[Closed] How long to be a credible enduroist or am I just crap

If it isn't fun, don't do it.
.....Or infect the race village water supply with cholera

not really done anything like that before

Train for 2 years then make your come back in the old giffers category. Straight to mid table!

I was shit at the first Enduro I raced, slightly less shit in the second.

Biggest thing for me was realising that it's actually a race, and you need to get your finger out.

Were you there on your own or with a few mates?

I find it really hard to motivate myself to 'race' if i'm on my tod as i'm not going to challenge. When me and the lads are there it's all elbows out, full on racing.

What's funny now is that with racing like that we're now top 15%ish.

EDIT: whacking a shorty on the front my my bike made the muddy stuff a LOT easier. At gisburn the really wet rooty loamy stuff was made easier by absolutely hammering into the sections

If it isn't fun, don't do it.

^This

I was doing a time-trial once (I'd done several before so it wasn't my first) and I just stopped and turned around before the half-way mark and trundled back to the start.

I've never done a time-trial since.

[i]blame your tyre selection... [/i]

This. 🙂

I CBA to buy/fit a set of tyres just for a wet/muddy Enduro, consequently at the recent King & Queen event I was really slow on the two muddy stages... But if it'd stayed drier, I'd have been fine.

On my own. Though there were a few local faces I knew and most people were happy to chat and the end of the runs/on the climbs. here's a list of peripheral things I know i did wrong that would help a bit in future
1. Rode too hard on the transitions (ironically i bet i had one the better times for the whole loop!) was passing loads of people in practice thinking 'they'd better get a move on' how wrong I was!
2. clipless pedals, once you'd dabbed on the steep stuff it was a ****er getting back in not least cos of all the mud in your cleat - spoke to one guy who'd actually bought a set of 5 10's from the bike shop after practice! I reckon I rode most of the bottom of stage 1 unclipped on my left foot which was nervy
3. Race - yep agree there, once I'd got to stage 3 i was so relieved at being able to ride the bike that i just sauntered down it and got plenty of gip of the marshalls for not pedalling!
4. Tyre selection - lobo locos, can't fault them in reality but maybe a more mud spike tyre on the front would be better - but all of the above are a distant second MOAR SKILLZ/Bigger minerals

I felt exactly same. Feel exactly the same today. Practise makes it more fun for sure!

Thinking it will get easier when you hit 40 and in the old giffers category is a mistake. As you get older you get left with all the really fit dudes or ex-pro's.

Surely the fact that you can now tell people that you 'race' mountain bikes makes you incredibly credible.

Sounds like a pretty joyless day on the bike. Maybe the next one will be better. If not then either practice on the type of terrain that causes you trouble or leave it and just ride your bike for fun.

I've always raced, just round and and round in circles rather than up and down.

You need a new bike.

You sound like me.
I rode in my first enduro near the beginning of the year. I cam 13th in my category (or last, as some people would call it) and 4th last overall. But that's only if you don't count all the people who didn't finish. I was _really_ knackered after it too, even though I'd been "training". The course was a lot steeper and bigger than I was expecting, but it did improve my riding in general (steeper stuff on my usual rides now seems less steep).

The next 3 rounds are/were supposed to be tougher. I missed 2 and 3 and really wanted to do 4 (I can see the mountain from my house, and have ridden some of the course). Unfortunately, it's the weekend before we go on holiday and I can't go breaking myself so close to that.

The first race also reminded me that I'm not a competitive person. I'd rather have a fun bimble about than push myself too hard...

Still, might enter next year though.

I wouldn't worry to much about it. Looking at the times stage 2 was a bit longer than the others. Take all the positives out of it and sign up for the next available one. Try to team up with someone on the day to ride round with, Abigale went round at the Grizedale event in April by herself and didn't enjoy it. Since then she has always managed to team up with others, that way its only on the stages when your on your own.

Do you actually want to do it? It's not anything to aspire to really, it's just something you might enjoy, or might not. If you're into it, then do more stuff like it, for me half my riding is on that sort of terrain, I love it but if I didn't like riding it, I wouldn't race it either...

And yeah, if you're not into it on the day, don't stress. I've DNF'd and DNS'd a couple of races just because I frankly could not be arsed.

Also, from a pure racecraft point of view- don't assume that you're the only person struggling. I basically gave up on a stage at fort william SES as I just felt like a total knobber on it, trundled down the last 3rd. Turned out most people were doing worse, it was my best stage of the day! It's easy to be put off when you can't see other folks struggling.

Someone's got to come last and it probably wasn't the best race for a first go at enduro - being very technical and involving 2,000m of climbing.

I wasn't really happy with my performance either, but I did have a lot of fun - so I'm not complaining.

I can see how it might be frustrating if the muddy, steep stuff really freaked you out. If you still like the idea of enduro racing you should book onto one that just uses trail centre tracks next time maybe?

Sounds more like you were surviving rather than racing (nothing wrong with that, it's what I would have been doing by the sounds of the course). I guess, as others have said, is racing Enduro something you think you'll ever enjoy (vs just 'get through') no point in doing it if not. I'd maybe give an easier course a try next time (more similar to what you usually ride) and see if that's more fun.

It's more the diminishment of my manhood really. When you discover you're shit at something you thought you'd be alright at it does bruise the ego somewhat.

And I did enjoy a fair bit (bottom third of stage 2 was a lot of fun stage 3 was good but I'd run out of gas/motivation to race). It's a fair point re: do I actually want to do it, though. Not sure. Thing is Grizedale's 10 mins away from me so it's travel and more time to go to gisburn/lee quarry for he 'easier' stages which wouldn't please the boss.

Gisburn race earlier this year had its share of mud. I found it harder TBH.

Was flatter so harder to keep moving through the gloop.

Thinking it will get easier when you hit 40 and in the old giffers category is a mistake. As you get older you get left with all the really fit dudes or ex-pro's.

What's changed it for has been mainly riding with faster riders,done some more downhill,jump course and i practice a bit more on drops and jumps,pumping and so on.
My fitness is about the same,skill level has gone up and i'm more confident on different terrain now.

Sometimes it's quicker to run with the bike if you have the incorrect tyre choice. 😆 were not all born mud kings 😉

Racing is not for everyone.

I have raced twice and i find it quite unnerving.

To place you have to go flat out and risk injury, i'm not stupid or skilled enough to do that.

I do enjoy the odd race but literally one or two a year is enough.

Enduro races in the UK are generally on seldom used tracks so they don't weather 100-200 riders well.

Try the odd Mini DH race from time to time and get in to it with less pressure maybe?

I love racing but I've always been rubbish at it.
Over the last 20 years I've done XC, downhill, endurance stuff (both 24 hour team & solo and long distance), time trials, criterium so and latterly Enduro.
I've never placed any higher than around the bottom of the top third, even when I used to do loads of training. Well, I've come second in the Big Bike Bash pint to pint race 3 times, but there's not a national series of those...
The thing is, I love the buzz, the little bit of nervous excitement, the voice in the back of my head that says that maybe, just maybe 30 or 40 people will have a terrible race, suffer mechanicals or just get struck down with uncontrollable squits and I'll get on the podium. Inevitably though I'm there, propping up the middle of the table, giving the not quite as fast as the top guys someone to beat & the slow guys someone to aim for.
So you don't have to be in with a shout of winning, or even doing particularly well. If you can enjoy the whole process, the race as a thing to experience and participate in as opposed to something to dominate, carry on as you were. otherwise you'd better get a hell of a lot of training in before next year! X

I did the gisburn race in March, stage one I gave my all, was dead chuffed with myself, was sick at the end of the stage.

Last, save for the folk who obviously crashed/had mechanicals.

Urgh.

sick at the end of the stage.

Skills.

Tom, sucks dunnit, might get an xc race in before trying enduro again to try and get the evil eye in

For your collective amusement
[url= https://www.rootsandrain.com/rider86405/pete-winder/photos/ ]UK Gurning Champs[/url]

jimjam - Member
You need a new bike.

This ^^^

I did Ard Rock and finished about 3/4 of the way down overall. What's especially galling is that even when you factor in approx 10mins faffing about with a broken chain on stage 1, I'm still not much higher up. Rode it on a 140mm 29er hardtail, so obviously the bike was the issue. Obviously. So I've just bought a Vitus Sommet with 160mm of goodness at either end.

In truth though, was my first Enduro. Near as dammit wiped out on stage 1 (hit by a dislodged rock that cannoned into me in the quarry) and after that was mainly thinking about self preservation.

Looking forward to doing more but much more riding and fitness is a pre-requisite as is skills training. Looking forward to having another crack next year!

im shit but still race lots of stuff too hard for me

its all about the challenge of bettering yourself

but yeah practice, practice, practice on steep muddy stuff and every race Ive done in the UK and france bar 2 Ive wanted a spike (well shorty) on the front at some point

if you genuinely didn't enjoy it, don't do another, but if (like me) it's more that you're surprised at how difficult you found it / disappointed with the result- give anther one ago and see how you get on

i've done the 1st 3 PMBA this years in the vet class and i've been consistently rubbish at all of them (bottom 20% consistently), have spent several parts of each race just surviving or hobby horsing my bike down part of a stage and even got overtaken on a stage at cockhill .

however at the end of each race i've always had the sense of satisfaction of pushing myself out of my comfort zone from it and the sneaking feeling of 'what if..... i'd of taken a different line / not crashed / lost my chain / had some balls - which seems to make me want to come back.

it's also pushed my riding on as it forces me to ride stuff that much of the time i would probably bail on.

i suppose what i', trying to say is don't give up just yet

Oh, not giving up, signed up for the October round at Gisburn. Bring it on!

Basically last

You are looking at this all wrong, last is an achievement, nobody remembers the chap who finished 83rd. Plus you've made all the people above you feel good about themselves 8)

You are the awesumz, dont let anyone take that away from you x

For your collective amusement
UK Gurning Champs

I think I can see the problem.

Where are the enduro colours? It's a nice shirt, I grant you, but it must have been costing you 20 seconds a stage.

From the photos you look like your enjoying it, and you are still attached to the bike. I looked through over 2000 photos that had been taken that day and there were loads where riders had crashed or dismounted.

Tracey, I hit the deck plenty!

In the absence of photo evidence: me, on sunday
__0
___0/ ><o - arrrgh
_____

Well you beat 6% of your category, that's a start and something to build on. You also beat 100% of those that didn't get off their arses and enter.
Much worse to travel 700 miles to race and DNS, as I did once.

You also beat 100% of those that didn't get off their arses and enter.

But then again I had another that said "second place is the first loser" so don't feel too good about yourself. Dear god did I actually wear those Tees in public 😳

I am plotting to enter a slew of these next year as a way of getting fit. So fret not, you'll be 2nd to last all next year.
I am actually not bad on the decents but am so unfit and heavy that by the time I get to the top of the first climb most people will have passed the finish line and be showered up, in the car, and on their way home.

Within reason you can be as good as you want to be!

It's just as case of whether you want to train for it and race lots.

I don't really 'train' in as much as I commute to work, and try to murder myself on the hills, juat trying to get lots of miles in, and the spring I spend a bit of time on the turbo. No strength or gym stuff at all.

I have a group of riding friends who mostly race as well, we ride together a fair amount and are all roughly the same sort of speed so its good to push yourself.

I race regional DH, ironically tend to do better at that than Enduro, as I normally podium. With Enduro I'm the epitome of inconsistency, due to crashing. It drives me up the wall. I would expect with clean runs and no crashes to be top 10-15% in Masters at a national. That usually ends up being top 20%, because I'm an idiot who falls off too much.

If you want to, go get some miles in, go do some winter uplifts on up your bike, get sliding around, go do some little regional DH races & try again next year, see what happens. If it improves, you know you're on the right path.

Question is, do you want to? Does it even matter as long as you're having fun?

stages 1 and 2 were tricky. Slippery and hard to predict the grip. Try again but on a course that's more predictable - drier and grippier - then you'll get a better sense of where you are.

Enduro, at least the PMBA rounds, is a good test of riding skills and way above the usual trail centre level.

Never raced, so can't comment on that aspect, but I found Lobo Locos just hold on to mud and lose grip as a result.

Blame the tyres.

[b]!!!EXCUSE UPDATE!!![/b]

Turns out the rib i'd thought I'd bruised in practice is cracked. With that in the bag I'll consider myself desperately unlucky not to have taken the win.

^^^^^

Love it!!!! 😆

"cracked" thats virtually a punctured lung ya know...

I just dont have the competitive bit so never raced bikes at all. Only run for x-fitness and when i found myself signed up for a half marathon running became a chore where i was focused on pace, training time to ensure i did a 'reasonable'* time. just stopped with four weeks to go missed the half, went out and ran 12miles in my lunch break just after, just cos

its supposed to be fun.

*i had a 10k in 44mins, so i figures 1h40