
What else? Crashing doesn't hurt as much as you would expect, momentum is your friend, don't death-grip the bars, and practice running up hill a lot. Most importantly though, realize the cosmic absurdity of your chosen recreational activity and don't take it too seriously.
do some searches...there's lots of good info in this forum. lunacyle's advice is good...just try to do your best for your first races, and dont get discouraged if you dont do as well as you want to. the best way to learn how to race is to race. make sure you warm up really well, and hit the starting line ready to hammer. the starts are fast (basically an all out sprint), so be ready for that. dont eat anything 1.5-2 hours before the race...but you can pop some gels if you want. start hydrating the day/night b4.....and have fun!