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We’re going RACING! (Pre-riding the FLE#3 Race Course)

  
     
     Looks like 2021 is off to the races! Class Act Racing has 1 rider @robmhere to race the Florida Endurance series #3 Hammer Head 25/50/75 mile mountain bike race. The FLE #3 - Hammer Head, hosted by GoneRiding.com, will take place in Ocala, Florida at the Landbridge Trailhead. 

     Florida is known for many things, including alligators, manatees, retirees, tan lines, but mountain biking is working its way into an up and coming role in this regard. Many of you, like me, might at first wonder how a land mass as flat as this might offer any real value to riders. Such is the case in Ocala, where the Santos Trails continue to grow in size and distinction. The lack of topographic opportunities hasn't dissuaded the vast and passionate local riders from spending most of their free time riding their bikes in the woods. Santos is one of Florida’s most renowned trail systems. Founded on an old rock quarry in 1993, the Ocala Mountain Bike Association has been building and maintaining this trail system for decades! Santos offers a wide range of trails for all skill levels.

     Pre-riding the course for a race is an important part of your race prep and can be the difference between not finishing and a podium finish. If done incorrectly it can also wreck your legs and end up making for a miserable weekend. Rob opted to take the first lap at an easy pace. This allowed him to carefully analyze all the technical sections. This is wear you should take note, if you're unable to ride a technical section, now is the time to stop and practice. other things to consider are you should analyze the climbs. How long are they, how steep, are they technical and slow or smooth and fast? How will you attack each climb? Ask yourself if you have the correct gearing on your bike for the climbs. Make a mental note of where each climb begins so that in the race you are ready and in good position before each hill.

    For the second lap of the race course. This is known as the “hot lap” and this is the time to start piecing things all together. The second lap should be done at a higher speed and intensity; maybe not true race pace but definitely a hard effort. 

     One drawback to pre riding the course is that it can make you feel exhausted. You should be careful and strategic with how and when you pre ride the course. Don’t do 3 hot laps on the course the day before the race because you feel amazing and you love the course and you’re just having too much fun. For success on race day to happen, you have to be ready and be prepared. Part of that preparation is having no surprises on race day. By doing your homework, you know what lines to take, you know how long each climb is and what kind of effort to put in, you know when to eat and when to drink.



                                   

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