| You've done the training and you've got your nutrition | | | | If you start too hard you will pay the price with a |
| dialed in. You can still blow it if you don't get your | | | | slower finish. |
| pacing correct. Start an event too hard and you will | | | | If you are in an endurance mountain bike race, you |
| fade long before the finish. Go too easy and you will | | | | may find some super steep hills are best walked to |
| finish much slower than your potential would allow. For | | | | save energy for later on in the event. Some hill climbs |
| events longer than 5 hours you need to choose when | | | | are only ridden with a 100 percent effort. You may |
| to put in hard efforts as you only have so many of | | | | make it up for the first few laps but pay the price in |
| these in your system. | | | | average speed later on in the event. |
| Follow these tips to find and hold the pace for optimal | | | | If you train and race with a power meter figuring out |
| performance. | | | | the optimal pace is a little easier. Once you know your |
| Avoid redline efforts particularly if you are riding on | | | | maximal 60 minute power you can figure out a good |
| your own. For a triathlon or other event that you don't | | | | target for your average power output for longer |
| have the benefit of drafting, a strong steady pace that | | | | events. For events of 5-8 hours, target an average of |
| sees you dial back the effort on hill climbs will yield you | | | | 55-58% of your 60 minute power. Of course like all |
| a better average than killing yourself up the hills. If you | | | | things test this out in training to fine tune. |
| are doing a road event that has a pack such as a long | | | | Pacing in long events plays a big role in your success. |
| race or century, the occasional maximal effort to stay | | | | Don't let your ego dictate your pace. If others are |
| with the group can pay off later with the drafting | | | | going hard at the beginning, they may just be stronger |
| benefit. You will have to practice this in training to know | | | | than you or they may be making the mistake of going |
| how many efforts you have in you before they will | | | | too hard. If this is the case you will pass them later on. |
| end up lowering your overall average speed or power. | | | | You can only ride the fitness you have. If you try to |
| To finish strong in the second half of an event, the first | | | | over extend yourself against stronger riders you will |
| half should feel a little easy. A pace that feel like you | | | | blow up well before the finish. |
| can do all day long will feel pretty hard in 4 or 5 hours. | | | | |