Go to practice

As you are approaching the race weekend, it is very important that you are attending your team’s practices! Your team will likely be practicing different skills that are specifically important for races such as:

• Passing: It is crucial to communicate when passing on the race course. If you are the rider doing the passing, make sure to ask the rider in front of you if you can pass, and if on single-track, make sure that it is safe to do so. When passing, make sure to tell the rider in front if you are passing on their left and right side. 
• Race Starts: Mimicking what a race start will be like during your team practice will help you feel less nervous on the real race day! Practice what gear on your bike you might start in as well as what foot you want on the ground. You can also practice passing during this to get a feel for what it is like to pass in the start chute vs in the middle of the course. 
• Hand Ups/ Feed Zone: Practicing hand ups at practice will make it a lot smoother on race day. Practice dropping your current water bottle in an area imitating the Feed Zone and receiving water bottles from your coaches on your right side.

MAke sure your gear for the weekend is appropriate

Your gear must be appropriate for the location and weather of the venue. Texas weather changes frequently, and fast! It’s important to be prepared for the type of conditions you will be encountering that weekend. For example, if you know it will be rainy, it would be a good idea to pack specific bags and towels for your gear if it will be muddy. During races, always pack layers just in case, and other items like raincoats, hats, etc. 

solidify your nutrition plan

The start line is not the time to test out a new electrolyte or gel! Make sure that you have your nutrition plan figured out way ahead of the race. You don’t want to try something on race day that you may not agree with or make you sick. During practices leading up to the race, find hydration and fuel that you like, is effective, and can use during races. 

ensure your bike is race ready

• Drivetrain: Make sure that your chain is clean and check for wear to see if pieces need to be replaced. Shift through all your gears and adjust your derailleur if anything isn’t working properly. 
• Brakes: Check that your brake pads aren’t too thin and that your rotors aren’t bent. Test your brakes and make sure they are responsive! 
• Tires: If you are running tubeless tires, ensure that there is sufficient sealant. Make sure your spokes are fine and that there aren’t any holes or cuts in your actual tire.

Check out the courses ahead of time

Visit the race venue before you race! Many are private ranches that you can go ride before the race weekend.

Don’t have time to travel? The League’s YouTube channel has a few videos that can help you prepare. From trail previews to tips and tricks, we’ve got you covered.

Follow the league

Photos and race results will always be posted to this texasmtb.org website. Follow along on YouTube, Instagram and Strava for additional race weekend information and post-race results and photos!

familiarize yourself with the schedule

• Know what time your team is pre-riding, what time the GRiT pre-ride is, and your racing schedule for Sunday (what time you need to sleep/be up, eat, hydrate, stage etc.) 
• The information about the pre-ride schedule will be available on the race page of the website. Make sure to double check your start time every race, as they change from race to race!

Sugar Land Race Page

29 Pines Race Page

Pre-Ride

• Grab your race plate before pre-riding! You must have it on your bike to be on the course at all times. A pre-ride is a chance to ride the course before the race on Sunday
• Go with your team during your team’s pre-ride time slot. This is a good time to see the layout of the course and practice parts that might be tricky during race day. If you are a rider who will be racing more than one lap, make sure you know the feed-zone and lap connector areas.

activities around camp – Get Involved!

• GRiT is the league’s program to get more girls and women on bike. Each Saturday features an all-girls GRiT ride at 3 p.m. and activities at the GRiT tent.
• Adventure hosts activities for students from any team to participate in on Saturday.
• Team Activities: Some teams have traditions, such as wiffleball, kickball, or campfire jams.

nutrition

Know how/where you are eating

• Some teams provide lunch, dinner, and breakfast; however, some do not. Make sure to check with your coaches and team to ensure that food is provided and if not, plan your meals accordingly. 
• Pack extra snacks just in case!

Dinner night before race 

• Now is finally your chance to eat as much pasta as you want! Go for a dinner with lots of carbohydrates, as they are your body’s primary energy source for endurance efforts. 

Hydration

• Hydration doesn’t start the day of the race, but actually the day before! Drink water throughout the evening to make sure that you are properly hydrated for the morning race. If it has been hot, add some electrolytes to ensure you are sufficiently hydrated for tomorrow.

camping

Many families choose to stay at the race venue overnight. People stay in tents, RVs, or hotels, or rent Airbnbs.

early morning

• Make sure that you wake up with enough time to get ready, eat, warmup, and get to staging punctually.
• Generally, it is a good idea to have your last meal 2 hours before your race and to stop drinking large amounts of water 1 hour before. However, eating small snacks 30-60 min before and lightly sipping water until 20 minutes before staging can be beneficial.
• If the weather is bad, continually check for messages from your team or from the league regarding scheduling, as sometimes start times or lap numbers can be changed.

before staging

• Set your tires to the right PSI for the course! Depending on the conditions for the day, such as muddy, dusty, etc., it is important to make sure your tire pressure will best suit you for the terrain. 
• In sharpie, write your category, wave, and call up number on your arm. The information for this should be at your team’s campsite. 
• While you have a front race plate on your bike, you will have a back race plate on the back of your jersey. Make sure you have it pinned on before you go to staging. 
• Before staging, make sure you use the restroom! You don’t want to have to during the race!  
• Bring any water bottles, Camelbaks, or fuel/food you will need up to staging.

staging

• Once you have everything you need for the race, head to the staging area located right before the start line. While there, you can organize yourself with others based on your call ups within your category to make the staging process smoother and easier.
• You will be called up and positioned at the start line where different waves of categories will be sent off to start the race.

racing

• When passing, make sure to let the rider in front of you know and to do so only when it is safe for both riders, specifying which side you are passing on.
• Have good sportsmanship on the course. There is no swearing or saying hurtful things to other riders. Have respect for other riders, course marshals, and the course itself! 
• Have fun!

After the race

• Results for the race should be posted shortly after you complete your race online and also at the tent near the finish line.
• If you are a top 5 finisher in your category, you will get to stand on the podium and receive a medal!