Enduro races are by their very nature diverse; it’s one of the pleasures of racing that you get to ride a variety of terrain. Therefore you need to practice until you are comfortable riding on everything from muddy, rooty wood sections to loose, rocky scree and everything in between. Ride as many different locations as possible, and try to ride natural terrain as well as trail centres and bike parks. Don’t let the weather stop you either – put on your waterproofs and get used to riding in different conditions.

 For some Enduro races, you’ll be riding the trail blind, so learning to read the trail ahead and anticipate what’s coming is key. This will mean you won’t often ride at a flat-out pace, and with practice you’ll find a compromise speed that’s competitive but means you don’t keep crashing and losing time. 

Finding flow is also something that will come with practice. By pumping the terrain, weighting and un-weighting into dips and bumps, you can generate momentum without expending energy through pedalling which might just give you the edge in a race. Local pump tracks or BMX tracks are brilliant for getting the hang of this skill.

It’s also worth practicing riding technical sections when tired. A good drill for this is to find a short circular section with a climb and descent. Go hard up the climb, then straight into the descent, and keep repeating!