A - Yes, I have a few tips to give you. First off, remember that this is a mountain bike race and not WWIII. You're supposed to be doing it for fun and enjoyment so please don't take it too seriously. You should only have two goals in your first event - to finish and to enjoy the experience. Do not give yourself any higher goals as you will probably not fulfill them and thus be a failure. Unless there are less than four in your category your chances of winning a prize are slim to none anyways.
If your race is closer than three weeks away then you have little chance of becoming a faster rider in that time and a big chance of making yourself a lot slower. Don't rush out and triple your mileage as you will overdo it and fatigue yourself. Just carry on riding the way you are used to and you'll be OK. Your event in the Beginner or Novice category will be relatively short so you don't need tons of endurance. If you can ride anywhere for one hour without stopping then you have lots. Leave "training" to the experienced riders.
If possible pre-ride the course in the preceding week or day. Familiarity with the circuit will be the #1 thing that you can do to improve your performance. Get your bike looked at by a good mechanic at least four days before the event and do not do any adjustments or changes after that unless absolutely necessary. Two days before start drinking extra fluids - no not alcohol, stupid ! The day before the event you should pack your gear for the race - make yourself a check-list and keep it near to where you keep your stuff. Modify the list as necessary as situations dictate but keep the same list always.
On your list should be all the essentials - TWO shoes, two sox, one helmet.......get the idea? You'd be surprised the number of racers that don't start their event because they didn't have a check-list and forget something important. Make sure you have a large jug of your local water and three water bottles with you - one to drink on the way to the event, one to take with you in the race half-full and one to drink when you finish. Pack a small towel that's soaking wet into a large zip-lock bag for use after the event. You'll be thankful you've got a wet towel to wipe your grimy face when you're all done. Offer it to someone who didn't read my tips and you may make a friend for life.
Get to the race site early and register right away. Check where the start line is and double check your start time. It's nice to have a responsible person accompany you to keep track of small details like start times and car keys and to watch your bike while you go to the stinky porta-potty six times. Do not take food, camel-backs or tools on the race - you have no time or need for any of them as your race will be short and sweet. Plan on glugging down your half-bottle of water around the half-way point in the event at a natural dismount. Stretch your aching back at that time too and take 30 seconds for the stop. Forty five minutes before your start time go for a gentle ride for 30 minutes and get to the line or start area 15 minutes early. You'll probably be started in "waves" or categories so listen to the announcer for instructions of where to line up for your category. Do not line up at the front of your group if this is your first event as you'll probably be trampled at the start. Line up half-way down your group. Choose what you consider is the correct gear for the terrain in front of you. You will be started in groups and please listen carefully to the announcer. At the gun do not go flat out to keep up with the others. Hold back somewhat and you'll probably pick off lots that went out too fast as the race unfolds. Don't try anything in the race that you've never done before - jumping logs, wheelying steams etc. You'll probably screw up and lose tons of time if you do. Just ride as you normally would. If you want to pass someone, wait for the right moment and say politely "On your left, please." They'll let you by when it's safe. Then say "Thanks, hey - nice bike." as you pass. If others want past you - let them when it's safe for them to go. Say "Good ride, man." as they pass. The course marshals are probably all volunteer and without them you wouldn't have a race. Say "Thanks for helping" as you pass. They'll be shocked.
Keep riding steady the whole race and don't burn yourself out, remember - your goal is to finish. You can't do worse than quit !!! At the finish don't stop on the line as there are others finishing behind you - get off to one side and have your helper meet you there with the water bottle and the wet towel. Now are you glad you took my advice? Offer it to the closest dirty-faced racer.
Find some of the others that you diced with in your race and go over and congratulate them and talk over your experience. You may make more friends for life here. Go back to the car, wash yourself down and put on clean, dry clothes and then go back to the finish and cheer on the real tail-enders. Do not let your loll go out of your hand for one second or you may never see it again. Wait around for the awards presentation even if you didn't win anything and cheer like hell for all those who did. They didn't do it for the water bottle and T-shirt they're being given. They did it for the cheers.
When the presentation is over, find out who the organizer is and go thank him/her for the race. After a weekend of listening to stupid people bitching about problems of their own making - you'll be like a breath of fresh air. The organizer will never forget your thanks. I guarantee it. On the drive home talk about the race to your partner until they say "For crysakes, will you please SHUT UP?" Then just sit there and smile.
Aitäh Anttile, kes sellest pikast loost tõlke tegi.
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umbes nagu 70ndatel eestis välja antud käitumisõpik, kus õpetati tuttavate tervitamist tänaval. kõige ebaviisakam mis öelda sai oli: "Moens krae, kuhu kursid?"