TECHNIQUE
RACE-READY SKILLS PART 2
Elite enduro athlete Innes Graham takes us through the preparation and race-day skills you’ll need to shine under pressure
When it comes to racing there are loads of pitfalls and mistakes that stop most people from achieving the results they know they’re capable of. Last month we looked at some key techniques to focus on to give you more control when you ride. After all, speed comes from confidence, but confidence comes from control.
This month we’re going to look at how you should set goals at events, how increasing your speed isn’t always about trying to go fast, and how arriving at a race venue with a deliberate and well-thought-through plan is the key that unlocks the power to focus on the right things once the clock starts ticking.
WHO IS INNES GRAHAM?
Innes is both a Dirt School performance coach and EDR racer. As well as competing at the top level internationally, Innes also helps deliver Dirt School’s BASE Mountain Biking course, so he’s well-placed to communicate the lessons he’s learned in the heat of battle.
PLAN YOUR WEEKEND
Once you’ve arrived at an event, the race environment can be a complicated one to negotiate. Sign on; start times; learning tracks; putting a brave face on while chatting with folk... sometimes it can all seem a bit too much to handle. Once you’ve done a few, though, you get to grips with navigating all the chaos, so to shorten your learning curve here’s what we’ve gleaned from years at the races.
INNES SAYS “My main goal when racing is to simplify everything as much as possible. I like to have a good understanding of the event structure, when sign-on takes place, when track walk happens, my race run times, and, of course, working out the simple lines on track that are repeatable and predictable. If you plan ahead and keep things simple it will reduce your overall stress, which in turn should give you great mental clarity to be able to perform at your best.”
TRAINING
It’s no secret that if you want to go faster then you should train for it. Being more physic
