Originally Posted by
spectastic
I read most of the relevant stuff on those stickies. But I'm still fuzzy on a few pointers.
I know it's important to get good sleep and show up early, but How early should you aim for? 30 minutes? Shorter races need longer warm ups. How long do you really need? I know it probably varies by individual. But are there things I should be aiming for before I line up?
Another question is about eating, especially before the race. good idea to eat plenty of carbs? How do I make sure I get that morning turd out of system before the race? What should I eat for breakfast? In my first race, I was almost puking by the last turn, and all I had was two bananas and water during the race.
How long was the race? Often I don't eat at all during a race unless it's more than 90 minutes. However, I find that the more in shape I am the longer I can ride without eating. More glycogen storage, better ability to break down fats? I dunno. Either way, if this was an intense 30 minute crit I'd say cramming down two bananas during the race is asking a lot of the old digestive system. Might also try staying away from solids on the shorter races. I find gels disgusting but during more intense efforts they're all I seem to be able to get down and keep down.