Coach's Tips For... MP Murad Road Race

[ed: Here's another article by BJ Basham, part of the series called "Coach's Tips for... ", in which BJ will give you all the inside track on how to race a specific event. BJ knows all these races, and he probably also knows most of the racers hellbent on beating you at them. If you like BJ's contributions, let him know in the Comments section below. You can even ask him questions in the comments, which he'll answer there as well.

Note: This article was first published in 2007 and is re-published here for new readers, new racers, and those of us who forgot a little something since last year.]

Coach's Tips for... MP Murad Road Race
by BJ Basham
USA Cycling Level II Certified Coach

I hate to sound like a broken record, but this course is not selective. The hills are not long or steep enough to make a big difference if no one is willing to take a chance and put in the attacks. For most categories racing, the distances are not super daunting either. Again, it will need to be the riders who make the race.

With that in mind, how can you make the best of your chances in this event no matter what race you are doing? Unfortunately, the time for training is pretty much gone. So with the fitness you have now, what can you do to improve your chances?

1. Know the course. If you know where the hard parts are and where the easy parts are, you will know when you can make your efforts to move up or attack.

2. Fuel up. This should be second nature to you. Do what you do in training on race day. Nothing new. Race day is not the time to experiment.

3. Stay fueled up. If you normally have to eat on a two hour ride and your race is long enough to take two hours, plan to eat.

4. Look for the parts of the course that suit your strengths. If you are a break away rider, where can you put in your attack to maximize the gap as quickly as possible? If you are a sprinter, where are the critical spots on the course when you have to be in the right place to put in your best sprint?

5. Look for the parts of the course that play to your weaknesses. If you climb like a bowling ball bounces, you need to be up front at the start of the climbs so that you can drift back and not lose contact with the field.

6. Don't waste your energy without a good reason. This one could also be, "have a plan". Going into any race with more on your mind than surviving is one of the best ways of improving your chances. The plan needs to be sound, but anything is better than nothing. If you plan is to wait for the sprint, then what do you need to do in order to ensure the race ends in a sprint and that you are in position to participate? If you want to take your chances in a break, how far is a reasonable distance on this course? How many riders do you want to go with? Think logically and be honest with yourself and come up with a plan.
Every course is different, and some courses a suited better to different kinds of riders. The riders who seem to consistently get in the money on every kind of event are the ones who look for ways of using the course in ways that suit their strengths and minimize the effect of any weaknesses they might have. As I have written before, if you really want to do well in this race, and if you are not a sprinter, don't sit in the field and wait for the sprint. And if you are a sprinter, don't hang about at the back and hope it stays together to the end.

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BJ Basham is a USA Cycling Level II Certified Coach with Peaks Coaching Group. He lives in Fairfax, VA and competes in most of the same races you do. To learn more about his coaching practice and philosophy, visit his website at PowerTrainingCoach.com.