The last time I raced the Moonshiner's Enduro was in 2018. When registration came around this time, I jumped at it in order to give myself a goal to work toward. With the introduction of a few motorsports hobbies, my fitness has taken a hit, not to mention the effects of the onward march of time!
Given the lack of confidence in my stamina, the race format of an enduro seemed like a good place to start. It's far less competitive than a regular cross-country race, and I'm fairly familiar with the trails at Blue Ridge School.
My strategy to avoid fatigue was to limit time standing between stages. I usually feel sluggish if my legs get too long a rest between efforts, not to mention the buildup of lactic acid that usually occurs during these breaks.
The strategy worked and I felt only a slight onset of cramping in my left leg in the pedal before the final stage. I was able to ease my way up the trail using the right leg to compensate while eating a bit more food before feeling the left leg relax again.
At the end of the day, I actually did pretty well - a third-place finish in my Masters 40+ field of eight riders.
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