What Is An Enduro?
A Timekeeping Enduro is a trail event usually covering between 30 and 80 miles. The object of the competition is to arrive at hidden checkpoints along the course at the correct time. You lose points for arriving at the checkpoint late OR early. The person who loses the fewest points (in each rider class) is the winner. One to four Riders start the race each minute - there is not a mass start. The organizing club will mark the course well with arrows and provide you with a printout of the speed averages you need to maintain in order to arrive at the checks on time. Usually the speed averages will be fast enough to keep you riding at your fast trail pace most of the time. On some parts of the course you will find it easy to keep on time but on other parts only experts can make the pace. This is what makes an Enduro both a speed event and a thinking event. The thinking part comes in when you try to anticipate where the checks are and have to decide the best pace to maintain to stay on time without "burning" the check (come in early).
What Do I Need to Ride an Enduro?
Bike Requirements:
Your bike should be in good mechanical condition and capable of covering moderately difficult terrain at your maximum comfortable speed for at least 30 miles without refueling (some events you may need more range).
Rider Requirements:
Like your bike, your body should be in good mechanical condition and capable of covering moderately difficult terrain at your maximum comfortable speed for at least 30 miles without refueling. Well, you will probably have time somewhere for a Power Bar, but we aren't signing up for a flower arranging class here so you need to be in reasonably good physical shape. If you currently ride long course Poker Runs, you are probably "Good to Go" for your first Enduro.
Timekeeping Equipment:
Route Chart Holder - This is a plastic box about the size of a Band-Aid box with a clear face and two spools on which to roll your route chart. The Route Chart Holder attaches to your handlebars with a hose clamp. The Route Chart Holder is available at local motorcycle and accessory dealers for $8-$20.
Digital Clock - Since we are talking about Timekeeping Enduros, you probably guessed that you are going to need a timepiece. You will be reading minutes off your clock periodically as you ride so you need something easy to read with big digital numerals. The cheapest clocks which work well are the big number digital jobs sold at Schucks, Al's or Fred Meyer's auto departments.One good way to mount the clocks to the bike is to glue them securely to an old crossbar pad cover. You should set them up so that you can get to the control buttons to set the clocks on raceday morning. When you use the clocks in an event, tape the crossbar pad so it can't rotate. Trail test your clock setup on a good hard ride before you rely on it for an event.
Odometer - You really need an odometer that you can set (forwards or backwards) to an even tenth of a mile. The stock odometers which come on XRs, KDXs and many KTMs are ideal.
How Do I Enter My First Enduro?
Choosing The Event:
Many riders will try a Beginner Enduro for their first competition.The Beginner Enduros are attractive because they typically will feature a morning class session covering the rules and tricks. The riding portion in the afternoon will have easier speed averages than a competition points Enduro and moderately difficult trails.
Raceday Morning:
Raceday will typically start with sign-up at 7:00 AM. You will need to get to the staging area early so you may be better off to camp the night before. You have several things to take care of before you begin your race.
Sign-up - Tell the sign-up person your age, the type of bike you are riding and that this is your first Enduro. They will help you choose your riding class (probably C class or one of the Amateur classes). The sign-up person will give you your entry package which will consist of your rider number, your score card and the course info. Your rider number will indicate your starting minute. The course info will contain the mileages and speed averages for the event. Don't worry too much about the course info for your first few events. We will rely on the Route Chart for managing the course. Before leaving Sign-up, ask where the start area will be.
Route Chart - Near the sign-up table they will be selling Route Charts (also called JART Charts or Roll Charts). Buy one ($5-$7). The route chart will be your guide to the event speed averages and possible check points. If they have several types of charts, buy the same one that everyone else does. Be sure it lists "possibles only", major turns and minutes.
Key Time - This is very important! Near the sign-up table will be a clock labeled "Key Time". Your rider number is the number of minutes after the event starts that you will start. You need to set both of your clocks so that they will read earlier than Key Time by your start minute. In other words, if you are on minute 18 (rider number 18), and the Key Time clock says 7:45, you set your clocks to 7:27 (to the second). This will make it so that your clock will read 9:00:00 when your minute starts (assuming 9 AM start time). Now you will be in sync with your route chart and the course clocks.
Final Preparations - Tape your score card to your fender or number plate for the check crews to mark and load your route chart into its holder.
Riders' Meeting - Shortly before the start of the event the organizers will sound a horn to signal that the Riders' Meeting is starting. Do not miss the Riders' Meeting because they will be discussing important course changes, reviewing how the course is marked and answering questions.
Ten to fifteen before your minute, start getting in line at the start. Make a note of the folks on the two rows ahead of you and on your row. You may need to key off of them during the race for your first few races so memorize what they look like.
Make sure your odometer is zeroed and your clocks are running.
Check that your gas is on.
Watch how the starter sends the riders ahead of you off. You will start from a dead engine.
Basic Rules:
Checkpoints - Checkpoints will be marked by colored flag boards and will be manned by one to four people. Flip cards with times on them should be visible. You want to pass the flags while your minute is shown on the flip cards. A member of the check crew will mark on your score card your arrival time from the flip cards. The timing of the flip cards is staggered from key time such that if you are exactly on time, the flip cards will show your start time at each check. If you "zero" every check (perfect score) your time card should have your start time marked for each check.
If you are late to a Check Point, you lose one point for every minute you are late - late is bad. If you are early to a Check Point, you lose two points for the first minute early and FIVE points for every additional minute early - early is VERY bad. If you are more than 60 minutes and 59 seconds late to any checkpoint, you have "houred out" and are DISQUALIFIED (DQ). If you are more than 15 minutes early to any checkpoint, you are DISQUALIFIED. And no, seeing how early you can get is not cool - everyone will think you're an idiot. Finishing without a DQ and getting a trophy even though you don't have an odometer is Way Cool.
If you are caught cutting the course, you may be DISQUALIFIED. The check crew will score your arrival time as soon as you cross the line between the flags. If you are early you should ride as slowly as you can to let the clock catch up but don't stop forward motion or put a foot down or the crew will count you as across the line.
I have only run my two enduros but this is what I have picked up from them. My first I scored 3rd place and my second enduro I scored 6th place.
