thenomad

So what do you think?
Other than perhaps puking on the course, should I enter a race for the heck of it 10 days from now with no real time to practice dismounts and remounts etc?
Just jump in and have at it?

Or should I go with the normal plan of finishing my build, riding more and practicing skills before doing my first race 10 months from now?

45suited

Assuming you are somewhat fit, I say give it a shot. It will give you a good feel for the intensity and where you will need to be next year to be competitive. Take an hour and practice dismounts and remounts. You do not need that much experience to get by in a 4 race.

Andy_K 

Definitely jump in now, even if you aren't reasonably fit. It's fun, and it will give you an idea of what you need to work on.

Crack Monkey

Jump in. Try to get 30-60 minutes of dismount/mount practice beforehand, just so you don't trip and fall. Be sure to arrive in time for a few laps of pre-riding and good warm-up.

arctic hawk

Go for it! Keep an open mind & enjoy it!
I did the same thing back in 2003 & never really looked back since. Never really got any better either!

mrtornadohead

Do it. This year I've only had enough time to ride once or twice on weekends, for only an hour or so at a time. First race, I finished mid-pack. Last sunday, I won (well, there were only 4 people so I won't let it get to my head).

By all means, practice the dismounts and remounting, and pre ride the course. Pick your lines, see where it will be best for you to run and best to ride, and see if a different line makes more sense to you than what every one else is taking.

mrtornadohead

BTW - the main reason why I won last Saturday was that we were starting in deep snow. By pre-riding, I realized how difficult it going to be to ride it. At the word "GO" I hoisted the bike and ran while the other guys were trying to get rolling.

UBUvelo

oh for sure, jump in now....you'll be glad you did...and less nervous much later...yes, do it now

myclem

Before I started racing, I thought the whole dismount/mount/shouldering stuff would be my biggest limiters.
Nope.

Barriers and run-ups are such a small portion of most courses.

After my first race, I wished I practiced more off-camber turns, hairpins in the wet, and technical single-track--instead of the stuff above.
Granted, I may have been marginally better than other noobs on the barriers and run-ups, but the 1/2 second I gained in those spots, I quickly lost dozens of places while falling on turns.

Oh, and DO IT.
A bunch of dudes in lycra rolling around in the mud on road bikes--how seriously can you take it? seriously.

nerobro

go race now. and laugh. everyone is laughing WITH you. go... go go go go go