snowboarding pants Tips For First Time Racers - with Megs Braap

Hello guys and gals! I’ve made this video for anyone who is just getting into cross country racing. I’m going to list some tips and tricks to help any first time off-road racers survive out there. Your first race is usually a tough one, I will tell you that. My first race was an absolute gong show. I think I got lapped by everyone in my class at least once and pretty much pushed my body to its absolute limits. I was not prepared at all and had no idea what to expect, so I am hoping that by making this video, I can help some people avoid the carnage I experienced the first time I raced.

The first and most important tip is to pace yourself. An average cross country race or hare scramble lasts 2 to 4 hours. As crazy as it sounds, you need to take it easy out there. When I’m racing, I am riding at about 75 or 80 percent. I do this for two reasons. The first reason being that I need to conserve my energy so that I can remain consistent for the entire race. The second reason is to avoid making mistakes. If you are riding at 100 percent out there, you are at a much higher risk of making mistakes. It is EXTREMELY important to remain consistent out there and to keep the rubber side down. As soon as you’re picking up, dragging, or pushing your bike, you can kiss your energy levels goodbye. Trust me, it took me years of racing to get this figured out, but a slightly slower pace with less mistakes is much better than a faster pace, with more mistakes. It is just so important to stay fresh and conserve your energy out there.
Okay, so lets sum up tip #1. Don’t ride at 100%. Conserve energy so that you can remain consistent and finish the entire race in one piece. The goal is to stay smooth, avoid mistakes, and keep a consistent pace.

The second tip I’m going to give you is to USE YOUR HEAD. You will most definitely experience moments out there where you need to make quick decisions. The classic example would be a bottle neck at the bottom of a gnarly hill. You’ll come around a corner and see 5 people stuck on a hill with 5 more people piled up at the bottom. Your first instinct is going to be to blast by the people at the bottom and take a run at the hill. Usually this is a bad idea. The smartest move would be to take the few seconds you need to assess the situation and make a decision. Is there a way around? Are there any alternate lines? Is your safest bet to wait it out and take a clean run at it? It all depends on the situation and how confident you are that you can get up this hill and not end up piled up with the rest. Getting stuck on a hill can really screw things up. It’s extremely exhausting and draining to get going again once you’re stuck. Especially if you’re stuck amidst a bunch of other people.
To sum up tip #2, STOP AND THINK before you get yourself into a bad situation out there. Take a few seconds to look at your options, and do your best to make the right choice. Losing a few seconds to think something through is a heck of a lot better than losing 10 minutes because you got yourself really stuck on a hill or an obstacle.

Tip # 3 is not to panic. If things do get nasty out there and you’re making mistakes and losing time, it’s okay. I can guarantee you, a lot of other people are doing the same thing. You have 2 to 4 hours out there. You will catch people as they make mistakes. All is not lost if you end up at the back of the pack. There were a few years where I had notoriously bad starts because my bike would never start on the line. I was always last off the line and I’d have to fight my way to the top. There is lots of time so never panic or feel like you’re doomed. You’d be amazed how many people you can pass just by getting yourself together and remaining consistent. Also, don’t panic if you get yourself into a situation where you need help. There are lots of good people out there who will help you if you’re really stuck. I’ve been helped by other racers before, and I have helped others as well. The off-road community is amazing that way. To sum this one up, stay calm, don’t panic, you have plenty of time to redeem yourself if you screw things up at the beginning.

Thanks for watching, I really hope this video will be useful to any first time racers out there! Let me know in the comments what you think!

My instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/megs_braap/...

My Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/megsbraap/

Want to support my videos?

https://www.patreon.com/megsbraap

snowboarding pants Tips For First Time Racers - with Megs Braap
546 Likes	546 Dislikes
17,435 views views	37K followers
People & Blogs	Upload TimePublished on 15 Mar 2018

Related keywords

snowboard bag,snowboarding,snowboard pants,biking quotes,dirt bike for kids,snowboarding in california,dirt on dirt,dirty heads,dirty rotten scoundrels,snowboarder,biking uk mountain,snowboard brands,snowboarding near me,snowboarding terms,snowboarding video games,http://www.12gobiking.com,biking games,snowboard size chart,snowboarding in spanish,dirty harry,snowboarding games,dirtvision,dirt bike helmet,snowboard kids 2,snowboarding goggles,biking trails near me,snowboard bindings,dirt bike trailer,snowboard helmet,biking solo lyrics,dirty rice,dirt bike parts,dirt bike 2019,dirtbikebitz,snowboard jackets,snowboarding gear,biking อ่านว่า,biking shoes,snowboard shop,snowboarding documentary,dirty martini,snowboarding in hawaii,dirt million,dirt bike for sale,dirty dancing,biking แปลว่า,dirt bike price,dirt dauber,snowboarding brands,biking แปล,snowboards for sale,dirty jokes,biking dirt,dirtbike quotes,biking vs running,dirt bike magazine,dirty john,dirty work,dirt bike logo,snowboard kids,biking shorts,snowboard boots,dirty pick up lines,snowboarding in colorado,snowboarding boots,dirt bike,snowboarding backpacks,biking lyrics,dirtbike philippines,biking คําอ่าน,dirt bikes for sale,biking average speed,dirt bike rider,dirty memes,dirt bike tattoo,biking calories,snowboarding movies,bikingman laos,snowboarding jackets,dirt cheap,biking backpack,dirty dancing cast,dirty grandpa,dirt bike stand,dirt bike headlight,snowboarding clothes,dirtbike boots,dirt bike decals,snowboarding in japan,biking on west,dirtbikeplanet,snowboarding helmet,dirt bike wallpaper,snowboard goggles,