Racing starts again on Saturday the 8th (weather permitting), a good opportunity to rid yourself of your Christmas corpulence. Here’s a handy guide to racing for new racers and old hands:
- Make sure you’ve paid your fees and have a current racing license. This year, the club has instituted a “point and laugh” policy at anybody who shows up without their license or a receipt. If you get pointed at and laughed at, you will not be allowed to ride on the track, but you will be handed a broom and told to sweep. It’s not as glamorous as it sounds.
- Bring your $3 racing fee and put it in the kitty. THERE WILL BE WITNESSES. Don’t be turning up for a race with a set of Zipp 404 wheels you bought yourself for Christmas but no $3 for racing.
- Clean your bike and do a quick safety check. Brake pads OK? Cables not worn and frayed? Ultra expensive carbon frame not cracked when you unclipped and smacked the chain stay with your foot?
- Fresh cleats on your shoes – you don’t want to unclip at speed while trying to win that sprint!
- True those wheels. If the wheels are true, clean off the cobwebs.
- Oil that squeaky chain and get somebody who knows what they are doing to get your derailleurs adjusted properly.
- Watch “American Flyers” and be prepared for questions from John Scott-Cannibal. It’s probably too late to cultivate your Costner moustache for the season, but euro-pro facial stubble should be possible by Saturday (optional for the ladies).
- Make sure you’re wearing your Wilko approved white socks, adjusted to the correct height.
- Suck in that gut.
- Be an overtaker, not an undertaker.
- Hold your line and sprint straight! If your grade is of greatly mixed ability, be careful around inexperienced riders and give them room to make all the mistakes you used to.
See you Saturday.