get to the line early - beginner class has no call-ups, so first come first in line; lung-busting holeshot; stay in front for the first lap; dismount well before the barrier - better to run more and trip less; practice remount at full run - it's actually easier that way - make sure you land on your inner thigh then scoot over - pedal hard and get away - then clip in; in the sand, unweight your bars and look far down field; experiment with tire pressure - how low can you go - try riding tubulars sometime; find mud, sand, hills, packed dirt, rutted trails, grass, barriers, anything unridable; never coast - keep power to the pedals continually; practice cornering with figure-8s and gradually increase speed; bring your trainer to races and warm up for an hour before the start