Walk The Track
OK, you've done your research, practiced, paid the entry fees and are finally ready to race. When you get to the track, there are a few things you should do before the gate drops. First of these is walking the track. Walking the track gives you a slow-motion view of what you'll be flying by, over and across. It gives you the chance to make a map in your brain of the jump locations, corner directions, mud holes, slick spots and the all-important finish line. Also, if you've been hanging around some experienced racers in practice, this is a good time for them to say, "Hit this jump the same speed as in practice." Or "Don't, under any circumstances, try to jump this." Take the time to study the track before you go for it.
Get There Early
Nothing is worse for racing than showing up late. You can miss a lot of things by rushing around and trying to catch up. If you show up early and are ready to go, you'll be less stressed and much more likely to have a pleasurable experience. The beginning of a race day is a busy time and just racing one class requires many steps of preparation. There is sign-up, the rider's meeting, walking the track, practice and showing up to the gate on time-not to mention getting a good parking spot. If you miss any of these things in your first race experiences, you'll regret it. It's easier to show up early and take your time going through the motions. When you're ready to go with time to spare, you can ensure your bike, body and mind are all going to the starting line as prepared as possible.
Eat And Drink
Motocross is physically difficult. In fact, it's just plain hard. As with all endurance activities, your body needs a pile of fuel to burn to avoid the dreadful bonk. Without getting into nutritional theories and complicated diet plans, here's the idea: Drink plenty of water, more so than you think you should, and eat simple, nutritious meals throughout the day. If you're working out or training for your racing experience, you should already be eating right-cutting as much junk food and simple sugars (candy, soda, etc.) from your diet as possible. Eat complex carbs the days before an event and keep it simple on race day. You're going to be a little nervous, and the last thing you want is a stomach full of bacon and eggs cramping up on you. Popular prerace breakfasts include cereal, oatmeal, fruit and toast or bagels spread with peanut butter and honey. Lunch should be the same-simple and nutritious with more water than you think you should drink. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a DR staff favorite (include honey for an extra boost), as are Clif Bars and PowerBars for snacks. Some people down "energy" drinks and chow on caffeine-injected energy bars, but you're better off sticking to sandwiches and water. Replenish after a moto with a sports drink (we like to dilute them with water). Stay hydrated and fed and you'll be strong all moto long.
Stretch
Next to eating right and practicing, stretching is the best way to prepare your body for the physical punishment you're going to put it through. Do simple stuff such as touching your toes and then move on to stretching the major muscles in your body-you're going to be using all of them. Pay close attention to your arms, legs and back. These are the areas used most. Swing your arms to get the blood flowing and even break a sweat before the race starts. Arm-pump is the enemy. If you get your blood moving before the race starts, that can only help fight it off.
Bring Your Cash
The cost of motocross begins when you buy a bike and start dumping cash into helmets, boots, gear, goggles and gas. But it definitely doesn't stop there. As soon as you get to the motocross track the day of a race, you'll likely be hit with a gate fee. These serve different purposes and can range between $5 and $30. Usually they go to the track or sponsoring club to offset the operating cost, with a small portion sometimes being taken out for pro-rider payback or other awards funds. After the gate fee, there are usually more charges once you hit the sign-up booth. First is a club membership of some sort. Usually, this is a yearly fee to the sanctioning body of the race series. In some cases, you can get a temporary membership for one or two races. Then you have a race fee. This is the fee you pay to race each class. After that, you should be done paying fees. If you plan to camp, be aware that some tracks charge an RV hookup fee. Didn't know motocross was so expensive? Surprise! It is. But if you save up for a couple of weeks and plan a race in advance, you should be able to swing it.
Go Slower To Go Fast
You can't win your first race, so don't even try. OK, I suppose you could win, but in the long run you'll be a much better racer if you take it easy and develop skills and speed slowly. This is especially important if you're a true beginner and your seat time on any off-road bike is minimal. Riding and racing above your ability will only lead to crashes. Take it easy and always race inside your comfort zone. Even professionals do this. Mechanics' pit boards always say things like: "Ride your race" and "Race the track." What they mean by this is to ignore what's going on around you and race as fast as you can with the conditions given to you. Those conditions include traction, track obstacles, your ability and your machine's performance. If you push any of those outside what they can handle, you're going down. And let's be honest, crashing royally sucks. Minimize your potential for hitting the dirt by riding in your comfort zone. Some people hang it out right away and end up going pretty fast during their first few years. But more often than not, riding over your head will catch up to you and end up putting you on the dirt. Slow down and learn; speed will shortly follow.