Gals - when did you start racing (off-road)?

[Michelle]

For those that compete in harescrambles & enduros, when did you feel ready to start?

I don't feel I'm ready, but am wondering when I will be? I've been told by someone that I should, but think that I am waaaay too slow (mobile chicane I don't want to be ;))

I'm having a hard time being married to a race-head and being pit bimbo isn't really my thing (I get too side-tracked talking to be bothered looking after Henk & his bike).

I've tried trailriding races, but end up stopping after one loop.
I was going to joke to the person that next year I was looking at competing in enduros, just to see the look of horror on his face, when he told me I should start.

I guess I have a preconceived notion of you should be able to finish the race, not fall at all, and end up about midpack. (yeah, yeah, totally unrealistic and there's no shame in coming last).
I'm using you lot as a sounding board & wondering how you all knew when you were ready to start?

And CJ (and others who know me), wipe the coffee off your monitor, sorry for making you laugh so much ;) lol (no, I'm not sure about anything about the moment, but am about to give up looking for another female to go riding with, it just doesn't seem a happening thing for me at the moment).

BTW, the next race wouldn't be until January any way, so I've got heaps of time to think & stew about it & then chicken out.
Cheers in advance
Michelle

 

[GETMETOCA]

Michelle - What took you so long?? :yeehaw:

I rode my first Enduro exactly 3 months to the date after I started riding. I always knew that I wanted to race, even if it was just this fun, family enduro event. I just got the D-36 Jackhammer Enduro flyer in the mailbox last week, and even though it would be pure stupidity on my part to enter it at my skill level, I still got all excited and butterflies in my stomach and my mind was in a whirl til I ultimately "filed" the entry form away. Think I'll stick with the Family Enduro's for now, my next one is October 13th, the week after I get back from DW'02.

As I learn to handle the more difficult terrain, you can be sure I'll be entering more races in the future. I have some short and long term goals around all that! :thumb:

Good luck Michelle!!

 

[Dave Wood]

Natalie, pull that Jackhammer Flyer out of your file and send it in. The Jackhammer is running an "E class". The "E" class runs one loop of an enduro. The entry is less, only $30.00 to pre-enter. This class is intended for Family Enduro riders and riders new to Enduros, who would like to try an Enduro, but are not up to riding 70 plus miles. Just treat it like a marked trailride. Have fun and ride at your own pace. When you get to the gas stop, your done. This is a great class to gauge yourself to see if your up to riding the whole course at future Enduros. The "E" class riders start behind the "A", "B", & "C" classes. This way you do not have to worry about faster riders.

 

[GETMETOCA]

:yeehaw: :yeehaw: :yeehaw:

Thanks Dave!!!!

 

[CJ Rider]

First (to Michelle), let me wipe the coffee from my monitor from your “pit bimbo” comment! You are many things, but you have too much riding skill and way too many brain cells to settle for a title like “pit bimbo,” LOL!

Next (to all), I don’t think the folks here in the US really understand Michelle’s predicament, so I gotta explain a little. In NZ, there’s no public land. Dirt riders can either 1) race or 2) participate in organized events. Those are the only options. If you are competitive in nature, ya race. If not, then ya ride the organized events with your riding buddies (of which, women are too few in NZ from what I saw).

SO… Michelle actually rides better than she thinks so she COULD race. The real question might be would she have FUN if she raced? THIS is a tougher question than it might seem on the surface. To some people, competition is the perfect way to enjoy a sport and to test your skills. To others, competition is simply not enjoyable at all. So what do you do if your spouse is a competitive spirit but you just enjoyed riding for the fun of it? It’s a huge dilemma! I don't have a good answer other than it couldn't hurt to give racing a try. Ya might find that ya really like it OR you'll figure out that you really don't. Either way, you'll learn something about yourself in the process!

 

[bbbom]

I raced (if you can call what I do racing) my first harescramble at the start of my 2nd season of riding, after not riding for 5 months due to SNOW!

My bro talked me into it. As for knowing you are ready to start - I still don't feel ready to start racing but I do it anyways, at least once a year. I have fun but I am not even close to being competitive on a bike. I am naturally very competitive but I don't have the ability to be a threat to any of the other riders (well except maybe as an obstacle). :eek:

If racing or organized events were my only riding option then THAT would be what I'd be doing.

As far as finishing, not falling and coming in midpack - if I were living off the race winnings I'd agree with that BUT that's why I keep my day job. Funny thing though, the more competent a rider I become, the more I seem to crash, get stuck and just plain screw up. My first harescramble I didn't fall even once and we were at the back of the pack (tag team) but not dead last.

My second one (a year later) we were futher back in the pack and I took one heck of a header. Over the bars in 4th gear with the bike cartwheeling behind me. Blew out my fork seals, broke off my clutch perch, bent my bars BAD and rung my bell so bad I had to concentrate on Firecrackers bright purple coat just to get back to the pits. Luckily I had just enough perch left that I could shove the end of the lever in enough to start out at each check point but I had to stall it each time to get my checks.

This last one early this spring I spent about 30 minutes stuck in a goo hole until some very nice young men helped pull me out and set me on my way (TWICE - in the same spot!!!). This was AFTER taking a water sample in the same mudbog in front of Pit Row on my first lap. May as well do it with an audience.

I don't know that anyone ever really feels like they are to a point when they are READY to try a race. I think most of us just decide, what the heck lets give it a try.

Something that I have found that helps build my confidence is to do some type of preparation for the event well in advance. Working out, practice riding, learning about new techniques, anything at all that I do with the thought that it will help me in the event does wonders for my confidence. For example, when I workout with weights or go mountain biking, in the back of my mind I am doing it to be able to ride better on my dirtbike. When I can’t workout or ride then I try to read info on riding techniques and visualize myself doing it correctly. CONFIDENCE in your riding is an amazing help.

Just this weekend Karl & I joined some really good riders in Montana on Sunday to ride some pretty technical trails. These guys make it look too easy to traverse the narrow goat trails with hundreds of switchbacks. I went over the edge of a goat trail once and Karl and the sweep had to pull my bike back up. I looped the bike on another switchback with the bars stuck between two trees and my bike upside down and I had numerous stalls and bobbles BUT I felt really good with my riding.

I even got two compliments, the ride organizer (one of the guys that tried to get Karl to steer me away from the 500) told me he didn’t know I was that good of a rider and that he had expected me to have more trouble on the switchbacks.

When I looped the bike between the trees, Karl asked as he was prying the bars out of the trees for me what I was so pissed off about. I replied, “I’m not pissed off?” “Oh, well you were riding GREAT!!!” was his reply. (Well, maybe I just listened to his advice to ATTACK the trail back on one of my stallouts a little earlier. I guess I do tend to ride more aggressive when I AM p.o.d though just this time I wasn’t.)

Actually, I got a third compliment – Becky my friend (and firecracker’s) on an XR200 told me I was “rippin’” through the section of trail back to camp. She had pulled over to let some of the guys by after a tough switchback and I went on past her so she jumped in behind me. I didn’t want to let those guys catch us and they didn’t (because they took a long break to let us get out of their way).

This ride felt much easier than a similar one we did last year. I haven’t really even been riding nearly as much this year BUT I have been working out and reading as much info as I can AND I felt more confident than I have in previous rides. Now I can’t wait for it to rain so we can go do more of the switchback goat trails from hell.

So, bottom line in this VERY lengthy post is – JUST set your mind to it, work on whatever type of preparation you can and DO IT!!!!! You never know what you can do until you do it!

 

[Michelle]

Nat, in answer to your question "what's taken me so long". I have a very non-competitive streak in me. I gave up badminton when I started getting hassled about entering competitions. I gave up gymnastics when a friend of mine started as she was keen to compete against me.

I enjoy riding, (most times) but I just cannot seem to find anyone to ride with at the moment. I've been riding with the guys last weekend and actually enjoyed that, even though it meant they had to stop & wait for me. I guess I'm just getting a bit desperate and am unsure what to do - but I don't think I want to give up bikes (yes, that has been considered too).

There are a number of women who ride, but mainly they ride to keep an eye on their kids and don't seem to really care about improving (which I do). My riding buddy of old is going through hassles of her own (i.e. she's wanting to go back to a quad and so doesn't really ride much at the moment - plus she works a lot and has kids).

CJ, as for do I WANT to race, I guess it really does boil down to do I want to ride more? I just really wanted a feel for what everyone has gone through (or will be).

Bbbom, I know what you mean about riding better when you're p.o.'ed. I don't whether I do or not, but it feels like it lol. As for winnings, we don't get them, we just get a trophy or something, well, for the most part ;) (and yes, I still remember your ride report about the harescramble & mud bog lol).

I'm guessing I'm going to have to step up to the plate & see how it goes.
I'll probably let you know how it goes (when/if it happens), but I just dunno about the whole thing.

Oh, over here we have novice in MX, but in enduros we have intermediate & expert - split into capacity classes. Harescrambles we have all sorts of classes.
Nat, good luck for the Jackhammer. Let us know how it goes.
Thanks for your replies.
Timid Michelle

 

[BikeDstroyer]

Hi Michelle, I thought I might chime in here too! I started racing in '96 about a year after I started riding. I got tired of being the PIT CHICK and also my husband made a comment that I wasn't tough enough to finish a race. Well that kind of pissed me off and I entered a race. Talk about butterflies and adrenline rush this is it. Butterflies before the race and as soon as you take off the adrenline rush takes over. I have found that racing has made me a better rider and I love the rush it gives me. I say just go for it...if you don't like it you can at least say you gave it a shot and didn't care for it. If you like it then you will be able to enjoy and understand more of why we race. It's all about having FUN :aj:

 

[texdedhed]

I just starting riding a motocycle last year and I just started racing hare scrambles in Texas about 3 months ago. My series has a division for beginning women so they can get used to racing before they stick us out there with all the boys. Our race is only 30 minutes long which means "whoever gets the holeshot and stays upright wins!" So I can't be a big help to you except to say that I'm not really sure you are ever REALLY ready. You'll never know unless you get out there and try. And last place does not suck. Not trying, does suck. If you don't like or don't feel comfortable while you are out there, just come off. No shame in that. You just have to try...that's all. My skills are very low still (I just got another new bike to learn how to ride....) and I still try every race. The first race, adrenaline was pumping through me so hard I was climbing trees and never laying off the trottle. Got 6th place.....!!!! Every race since then I've settled down and got worse places in the finish, but I enjoy it every time. I even enjoy the races where I'm picking up the bike half the race. And I'm racing for the same reason...tired of being the Pit Babe for the weekend. My class is nothing but ladies that have husbands that race and they were tired of just watching. Some of my class is going to move to THE BIG SHOW next year, but they are thankful for this new class to help us through the racing experince.

I say GO FOR IT! What do you have to lose?

 

[Michelle]

I tell ya what, after thinking seriously this week & listening to you lot, I just wish there was a race on this weekend (that I could chicken out on) lol.
Actually, I do think it's time to step up to the plate and not to worry about coming last.
Thanks for all the comments & experiences, that has helped heaps & I'll let you know how it goes.
Michelle

 

[Lissa]

Hello everyone! I don't really get to much time to ever write in, but I can really relate to deciding when to race. When I started going faster then the guys I was riding with every weekend, I began to get bored. There wasn't really anyone to push me anymore, so I figured the next step was competition. I tried my first two event's after four years of riding; one Hare Scramble and a 110mile long Enduro (that, suprisingly, I finished!). The following year, I tried four Hare Scrambles and four Enduros. I finished fifth for the year in the Womens class in Enduros, and I placed well in C-250 in the 'Scrambles against the men. This year I decided to take a full plate of twenty Enduros (ECEA) and two Hare Scrambles for fun! I love racing! It is not for everyone, you have to love a challenge. I take the competition out of it when I race, and just compete against myself as a rider. I pretend that I'm being chased and that forces me to strive harder. Biggest thing, thou, is to ride safe. Crashing is a vicious cycle once you start. I don't crash much while racing, I save the crashing for the play rides. Crashing waste alotta of time in an Enduro, so just ride safe. I feel, a least over here in the ECEA series where we don't have family enduros or A,B,C womens classes, that riding for over six years straight now has helped alot in our races. I couldn't imagine climbing or riding some of the obstacles in these races with only a year or two under my belt. The womens class gets no special treatment here and is expected to run the full length of course, I have even been placed in front of AA riders (Fred Hoess, Lafferty's, you name it) that breath down your neck all day. I think if they offer something special like Dual Sports, shorter looped Enduros, or shorter Hare Scrambles in your area, then take advantage of not getting run over right off the bat. Because down the line if you stick with it, you'll finally get good enough to do some passing yourself. And the feeling of accomplishment that can only come after completing a really difficult race is second to none! :yeehaw:

 

[OnAnySunday]

Originally posted by Michelle :
"I don't feel I'm ready, but am wondering when I will be?"


I would say whenever you feel comfortable -w- it.
Or you could be like me....... :eek:
I started riding in, hmmmm when was Nixon president?? :confused:
I'm still not ready.......... :)

 

[firecracker22]

My first race was a flat track race, not an off-road or MX race at all, and it was 2 months after I got my first bike. I LOVED it. I raced a team hare scramble 3 months after that and loved it too. The only reason I got a trophy was because I was the only woman there. Bbbom, I don't think you were at that one, were you? Only Becky and I? When I still had the XR? Anyway, the jitters the whole day before hand, the starting line adrenaline rush, the agony during the 3-hour-long race, the self-satisfaction after we finished--all made it SO worth it. It truly does NOT matter if you win, lose or finish; just that you have fun. It is a whole different facet of riding than play riding. The mindset is so different that you will see riding in a new light. You might like it, you might hate it; that is personal. But I highly recommend it. I am seriously thinking about racing the local "supercross" (outside under lights) tomorrow night, haven't talked myself into it yet. I'm not as good at MX as I am at offroad (not that I'm good at any of it) so I'm a little nervous but I will know one other gal out there, a new friend who is faster than me but within my league to catch up someday. I can't wait.

Anyway, give it a go, and ENJOY the butterflies in your stomach! That's the fun part!

 

[kathy127]

My first race was probably 3 months after my first ride on the bike. I rode in a Harescrambles and ended up riding backward on the track, something I found out when lapping riders started coming at me. I was wondering where everyone else was.
Never fear, I turned around again and still had a blast. Next 'race', I actually 'came in', last, but came in. Next race I actually beat someone! That was a thrill. And so it went. Now I ride National races. Racing will improve your riding more than tooling around the forest (nothing wrong with that, though) because you try to keep up with all those other folks. Even if only for a couple hundred feet. Then someone else passes you and you try to keep up with him. It is all great fun. By the time I finished my first season of racing, I moved up to the men's classes because they got the long course, whereas the women were relegated to a short, boring course. Have fun. Keep riding. We women are out there, it is just not always obviousl because there are so few women classes.