The Pre-Ride

They don't really have them on the road, except for big races, but in the dirt its all about the pre-ride. Here is why I think it's one of the most important parts of your race weekend and how I use it.

It certainly has to be because I'm younger, but I think I take the pre-ride a little more seriously than some of the older more established WORS elite racers. But when it comes to the pro level, everyone takes it pretty seriously except for maybe a few riders. The importance is really because of how the races are treated in the olympic style racing at a high level. Where as a long point to point, or a big 2-4 hour marathon, the course is either very easy such as with the Mid-west Triple Crown, too impossible to pre-ride and remember the whole thing, or the pace is slow enough that it's not as important. But in XC, it's about doing each climb, technical feature or corner as fast a possible. It's first about doing them well, then it's about doing them well together as a full lap, and finally it's about repeating those laps each time.


Thats the general idea which is nice, but doing it can be tough to figure out how to even approach. I approach it one step at a time. For example, here is a typical WORS pre-ride for me. Oddly enough I know most of these course pretty well, but it still helps to run through it.

I'll do 3 laps if possible, but at least 2.

Lap 1 is all about just riding the course. I ride at my normal pace for an awesome Saturday with buds trail ride. Not too fast, but fast enough to make mistakes. I'll get the general feel for the course and since I'm going fast enough to make mistakes, I do. But I find that I learn best from the mistakes. When I slide out in pre-ride in a corner, I almost never do so in the race. It's all about riding and letting my mind and body react to the course to get comfortable with the grip of the dirt and the size of the obstacles, and hopefully not how bendy the trees are. But at the same time I'm trying to keep an open mind and look for creative lines or quicker lines through a section, and not being afraid to take the A-line without thinking about it much. Chances are I'll make it and often times looking at it makes me hesitate. But you have to know the limit, no need to get hurt the day before a race.

Lap 2, I focus on pushing the pace a little more, practicing and focusing on the sections I messed up on the previous lap. If this is the last lap for the day, I'll even start to attack hard to open up the legs. The goal with lap 2 is to go faster than lap 1, but not just because you are pedaling harder, but because you're taking better lines and conserving momentum through the corners and over obstacles. Essentially taking the lessons from lap 1 and applying them.

Finally if time allows it, I do a third lap. I use this final lap for some good solid race pace and even attacking pace efforts to open up the legs and get comfortable on the course at max pace. The technical sections will be tougher when my heart rate is 180 and my legs are burning so it's goof to know what they feel like. But it's only 15-20 minutes of effort so it probably won't tire me out, in fact it usually works as great openers. But again, I keep my limits in mind. If I'm tired from a long week, maybe I'll just ride another endurance pace lap to practice my lines.

Pre-ride is over and it's time to do all my recovery stuff, but there is one last thing I feel is important. This is something thats good to keep in mind while riding too. I think about pacing myself. Where am I going to burn matches, where is it a good place to rest. There are not many tactics when it comes to racing MTBs, but I consider pacing to be part of the tactics. The race will begin and I'll be riding in a group but sooner or later someone is going to attack, maybe it's me! And from there it's all about going as fast I can on the course. Knowing how to pace myself, where to push and where to rest, where to eat and drink has saved me a few times this year.


It helps me focus on the task at hand, pushing the limits.