Road Cycling - first ever race

Hello, I will be racing my first race in a about three weeks. It will either be a 50 mile or 100k race, I'm not sure which one I will be competing in, but I'm leaning toward the 50 miler right now. I've just started training(as in cycling) a couple days ago, and so far I did about 15 miles on friday in a little under an hour, a tad under 20(19.86) miles in 1:18 on saturday, and just biked an easy 10 miles today. I am an ex-swimmer of 6 years, I just stopped swimming a month or so ago, so after training for 4 hours a day, year round, for about 6 years, I am in pretty decent shape, and have great endurance to boot. I was wondering if there was a particular way that would be most beneficial me to train up until the race. Thanks in advace.

p.s.-I've been riding a MTB(just trails and playing aruond urban jumps and stuff, no racing) almost my whole life, so I'm not lacking in the basic manuvering skills background. I am currently riding an old(1995ish?) c'dale r300. It is my brothers old tri-bike, but I guess it will have to do for now. I'm almost 16 as well(in july)

Yo bro how’s riding in big groups? This can be shaky some times. You may not touch someone else but you may bring others around you down and that would not be good. Find some ppl to ride with so you can get familiar riding in large groups. This advice is only because I don’t know your experience on the road. Good luck and keep training but you need to do some longer ones other than the ones you have mentioned. Go the distance that you will be racing in.

You definitely need to do some group rides to get used to the peloton--drafting safely, cornering safely, etc. Despite your fitness level, you may be astonished by the pace. Definitely make sure you have ridden the race distance before the race.

There's a lot more to it, but 2 basic rules, the violation of which will cost you or somebody else some skin (if not worse):

1. Do not overlap the wheel in front of you.
2. In the corners, hold your line--i.e. pick a line through the corner and stay with it. You must allow the guys on each side of you to follow their lines. If you cut them off, you'll all go down, and you'll have some explaining to do.

I would also suggest that you give yourself several races or so to watch what others do, how they behave, what signals they give, etc. This doesn't mean you can't be competitive, but you have to obey the many unwritten rules of the pack.

A reasonable place to start for advice is the following website: http://hauns.com/~DCQu4E5g/Index.html

Best of luck!

I am just an old fat guy who hasn't raced yet but hope to in the not-too-distant future. But I know this:

YOU MUST GET IN SOME SERIOUS GROUP RIDES!!

Ask at an LBS where the local racer types do their group training rides, usually early Saturday or Sunday morning. Most are open to anyone. Tell them you are new and want to learn to ride in a group and race. Hopefully someone will advise you.

A bike race is not at all like a running or swimming race. You not only have to worry about yourself but about everyone else and how ever action of yours may affect someone else. An inexperienced person poses a serous danger to himself and to the peloton for some of the reasons stated above. A bike race involves a certain amount of cooperation and trust. It is your responsibility to educate yourself and get some group riding experience.

Good for you for wanting to race. Have fun, but do the homework so you can do it safely.

everything these folks mentioned above is true and more. i too an am inexperienced rider and rode in my first crit last weekend. i learned sooooooo much. that is how you do it. keep going to races, tours, group rides, fund raisers, etc. ask questions, no one is going to laugh or talk you down. most of them are just glad to see another one on a bike!!!!!!!!!!
keep rollin

Indeed, to second Sampson's view, when I started racing at 16, a couple of older riders took me under their wing and told me all I wanted to know. Perhaps, it was in their self-interest to see me racing safely, but they cheered me all the way.

Best of luck!