Those of you who race enduro,woods, hare scramble type stuff....how do you pace yourself to last an entire race? Or are you in such amazing shape that its 100% the whole time?
100% trying to stay on the bike. I'm guessing 70-80%. If I start to push too hard I end up going down, then loose energy getting the bike going and trying to make that time back. I'm 44 so I don't have the quick recovery I did when I was younger. I also get in trouble trying to race someone else and not the course.
Got off my big heavy loud expensive 4 stroke and started racing a light easy to race Husky CR 125 .Feels 100 pounds lighter and for me let me go farther faster with less effor
My fitness taps me out at about 60% sad to say. 38 year old next week and feeling every year of it but the brain still thinks its 18.
Same here, 37 going on 21. I try to not get sucked into the fast pace early in a race, get warmed up the first lap then just find a comfortable pace. I also try and find places on the course that let you speed up or rest and plan accordingly. Dont forget to drink and maybe even add some calories to your hydration. That said I have my first 3 hour race next weekend. When I see the white flag I then just try and spot guys ahead of me and race to them then find the next guy and race to him. Its a fine line between racing and picking yourself up off the side of the trail. I have beaten many "faster" guys just by staying on two wheels. I have raced a Honda 450X 280+lbs and a YZ250 2 stroke 240lbs and unless you have to pick them up or push them they are equal to me in amount of effort it takes to race them. My 450 I would ride straight over most stuff and it was really plush and didnt kick or bounce of line much and my YZ I have to avoid stuff and it kicks and bounces all over the place so its really a wash to me. Both have general characteristics that make them easier or harder to ride in different terrain.
i am not sure what kind of enduro you ride but the ones i ride have time checks then special tests, very similar to the WEC set up. so on the time control you can ride reasonably at 80% or your natural pace and make the checks. unless they are very tight this is normal. then you will have to give 100% on the tests because this is the winning and losing of the race. the tests are usually around the 10-15 minute mark and need to be ridden flat out. then pace yourself again through the checks until the next test. hare and hounds i think you have to ride at least 90% all the time to stand any chance with the fast guys, then push to 100% to pass someone or break ahead. i think the first lap is worth 100% because you can get a good position and get yourself clear of any hold ups or log jams that happen on the first lap. but above all you need to be fit, imo a very fit average rider will usually beat a faster guy who is unfit and cant hold it on for the 3 hours.
Its 100% effort for a 100% of the time to stand any chance of staying with the lead guys. Every race I start or run some of the race at 90% its a bad race.
