Race & Ride Warmup

[RacerChick]

Warm Up

I know this "Warm Up" thread is from like 2 years ago. I uploaded Yesterday's cross race in Blunt Park, Mass http://connect.garmin.com/activity/11845421
My heart rate at the start was 209! I was in 7th and had no choice but to slow and lower my heart rate (see the heart rate tab in the link) Although I have been racing for 3 years (2nd year at CX) I have never warmed up before an event! I thought just riding around warming up the legs a bit was enough. The next race I WILL warm up for atleast an hour and conclude the session with a few sprints at a HR above 150 as Pixy posted way back when. Since this thread is a couple of years old, could you guys please update your warm up routines. Not to drop names here
but Ben, Fred, JimV, Pix and Norm's routines would be super! Thanks guys
RC ...

 

[ArmyOfNone]

An hour is quite a bit long. You would be warming up longer than you be racing. Going that long will start to hurt your race performance.

Warm up is an individual thing. You will have to find what works for ya.

I normally will try to get a few laps on the race course if possible to check things out.

From there I will sit on the trainer and spin for 10-15min working up a good sweat. For the next 10 mins I will do 30 sec sprints to get the HR up and recover for 30. Ill keep the legs spinning for 10 mins or so hop of and finish getting ready to head to the start line. If I get to the line a bit early I may do a few practice starts.

And then its on!

 

[Steve Vai]

My cross warmup may be about an hour...Usually a few laps of the course to peep lines when I get there, say 10-15 minutes...30 minutes on the trainer or on the road, bringing the intensity up during the first 20 minutes, a 5 minute LT+ effort, then a 5 minute cool down...Then I'll ride the course again, with 1 lap near race pace...I try to roll up to the line with under 15 minutes to start time...Strip down to race kit after call-ups to keep your legs warm:getsome:

-Jim.

 

[RacerChick]

My cross warmup may be about an hour...Usually a few laps of the course to peep lines when I get there, say 10-15 minutes...30 minutes on the trainer or on the road, bringing the intensity up during the first 20 minutes, a 5 minute LT+ effort, then a 5 minute cool down...Then I'll ride the course again, with 1 lap near race pace...I try to roll up to the line with under 15 minutes to start time...Strip down to race kit after call-ups to keep your legs warm:getsome:

-Jim.

Thanks Fred and JimV,
With 3-4 MTB races left in the season and 16 cross races on the calender so far atleast I can save part of my season. I see that both of you take a few laps on the CX course than hop on the trainer. I like Fred's 30 on 30 off sprints, I was thinking of trying like 4x30/30 recovery. I also like Jim's 5 minute LT 5 minute recovery, but like Freddy said ... "Warm up is a individual thing" I could try this before cross practice, but it's so hard to simulate race effort. I need to figure out something, because yesterday having to give up 7th place on lap 2 when my heart rate hit 209 is not acceptable :getsome:
RC ...