What's the best way to train for mountain bike racing?

Question

I've been a recreational rider for over 15 years but have no racing experience. I ride once a week regardless of weather and do interval training every other day for 45 minutes on my indoor trainer; I alternate this with circuit weight training. I'll be entering my first amateur race this spring and would love to know any training tips. I'm not looking to place on the podium right away but would like to have some respectable finishes.

Answer 1

You have a good base already. The next thing you need to do is just enter a race. You should enter in the beginner class for your first race. If you finish in the top three and have a lap time that is better than the back half of the sport class on the same course, move up for your next race.

Find out how long the races in your area typically are and make sure you can ride that distance at a good pace. I would recommend you continue the intervals, and add more longer steady pace rides. Depending on what your intervals are like, make sure you are working towards doing 5-10 minutes at or near your anaerobic threshold with rest in between. This will come in handy on long climbs. You can also do some shorter intervals above your AT, that can come in handy for short, steep climbs, and sprint finishes.

When the weather allows, get out for a couple hours 2-3 times/week at least. Maybe do some hill repeats if you need to improve your climbing (who doesn't!!). I find for mtb, just riding trails as much as possible with little stopping at a good cadence is really the best training--you get a good workout and train your technical skills. Though I now do some road training as well, since during the week it is too hard to get to trails, so I need to build my cardio on the road.

Despite your previous biking experience, because you have never actually raced, the beginner class is designed for someone exactly like you. Racing is really just riding fast without stopping, but in a race, you will react in ways that you really cannot predict or copy in a non-race setting (unless you have friends you can ride with and with whom you are really competive). I know that I can never push myself to a race pace in training. The intensity of the race itself just adds a level.

In most mountain bike races, the pack spreads out a bit, so you are not riding in a pack most of the time. However, you will have to learn how to pass and how to be passed. But since you are in the beginner class, this is the case for everyone and if someone gets upset because you are slowing them down, remind them it is the beginner class! (You get a lot of sandbaggers--people who should be racing Sport but want to podium so they race a class down and they take it WAY too seriously!).

There is certain etiquette in a race-- Being Passed: if someone wants to pass you, they should call it out. You are under no obligation to pull over and let them pass*. If you are on a section of trail that is too narrow or technical, tell them you will let them pass as soon as the trail allows. Then as soon as you have a flattish, straightish section that has a little more width or less stuff on the side, steer slightly to your right (generally people pass on your left) and tell them to pass on your left (If the trail is such that it works better to have them pass on the right, then do that). Since they are passing you, you should not have to slow down at all. It is up to them to add speed to get by you.

*However, there are a few situations in which the above does not apply: 1) you are going REALLY slow and you are being lapped by the leader. Generally, if this is the case, you might make more of an effort to let them pass right away. You are quite far from the podium and they might be in a serious contest to keep the lead. Generally the leader will let you know he is the leader. 2) You are on the course at the same time as another class of racers, and you are being lapped by someone in the higher class. In my experience, most race organizers will try to keep this to a minimum, especially for beginners, but it can happen. More likely, you might find yourself being passed by the leaders of the women beginners or juniors races. In both cases you are not obligated to let them pass right away by stopping, but making a little more effort to let them pass right away is considered polite. 3) You are stumbling all over something technical, like a log or rocks. Just get to the side so they can ride through, let them pass, and then get to an area you can remount and go on your way. Try to catch and pass them on the next flat or climb!

NEVER EVER EVER purposely block someone from passing you on a section of trail on which it is safe for them to pass you once you are aware that they are trying to pass you.

Passing: If you have the privilege of passing someone else, as you come up behind them call out "when the trail allows, can you let me pass?" or something like that. If the trail clearly allows, you can shorten to "passing on your left" or "passing on your right". Make sure if you are just going to pass you call out before you are actually passing them because if you startle the person, they may fall into you, especially in a beginner class when you have some serious newbies racing. The person you are passing should follow the rules stated above, though there are always cases when the rider you are passing is not aware of the rules or is a jerk. If it is clearly dangerous to pass (narrow off camber, in the middle of a rock garden in which you want to take the exact same line), wait. One of you will get hurt if you try to push past.

One key strategic thing to do is preride the course if at all possible. This way you can learn where the places are that passing will be really easy and where you want to try to be in the front of any group going into so you don't get caught up behind anyone.

Wow, way more info than you asked for!!

Answer 2

There are 3 basic areas you need to work on for mtb races. First of all get a road bike if you don't already have one. Most of your training should be on a road bike, ride you MTB once or twice a week.

1) Endurance.
You need to have a ride one or two times a week that is about 20% longer in ride time (not distance) than the longest race you will be racing in. You don't have to start this right away but you should be up to this riding time a few months before your first race.

2) Intervals.
Pick intervals that build on your weaknesses and ones that are best for the type of MTB races you are entering. Depending on where you live you may have MTB races with lots of climbing in them, then pick climbing intervals. Or if they are flat and rolling then pick power intervals. What every you do pick the specific type and do it for one month blocks. For example if you need to work on climbing then do climbing specific intervals for a month one or two days a week. You could mix interval types but a focused approach works better. I would suggest at least one month of intervals that will help deal with the super fast starts of MTB races.

3 Bike handling/technical skills,
If you only ride your mtb once a week work this in if only to keep the feel. I don't know how many guys gain 10 minutes on a climb only to totally suck on a down hill and lose all 10. If you can become even a halfway decent desender, if you aren't one already, it will go a long way to maintaining and even gaining positions.


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Answer 3

ride alot. i ride about 10miles a day, 5 days a week. i started racing this last summer. if i have any advice to give you, it would be this:

-ride a lot. no amount of weight training is going to substitute time spent on a bike. it trains specifically the muscles you use for riding and increases your reflexes and vision. if you are road racing, then i recommend going off road for training. this is where you will get the most intense experience on two wheels. go on trails regularly and time your self and try to go faster each time.

second, dont overestimate your strength. when you start racing, go into a lower class. i started in the sport class and i failed terribly. i downgraded to the beginner class and i won 2nd on the first race. whats the worst that can happen? your too good for them and wipe them all over the place?lol. you can always move up but it harder to move down.

dont let pride get in the way. be humble. i didnt want to be labeled as a beginner, but thats where i fit in for now and i doing good. we have to start somewhere.

good luck!

Answer 4

Well, honestly, just to practice. Race everyday for several hours. Depending on where you live, race outside. Maybe even ask others to help you, or ask them to race with you.
Ask them to tell you what you can improve on.