ENDURO 101 (BY BOB SCOTT)
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU RIDE YOUR FIRST ENDURO
KEY TIME: 10:00 am
24 MPH Average
ITEMS NEEDED:
Odometer
Digital Watch
Route Chart Holder
Score Card Holder
Tape & Scissors
This guide is for traditional timekeeping style of enduros, the National Enduro restart format will be different but similar.
An enduro is not a race of whoever is the fastest wins, it is a test against the clock and the terrain. The course of an enduro might be from 50-150 miles in length, I would say for Ohio an average would be about 75 miles in length. You will ride very little if any of the same trail twice, therefore the courses are better than say GNCC or Hare Scrambles, where the course gets destroyed with continuous laps. When you try your first enduro you will be presented with a few things specific to enduros, Timekeeping. I will go through this process step by step and try to take the confusion out of this intriguing concept of our sport.
First when you pull in to the event location you will need to unload your bike and proceed to Tech inspection, tech will be looking for Sound output must be under 96db for enduros. Also included for tech will be Headlight , Taillight, Mirror and a license plate. After successful completion of tech you will be given a pass from the tech official to continue to sign-up. There you will need your AMA card as well as District card or Racing Organization card if needed as well as the entry fee for the event. After paperwork is completed you will need to draw for your row or number for the days event. For this example you drew 20 which means you will be on row 20 for this enduro. There will be 3 other riders on the row with you, so your number will be 220 for example. The other riders on the row will be 120, 320, 420 making a full row of 4. It is possible your row may not be full.
OK, you head back to your truck and begin to get ready for the days adventure. At sign-up, you were given a scorecard, this must be attached to the front fender of your bike. I highly
recommend you purchase a scorecard holder for this, as you are responsible for not losing the card during the event. If card is lost, a penalty will be added to your score. Attach the card with all scoring blocks showing, the check crews during the event will be writing your time arriving at each checkpoint in these spaces. At the end of the race all scores are added up from this scorecard. Next step is the route sheet that you got at sign-up, this chart shows the Key time (time the event starts) as well as every major intersection on the course. Each turn will be listed numerically, followed by direction of turn, exact mileage and time you will need to be at each turn. This chart will need to be cut up in 3” wide strips and taped together so it will fit in your route card holder. I have always run a strip of tape the entire length of the route chart on the backside before you wind it up. This really helps if it gets wet, when winding it forward during the race. Next thing to prepare is your digital watch, you will need to set your watch back 20 minutes, so it shows 10:00 when you leave the start line. This is done so every row leaves on the same time.
Route card example - 20- L 21.90 10:54:45
So the turn is 20, it is a left, and the miles is 21.90 and you will need to be there at 10:54:45 am. There will be matching markers at each turn of the course to match up to as well.
The speed average for most all Ohio enduros is 24 mph average so that equals out to .4 (4 tenths) mile per minute of riding. Your time on the route chart is the perfect time you need be at the marker. Now remember,r you are riding through tight woods, rocks, hills, mud, hills other riders and all sorts of other obstacles that are doing their best to slow you down. It is always good to practice good riding etiquette, if a faster rider comes up behind you he will most likely yell a couple times to let you know he is there. Most likely he is not in your class so it is good to let him around and observe the way he rides. You can learn a lot from watching a better rider.
It is now starting time!! Your key time watch (watch set back for your row only) says 9:55 you have 5 minutes before you have to start. You throw your gear on and head down to the start line. You are responsible for leaving on time, if you are late you will be scored as starting late which means you already lost points. Here you need to make sure your odometer is set to zero. Row 19 leaves and you are next, the starting officials will write on your scorecard the time youstarted and count down the start time for you. You may head on out to meet your challenge of the day. First thing you will need to watch for is the 2.9 or odometer set mileage. It is simply a marker to help the riders calibrate their mileage to the bike the club used to mileage the course. Your mileage is good so you continue on down the trail according to your route card there is a right turn at 4.26 miles you arrive at that point and compare your time to the chart and you are late, don’t wait hammer down. Then you come around a corner and see a red white flag and a few people in the trail you have made your first check point. The checkers will yell the time you arrived while someone writes it on your scorecard. They write a 23 that means you are 3 minutes late, which means you just earned 3 late points. 1 point for each minute late, if more than 60 minutes late you have “houred out” and are disqualified. Arriving early is even worse for you, if you arrive early to a check it is 2 points for the first minute early then 5 points for every minute early after that, so if you were 3 minutes early you just earned 12 points not good……. Fifteen or more minutes early will earn you disqualification. You must pay attention. Basically, for us normal people, if you watch your clock and enter the section on time you will never ride fast enough to burn (arrive early) the check at the other end. Another point to remember is in 24 mph format the checks can be no closer than 3.2 miles. For 24 mph the possible check locations need to fall on specific mileages for example the old rule is 0,4,8 tenths will be on a even mileage and for a odd mileage checks will fall on 2,6 tenths so the possible check locations for 32 miles will be at 32.00 and 32.40 as well as 32.80 easy huh?????? Checks will measure your minutes late as well as minutes and seconds late, the tie-breaker or emergency checks will be marked with a green and white flag. They are just like the other but they will score you with seconds and minutes this will break any ties that may happen at the end of the day. More etiquette comes into play here, during the checking process please be still for the checkers to write your score on the card. Avoid twitching, moving handlebars, revving engine etc. They will get you out as soon as possible. Remember it is your responsibility to get scored, if you miss a check or are not scored it is a immediate disqualification.
OK, you left you first check and are pretty happy with your score, you ride a little farther and come to a reset location. These are made to get you back on time to eliminate racing down public roads to the next section or wherever you will head next. Your reset is marked at 6.22 miles reset to 8.22 so you have a 2 mile reset which equals to a 5 minute reset period. If you are on time according to your route chart and watch you may rest for 5 minutes. If you are still down your 3 minutes then you have 2 minutes to wait. You may leave early but remember resets count as your minimum 3.2 miles between checks, so it is possible to have another check 1.2 miles after this reset, as you already used up 2 miles of your 3.2. You are responsible for watching your time and mileage throughout the day. The whole race is won and lost by your scores at the checkpoints of the enduro. After riding for some time you will eventually find your way back to a Gas Stop on the course. Your crew will need to be there to provide gas, drink, etc. A gas stop is basically a big reset with time given for this necessary event. A gas stop provides time for your break, a gas available on the other hand provides NO time, it is a true (splash and go) for gas. You will find both styles but gas stops are more widely used. OK, your time is now up you head back on out for the next sections of the race and finishing your first enduro. You make it to the last check and the end of the race. The officials will let you know it is the end and take your scorecard and give a copy to you. They will begin to figure scores. You may as well figure up your score remember 1 point for each minute late from your row 20, 2 points for 1st minute early and 5 points after that up to 15 early. Hopefully you did not “burn” any checks. It is important to remember to make sure the officials have your scorecard or get it turned in promptly, as this will speed up the scoring process.
Well..... you figure up your score and you dropped 26 points total, no early penalties, really a good ride for your first enduro. You even get a trophy at the awards presentation. You are now hooked on the enjoyment of the true enduro sport.