caloso

Yep. Especially when I realized that it would be easier pin the number for the second race on a fresh jersey rather than scrambling to un-pin and re-pin.

Frunkin

Pin one number on top of the other one, then tear or cut the top number off.

Creakyknees

I did a 100+ mile day by doubling up RR's at the Walburg (TX) race in Feb. That was a loooong day since I got shelled early in both races.

But I salvaged a 2nd on Sunday, so the weekend worked out.

substructure

I tried that at Dilworth. Didn't work so good. The paper was too think. The official had to go get a knife and the race was held up. I felt like a jackass.

Colonelmom

OK.. found this with the search engine.. but didn't answer my question.

I have a chance to double up this Sunday, very unusual for the women.. so I don't want to miss the chance..

First race 45 minute, then men's 75 minute race inbetween.. 2nd race 60 minutes.

looking for advice on keeping the legs alive between races.. eating etc.

thanks

mike868y

I'm going to preface this by saying I'm new to racing, but here is what I do when double up.

Spin down after the first race. Probably 10-15' suuuper easy. If I have time (you have to judge for yourself with only one 75' race in between if you think you have enough time), I like to get out of my kit, put some street clothes on and walk around a bit. I make sure to sip on either water or sports drink (probably drink about one bottle total) and eat a granola bar (nature valley for me) and a banana. Then I make sure to get back in my kit and do a good 15-20' warmup (suuper easy with a couple hard efforts) to reopen the legs.

myclem

I'm old enough, but I don't think I have the legs. Category=Noob.
I suppose it could be a way to get ahead on my 10 mass starts (or does it not count?)

ridethecliche

If you have a foam roller or 'the stick' massage between racing. Eat a clif bar and have a bottle of drink. Try spinning for 5-10 mins (atleast) before the 2nd race and then dive right in.

mike868y

Also, I often that I feel the best in my second race of the day.

Colonelmom

Thanks guys.. I have a foam roller, and a second jersey.. so I can use a different jersey..
for the second race.. and not try and double pin the numbers..

the "food" sounds about right...

I'll post on the race report thread :-)

Hida Yanra

@colmom - make sure you spin out your legs well, eat, change kit if possible, warm up a bit (probably won't need much), go toe the line.

@myclem - you've got the legs for it, both starts will count.

My strongest races so far this year have been the second half of a double-header.

Notes:
-Consider carefully what you eat - Avoid "over-sugaring" your stomach, mine doesn't like vast quantities of sugar, so mix up the food intake.
-Stay hydrated - i don't like commercial sports drinks (gatorade etc), but I'm all for salt and mineral replacement stuff
-Keep the legs from getting tight between races - spin down.... this is very important
-Be intentional about power conservation during your races, but don't race cautiously
-Go tear it up!

MDcatV

bunnyhop? very flat short industrial park crit

1st, target one of the races as your "results" target, the other to try something different like going from the gun, being more aggressive, or if you're aggressive, try sitting in or whatever - mix it up

take 2 jerseys so you can pin ea. up ahead of time, this alleviates stress between races

after 1st take a recovery lap

drink recovery drink

i prefer to change kits because the wet chamois is gross, but that's up to you

sit in your car w feet up, sip dont gulp but sip water or whatever you normally drink and eat a sandwich or whatever you normally eat during a longer ride

warm up - this can be tricky, some find that they wu really quickly, others (me) need more spin to get a groove back

port a john

start line

dominate

ridethecliche

Awesome! Go kick it!

caloso

All good advice, just wanted to emphasize the bolded one. Don't do what I did -- went too hard in the first race but not didn't totally commit to it, got 19th. Tried to recover in the second, but didn't save enough, got 19th. I'd rather take a top 5 and a DFL than two 19ths.

Colonelmom

Thanks for all the great advise.. I'm excited.. the fitness is coming along.. and flat crits are my strength.. :-)

gsteinb

I just go by mileage. I only have so many crit miles in me over a weekend. That's usually four races between two days.

slim_77

+1000, feels good too.

for the second race I like to spin for a long time, 45m easy, then 2' at 100+ recover, and another 1' at 105%, spin spin spin...race.

NomadVW 

Dude, every time I see you double up it works like this:

Race #1 - MDCatV attack like mad

Race #2 - MDCatV attack like mad

ridethecliche

Lol.

As it should be.

saratoga

We only have M35+ and the categories. There aren't any races with two separate categories (3 and P123). It's either a 3 or a P123 weekend.
I won't qualify to race masters for another 3 years otherwise I'd double up in a heartbeat.


One of our guys raced 3 times literally back to back at the Lake Mary crit last year... 45's, 35's and he jumped in the 3's.

Apus^2

I doubled up once and decided not to do it again--I don't conserve energy very well.

First race, 3/4 45 minutes, NP/AP = 368/327 watts
Second race, 2/3 50 minutes, NP/AP = 347/297 watts

I was cramping up by the end of the second race. I decided after that just to commit to one race.

substructure

You probably know more than I, but do you think it was more from lack of hydration than muscle fatigue?
If you drink really well in the first race and make sure you don't lose too much you really shouldn't cramp.
Then drink, drink, drink in the second race.

Just a thought. If I know I'm going to do more than one race in the weekend - or 3 or even 4 races - I will make sure I am properly hydrated the days leading up to the race. I also tend to eat a heckuvalot more.
Last weekend I did a road race on Sat. and two crits on Sun. The second crit was a P/1/2/3 race and it was so blazing fast every time I reached for my bottle I had to stop because of a surge or attack. It was an hour long and I didn't cramp even though I couldn't drink (my stupid fault). Not bragging or anything like that. I contribute it to staying really well hydrated the week before (drinking 1 gallon + of water per day) and drinking a lot in the races prior and after.

Apus^2

Hydration/nutrition was definitely an issue. I had 5 water bottles with enduraid (or something like that) + another gallon jug, but regardless of how much I drank I still felt spent/not all there.

Hydration has always been an issue with me. If I had hydrated properly, I wouldn't have hit the sign last may (I would have been able to bridge up to the lead group--I was 3/4 of the way there when I cramped) and I'd be racing today. I'm thinking of getting the camelbak racebak. Be interesting to see how it feels racing in the heat.

MDcatV

in the words of my father: "do as i say, not as i do"

many congratulations on the upgrade! i think you'll have alot more fun with the P123 races than the straight 3 or 3/4 fields.

ZeCanon

Sadly I very rarely have the option. I can sometimes double up at collegiate races (collegiate A/p/1/2) but those are so early in the season I rarely do. I'm not about to do that much intensity while I'm still in base...

I'm looking forward to being the masters cat 1 everyone hates RacerX style!