Photo by Ronnzy Moto
By my second motorcycle track day, I realized something every new rider eventually discovers the hard way: the real riding happens between the sessions. The track teaches you lines and speed. The paddock teaches you how to actually survive the day.
If you’re new to track days or struggling with fatigue, these are the between-session recovery routines that helped me stay sharper, safer, and more consistent every time I rolled out of pit lane.
TrackDNA Safety Note
Riding motorcycles on track is inherently risky and can result in serious injury or death. The ideas in this article are shared for general information only — they’re not formal coaching, professional instruction, or a guarantee of safety or performance.
Always ride within your limits, use proper safety gear, and practice only in a controlled, closed-course environment that follows all rules and regulations. Before trying any new technique, talk with a qualified coach or instructor and use your own judgment about what’s right for your skill level, your bike, and your body.
The best place to explore and apply these ideas is with a qualified coach or at a dedicated motorcycle or racing school. Treat what you read here as background context and conversation fuel for your own training — not as a step-by-step guide or a substitute for in-person instruction.
By choosing to ride, you accept the risks that come with it.
The Wake-Up Call at Harris Hill Raceway
My first track day was at Harris Hill Raceway, a technical circuit full of late apexes, blind rises, and zero mercy. Thank God I didn’t start at COTA or MSR, because Harris Hill alone made me feel like I’d been hit by a freight train.
I’d been an athlete most of my life, so I assumed riding a motorcycle on a track “shouldn’t really be a problem.”
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
By mid-session, my arms were burning. My core felt like it was giving out. And when I woke up the next morning, I genuinely questioned whether I’d be able to stand upright. My lower back was gone. My ego wasn’t far behind.
That was the moment it clicked:
Strength matters. Stamina matters. Core conditioning matters. But recovering between sessions matters even more.
Why Between-Session Recovery Matters on Track Days
Your tires cool down fast. Your engine heat-soaks as soon as you stop moving. And your body reacts the same way — building heat, tension, and fatigue. How you manage all of that in the paddock determines the version of yourself that rolls back onto the track.
Track riding demands short bursts of intense physical effort—quick transitions, braking forces, core stabilization, heat management. If you don’t reset properly between sessions, the next one becomes survival instead of learning.
Between-session recovery affects:
- Mental clarity
- Consistency
- Body position
- Smoothness
- Confidence
- Safety
Your next lap is built in the paddock, not at the apex.
My Between-Session Routine: Stretching, Hydration, and Cooling Down
For my second track day, I came slightly more prepared. And by “prepared,” I mean I brought a yoga mat.
Stretching and Flexibility Work
Every break, I’d lay out the mat in the shade and run through slow stretches—hips, hamstrings, shoulders, chest, and back. It looked a little strange in a paddock full of bikes and tire warmers, but the difference was massive.
I went from feeling wrecked to feeling functional.
Hydration and Electrolytes
Hydration became non-negotiable. The organizer had electrolytes on hand, and I wasn’t shy about drinking them like I’d just finished a triathlon.
If you’re sweating through your leathers—and you are—you’re losing more than water.
Cooling Down with Ice Packs
My shoulders were burning after every session. I started hitting the clubhouse freezer like a desperate man, loading up Ziplocs with ice.
Eventually I brought a dedicated cooler—big enough to keep a small sushi restaurant in business.
One cooler for drinks and snacks.
One cooler for ice, ice packs, and whatever body part was screaming the loudest.
Magnesium spray also helped calm down the muscle tension. It wasn’t a miracle, but it bought me a few more sessions of proper form.
Mental Reset: Maps, Visualization, and Breathing Techniques
By track day two, I realized that track riding is as much mental as physical. If your brain is scrambled, your riding will be too.
Study the Track Map Between Sessions
I kept a track map with me almost all day. Every break, I’d study it:
- Where’s the real apex?
- What gear should I be in?
- How should I approach Turn 4?
- Where am I hesitating?
Bugging my mentor became my full-time job.
Visualization: The Secret Weapon Pros Use
I learned that riders like Jorge Martín visualize entire laps before going out. So I started doing the same.
If I was in public, I kept the motions subtle.
If I was alone? Full commitment—leans, throttle, head turn, everything except the risk of crashing my imaginary R6.
Box Breathing for Focus and Nerves
A coach taught me a simple breathing technique—one Navy SEALs use:
4 seconds inhale
4 seconds hold
4 seconds exhale
4 seconds pause
It slowed everything down, especially when frustration crept in.
Set One Clear Goal Per Session
Going out with no plan made the track feel chaotic.
Going out with one clear goal made the track feel like a classroom.
Managing Frustration: The Emotional Rollercoaster of Early Track Days
If you feel frustrated between sessions, you’re not alone.
Street riding does not translate. Your brain is learning a new language at full speed.
Heat, fatigue, and ego don’t help.
My mental reset became a simple reality check:
- This isn’t a race.
- I’m learning from scratch.
- Be patient.
- Be grateful.
The moment I stopped “trying to perform” and started focusing on learning, everything changed.
Paddock Setup Essentials No One Talks About
If you’ve ever watched experienced riders between sessions, you’ll notice something quickly:
They know how to rest.
Comfort matters. Shade matters. Nutrition matters. A small fan matters.
Meanwhile, I was sitting on my cooler with a toolbox for a footrest, looking like I was waiting for a bus in July.
I finally bought a foldable chair—one that fits into my tiny-house lifestyle. I should’ve done it much sooner.
Your paddock setup doesn’t need to be fancy. It just needs to help you recover.
A Simple Between-Session Reset Checklist
After each session:
- Hit your pit
- Get out of your leathers (if comfortable)
- Cool down for ~20 minutes
- Ice packs if it’s hot
- Hydrate + electrolytes
- Stretch
- Study the track map
- Pick one goal for the next session
It’s not glamorous.
But neither is burning your shoulders off or learning nothing because your body is fried.
Closing Thoughts
Between-session resets are where the real growth happens.
Recover well so you can ride well.
And for the love of corner exits—don’t be like me.
Buy a comfortable chair. Bring ice. Give yourself time to reset before chasing the next lap.
Because the track doesn’t just demand skill.
It demands patience, preparation, and a little humility under the canopy.
See you out there.
