Pacing for the Race

A successful race depends a lot on how you pace yourself during the event. You have to learn when to push, when to cruise, and when to rest. I have heard it said that it’s how you finish that’s important. I think this is true. So, let’s talk about pacing yourself through a one-day cycling race.

Make sure you are rested, and that you are ‘peaking’ on race day. You cannot get fitter in the week of the race, but you can get fatigued if you train hard until the last minute.
Most events are endurance, or at least semi-endurance, meaning that you can’t maintain a flat-out pace for the entire event. Therefore, you have to pace yourself according to your ability and fitness level. This becomes even more of a factor when it is a multi-day event, which is a whole other topic.

The first thing you need to know is your current form. How has the training been going? Do you have a goal time in mind? Is this the race where you want your best time, or are you using this race in the build-up to a more important event some weeks away?
Let’s assume this is the race which you have been training for and want to brag about your time for the next few months. You are going to go for the best time possible and leave it all on the road or the trail.

It’s a one-day race, and you must assume that the bunch will go fast from the gun, so try your best to warm up before you line up. This means taking your heart rate up for short bursts. Get into your starting pen early and be as close to the front as possible when the gun goes. It does not matter if you have cooled down since your warmup. You have just reminded you heart that it’s about to make a big effort. Also familiarise yourself with the course profile before the event and know where/when the big efforts will be required.
If there are big climbs near the start, pacing yourself is critical. If you can stay with the bunch at the start, well and good. However, you may need to let some riders escape and hope you’ll catch them later. My experience has shown that if you burn too many matches (red-line your heart rate) at the beginning, you will pay for it later. The lactic acid in your legs will weaken you and prevent you from giving your best later in the race.

Remember, you want to finish as strong as possible. If the front of the bunch is too strong for you (often the case), form a bunch with others who you are likely to keep up with. Obviously in MTB events, there is little or no bunch riding because you are on single track, but the same principles apply. If you must red-line in the first third of a race, try to stay there as briefly as possible. Whether you use a power meter or your heart rate to measure your effort, know your limits. You cannot stay above 90% for long periods without paying for it later in the race. Try to stay below 85% for the efforts in the first half of the race. Find your zone and look for people around you who seem to be the same strength as you. Find a bunch at all costs. You will go faster and use less energy. Need I remind you? Always make sure you are adequately hydrated. This is important for the race as well as recovery, and even more so if you are riding the next day.

Pacing on a climb

Get to the bottom of the climb as close to the front of the bunch as possible, so that you can slip back during the climb and still be in the bunch at the top.
If it is a long climb, you have to ride at your own pace. Remember that FTP (see below) thing? Now is the time to use it. You simply cannot spend long periods at over 90% of your max. You will have nothing left, and there is no guarantee that you’ll even get to the top of the climb with the others.
Do not wait until you are bursting before slowing down; by then it’s too late. If the other riders look like they are getting away, get into your own zone as soon as possible.
Unless… this is a climb to the finish line, in which case there are no rules.

Save energy for the last 30km. In MTB races, it’s pretty much every man for himself, since there are no real bunches. Go for broke as you get closer to the finish. You will be amazed how much time you can make up, and how many people you will pass if you are still strong. Enjoy the feeling as you cross the line.

FTP = Functional Threshold Power = the highest level of exertion you can maintain for an extended period without breaching your lactate level.

For more information on bunch riding and riding in the wind, see the article on ‘Bunch Riding’ in this website.