Last Sunday, against my better judgement, I let WoodsRider talk me into racing the Tri State Enduro in Oxford, Mass. My first enduro in more than 15 years. I though I'd share a few little lessons I've learned the hard way:
Lesson #1: Bring more water!
I drank my quart of water a little more than half way to the gas stop. Naturally, it was one of the hottest days of the summer and I was sweating buckets. Dehydration saps my riding energy and I was looking enviously at the 70 oz drink systems of those riders zipping by me.
Lesson #2 Go to the gym more.
Lesson #3 No, really, go to the gym more. ;)
Man, I was whipped by the time I got back to the van! I trail ride a lot - in very rugged single track. There was nothing in the race that was more difficult that what I normally ride, but the *endurance* factor was a whole 'nother thing. Riding long sections without stopping to rest and B.S. with your riding buddies, requires a huge amount of stamina! It gets bad when you don't have the energy left to be aggressive enough to get over the nasty sections. I was in total "survival mode" by the end.
Lesson #4 Don't race.
At least if you're at my level :) . I was pushing too hard on the first section, letting my rhythm be dictated by other riders, and the nagging sense that this was a "race" so I needed to push, right? After a succession of near wipeouts, I decided to treat it as just a nice fast trail ride, and not ride over my head. After that things went much better and I was actually a lot faster through the next section.
Lesson #5 Don't assume the rider you're following knows what he's doing!
This was my biggest mistake of the day :( . I was following a rider who completely blew a key turn and we went zipping along the highway for five miles before I figured out something was wrong. On the way back to pick up the trail, I got stopped by the cops. The officer was nice enough and did not cite me (bike was plated & insured, but no mirrors, horn, brake , etc - lesson 4a: carry the registration & ins cards!) but it took 15 minutes of explaining before he let me go. So that little exercise put me into the last section before the gas stop about four minutes before houring out.
Lesson #6 If, before the race, every bike you see has new tires, be worried. ;)
Lesson #1: Bring more water!
I drank my quart of water a little more than half way to the gas stop. Naturally, it was one of the hottest days of the summer and I was sweating buckets. Dehydration saps my riding energy and I was looking enviously at the 70 oz drink systems of those riders zipping by me.
Lesson #2 Go to the gym more.
Lesson #3 No, really, go to the gym more. ;)
Man, I was whipped by the time I got back to the van! I trail ride a lot - in very rugged single track. There was nothing in the race that was more difficult that what I normally ride, but the *endurance* factor was a whole 'nother thing. Riding long sections without stopping to rest and B.S. with your riding buddies, requires a huge amount of stamina! It gets bad when you don't have the energy left to be aggressive enough to get over the nasty sections. I was in total "survival mode" by the end.
Lesson #4 Don't race.
At least if you're at my level :) . I was pushing too hard on the first section, letting my rhythm be dictated by other riders, and the nagging sense that this was a "race" so I needed to push, right? After a succession of near wipeouts, I decided to treat it as just a nice fast trail ride, and not ride over my head. After that things went much better and I was actually a lot faster through the next section.
Lesson #5 Don't assume the rider you're following knows what he's doing!
This was my biggest mistake of the day :( . I was following a rider who completely blew a key turn and we went zipping along the highway for five miles before I figured out something was wrong. On the way back to pick up the trail, I got stopped by the cops. The officer was nice enough and did not cite me (bike was plated & insured, but no mirrors, horn, brake , etc - lesson 4a: carry the registration & ins cards!) but it took 15 minutes of explaining before he let me go. So that little exercise put me into the last section before the gas stop about four minutes before houring out.
Lesson #6 If, before the race, every bike you see has new tires, be worried. ;)