help, it's my first race

[kicker696]

this friday is going to be my first race, and i need to know what i should do to prepare for it. Not only mentaly, but also the quad. It's going to be an MX race, and i also need to know how to pick what #'s to run. any help will be great, thanks:)

[Razorback]

- go through and check and tighten all nuts and bolts you can, especially the ones that attach to your plastic.

- lube everything you can.

- clean your air filter because it will get very dirty.

- change your oil if you haven't in a while.

- try to practice at the track you're going to ride if you can, if you can't, then try to practice anywhere. you need to practice full out so you can understand the beating that your body will take. if the race is several laps or miles, be prepared for left arm pump (clutch pulling) and cramping right hand (throttle).

- eat a while before the race so your nerves don't upset your stomach too bad. also, stay away from acid drinks (gatorade, juice, etc.) - just drink plenty of water

- if the track is dry, make sure you have plenty of air in your tires to help slide the corners

- during the race, be cognizant of the riders around you and don't try any jumps you are not comfortable with

- if you want to finish well, the holeshot is critical, but beware that most of the other riders will also be trying to get the holeshot, so you've got a whole bunch of quads heading for the first turn which will likely only be wide enough for a few quads, so there will likely be bumping and chaos

- before the race, walk the track to get familiar with how everything is laid out. pay special attention to jumps and if they might throw you off camber or where landings won't be very smooth.

- they should allow you to practice before the race, so do that and take the first lap easy so you can get a feel for the track, then rip it up a little, being careful not to tire yourself too much.

i'm sure there's lots more, but this is a start. good luck. you'll have a blast. most importantly, be safe :)

[Texan32]

Razor pretty much said it all. A few more little tid bits...
-ead a high carb dinner the night before (lots o' pasta)
-eat a bananna about 20 minutes prior to racing...good energy boost
-take 2 asprin before the race
-WATER ONLY...gatorade RUINED my first race (stomach cramps)
-HAVE FUN...its your FIRST race. let it be a learning experience.

[trx400ex]

whats the aspirin for?

[Crypted1]

to help with muscle cramps and pains after the race.

[ESR250R]

my biggest problem with racing is i have what i call a death grip on the handbars. after about 4 laps it get really hard to pull in the clutch, hit the thumb throttle and use the front brakes. anyone got any advice for that. i broke my wrist a year ago and they gave me some puddy to strenghten my hand and i've been using it lately to possibly help out.

[SGA]

Get a steering stabilizer if you don't have one. I used to grip the bars tight till i got one. Now the bars kind of float in my hands. Also check the toe in. it should be around 1/2 inch. If its out it can make the front end kind of dart around and make you grip the bars too tight. These two things were a big help for me. My quad goes where I point it and holds true.

[Razorback]

you know, something i've found along this same line is to get some proper fitting gloves. i have two different pair of gloves and one of them is too small, but if the other ones are filthy, i wear them. i've noticed when using them that my arms get cramped and tired much quicker.

the asprin also helps u to pass out on the way home

[TRX250XFIRE]

anouther thing to help u with the arm pump at the end is to get a tennis ball and squezz it as often as u can, the stronger ur wrists and forarms are the better, cause usally they are the first thing to get tired during a race.

the asprin also helps u to pass out on the way home

thats not so good if your the one driving home:eek:

i saw a thing at a local shop. it was for dirtbikers. its like a twist throttle. you turn it and it works your forearm and rist. it also makes a kick *** 2stroke noise:D i tried it out. my muscle was sore after like 3 minutes. this wouldnt help as much because you have a thumb throttle and not twist.

[harebounder]

Clear your mind when you get arm pump and concentrate on breathing get some oxygen to your blood. Make sure you don't have your velcro on your gloves to tight. Keep those lose. Relax your arms and hands as much as you can on the smooth parts of the track. Not really sure on mx that much i race xc. Just a few things i do and lots of water. I go to the bathroom prolly 5 to 10 times while they are sweeping the track before we take off. You need to drink that much.