Road Bike Racing - my first 3/4 race.

...hurt like hell.

I just catted up on Monday, mind you.

I went to the crit tonight and and got a royal spanking. I didn't get dropped like 2/3 of the pack, but I was in the back. And of courese once you are there it's so hard to move up (especially when you are a slow 4.) I am happy I got a pack finish, but man did it hurt.

Maybe not bad considering I started riding in late September/early October.




**note: do not eat 4 cheese filled brauts before you race.**

**note: do not eat 4 cheese filled brauts before you race.**

oog, that makes my stomach churn.
btw nice result, that is definitely nothing to be ashamed of if you just catted up to 4!

oog, that makes my stomach churn.
btw nice result, that is definitely nothing to be ashamed of if you just catted up to 4!

Thanks! I might have done better had I eaten properly, but I didn't think I would be able to make the race, so I didn't prepare. There were just cat3's sitting up on the front hammering and attacking. It was painful. Then after the race, the brats got their revenge, and I felt like crap.

Avoid eating in the three hours leading up to a race.

Hydration begins the day before.

Man who scratches ass should not bite fingernails.

Man who take sleeping pill and laxative on the same night will wake up in deep sh*t.

Avoid eating in the three hours leading up to a race.

Hydration begins the day before.

Man who scratches ass should not bite fingernails.

Man who take sleeping pill and laxative on the same night will wake up in deep sh*t.

why no food 3 hours prior?.. i think i consume 3 clif bars in the hour before a race.. :(

Avoid eating in the three hours leading up to a race.

Hydration begins the day before.

Man who scratches ass should not bite fingernails.

Man who take sleeping pill and laxative on the same night will wake up in deep sh*t.

It wasn't that it was close to the race, it was 5 hours before. What hurt was what it was.

why no food 3 hours prior?.. i think i consume 3 clif bars in the hour before a race.. :(

Start on page 71 ...

read me (http://www.hammernutrition.com/downloads/fuelinghandbook.pdf)

(yes, it's chock full of advertisements for Hammer Products, but you'll get the message ... no I don't work for Hammer)

Congrats on the upgrade! Stop talking about the crit -- I really really want to get out there!

Good job staying in the pack. You'll get better and better at it. By June, you'll be doing the 3/4 and the Open race :D Last year, I'd compete in the 3/4, and just ride the open for training.

+1, if you eat anything w/in 2.5 hours of a race, it better be small and chewed really well. Your stomach gets priority over your legs when you body is supplying blood and oxygen. Digesting food takes a lot of energy.

ah very good info...

i'll try it this sunday.. but i dont know, when i feel "hunger" before a race i cant help but feel that im gonna simply bonk during the race

what's the procedure behind bonking then? or does bonking only happen after a certain amount of hours

Congrats on the upgrade! Stop talking about the crit -- I really really want to get out there!

Good job staying in the pack. You'll get better and better at it. By June, you'll be doing the 3/4 and the Open race :D Last year, I'd compete in the 3/4, and just ride the open for training.

+1, if you eat anything w/in 2.5 hours of a race, it better be small and chewed really well. Your stomach gets priority over your legs when you body is supplying blood and oxygen. Digesting food takes a lot of energy.

Thanks! It seems alot of people do the open race just for training... that race is FAST. I hope that I get a better start next week and don't kill myself trying to get through everyone (like today).

bonking in a crit would be pretty hard to do. if you eat a normal sized dinner the night before, and a small breakfast 3 or more hours before the race, you'll be fine. Nice article by the way

ah very good info...

i'll try it this sunday.. but i dont know, when i feel "hunger" before a race i cant help but feel that im gonna simply bonk during the race

what's the procedure behind bonking then? or does bonking only happen after a certain amount of hours

As long as you've eaten properly in the meals before the 2.5/3 hr cutoff, your glycogen stores are fine. If you get hungry, eat. A banana 45 minutes before the race won't kill you. Just chew it really well. I'll often eat a kudos bar in that last hour. It just takes the edge off the hunger.

Nothing wrong with a Gu at the start line either. After that, eating depends on the event. For a crit, you don't need to eat unless you're doing the P/1/2 90+ minute thing, then a couple gu. For a longe road race. If it's over 1 hour, eat something every 30-45 minutes. Solids earlier in the race (if you have them), and gels later.

Start on page 71 ...

read me (http://www.hammernutrition.com/downloads/fuelinghandbook.pdf)

(yes, it's chock full of advertisements for Hammer Products, but you'll get the message ... no I don't work for Hammer)


3 hours seems a bit long to me .... Usually 2 hours for me of easily digestible food. (No bacon cheeseburgers)
Looks like there's good info in between the ads