We are very excited to announce that we are having a 8 race series.
2/15 The Grizzly Run 3-5 Mile lap Extreme hare scrambles Winchester, TN
3/15 The Groundhog 3-7 Mile lap Extreme hare scrambles Young Harris, GA
4/25 The Spring Chicken 5-7 Mile lap Extreme hare scrambles Gardendale, AL
NEW DATE! 6/20 The Sasquatch 40-50 Mile lap. Extreme GPS guided event Winchester, TN
8/1-2 Battle of the Goats 5-15 Mile lap. Extreme hare scrambles Brushy Mountain, NC
9/5 Saddleback Extreme 10-15 Mile lap. Extreme hare scrambles Bedford, KY
9/19 The Nite Squatch 35 Mile GPS guided loop. Event at night Winchester, TN
10/17 The Cliffhanger at Hollytree 3-5 Mile lap Extreme hare scrambles. Event at night Hollytree, AL
10/17-18 Series Ending Awards Party/ after the Cliffhanger, plan to stay up late!
Each of these events we believe will offer something unique and challenging and the combination will be a series that will test the skills, stamina and determination of the most hard core extreme enduro enthusiasts.
We are very happy to be partnering with some established events and some new venues. Details on each event will be posted soon, in the mean time get off the couch and get ready!
SRT/ SEER’s fourth official race of 2020 is history! Many of our series riders came to participate in this 2 day event and enjoyed a challenging weekend.
All riders who made it to North Carolina realized it was another excellent hard enduro race. Lots of gnarly and very technical sections required every ounce of stamina and strength out of each rider. After a downpour on Friday evening, the track was super slick in the morning and worn in for the afternoon qualifier on Saturday.
To qualify for the Sunday race, you had to complete 3 laps. This was later changed to 2 laps because very few riders could make 3 laps. The loops on Saturday were 4 miles.
Each lap started with an endurocross section and then headed into the woods. Chicken fight hill was by far the hardest part – a gigantic, steep, rocky hill.
Apple Podcast – Battle of Goats – Instant Recap! August 2, 2020LINK
Sunday each rider got 6 hours to complete 2 laps. The loops of the main race where 17 miles long.
The current series overall leader Nick Fahringer extended his lead with a top 10 overall finish in the race. Place 2 in the SRT/SEER overall ranking goes now to Chuck DeLullo, followed by Quin Wentzel.
Dirtbike Magazine Article – 2020 Battle of the Goats Extreme Enduro ResultsLINK
Thanks to Tyler Mull and his crew at Brushy Mountain Motor-Sport Park for putting on an epic race!
Great job guys!
Cycle News Article: 2020 Battle Of The Goats Results – August 3, 2020LINK
If you are ready for more extreme riding this season, the next SRT/ SEER race of 2020 is the Saddleback Xtreme Hard Enduro in Kentucky on September 5. Registration is open!
Summer has arrived in the South-East region, and it’s not playing around. Our tips for racing hard enduros in the heat could help you to stay ahead of your competition! SEER’s next race is the Battle of Goats on August 1/2, but our recommendations can be applied to any upcoming training and racing in hot environment.
Remember a key goal for any enduro rider, no matter of competing or exercising in the heat:
Drink enough fluids to maintain your body weight.
Start Early – Get Ahead!
Pre-hydrating with beverages, in addition to normal meals and fluid intake, should be started when needed at least several hours before the race to make sure it is properly absorbed.
For the Battle of Goats, hydrate with 500 mL (16 oz) of water or sports drinks the night before, on Friday evening. Continue with another 500 mL upon waking on Saturday morning, and then another 500 mL of cool water or sports drink 20–30 min before the start of the race. Bring an extra water bottle to the race start, so you avoid emptying your hydration pack before the race has even started!
‘By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.’ Benjamin Franklin
How Much Do You Need To Drink?
Duration is the Key – in this example 3 hours on Saturday, and 5 hours on Sunday.
When exercise lasts more than 1.5 hours, endurance athletes should ingest glucose/electrolyte solutions to maintain blood sugar levels and prevent dehydration.
The current recommendation is 6–12 fluid ounces every 10–15 min throughout the entire exercise/ race. This equals at least 24 fluid ounces per hour.
Which is actually not a lot for a hot day. Most likely you will need more!
What Should You Drink?
When racing or training in the heat, having beverages containing electrolytes and carbohydrates can provide benefits over water alone.
Electrolytes
If you are out there for several hours, and don’t take any electrolytes in, you increase your risk of dehydration or hyponatremia (low sodium levels). Which pretty much means with water only you are flushing your system out. Lower levels of sodium can affect your race-day performance: You are more prone to headaches, gut issues and overall fatigue.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates during the race provide energy for your muscles and your brain. This is the reason why you will be better off having 30–60 g of carbohydrate per hour. You can either use a drink mix in your hydration pack (which is the easiest on your gut on a hot day), or by eating an energy bar, dried fruits, or energy gels during the race itself.
Check the carbohydrate content of your current drink mix. A gel has generally 20-25g of carbohydrate. Find a combination which adds up to at least 30 grams per hours and still tastes good!
Highly concentrated drink mixes often do not taste too great after a few hours of racing. Once you get a little bit dehydrated, your systems prefers fluids with lower concentrations. They are easier on your already strained gut.
Do You Need Extra Sodium? How About Salt Tablets?
The days around your race are actually the ones when you are allowed to indulge in salty foods! Usually most Americans consume too much sodium in their diet, which has adverse health effects. But avoid a low-sodium diet around endurance races in the heat!
Eating more salt during the days leading up to a longer workout/ race in the heat helps to maintain fluid balance and prevent dehydration. The current recommendation for sodium is 300–600 mg per hour during a prolonged exercise bout.
Many providers of electrolyte/ sports drinks eg. Gatorade or Nuun are doing the math for you. The sodium content of Gatorade is about 450 milligrams per liter (32 ounces), and 2 Nuun tablets for 32 ounces have 600 mg.
Salt tablets are a quick and easy way to get your sodium in your system. But since it is a highly concentrated form, it might be hard on your gut. Most athletes are better off getting their electrolytes continuously, like within their hydration. Unless you have successfully tried salt tablets before, better stay away from them.
Is Thirst A Good Indicator?
No! Current sports nutrition research says that neither ‘drink as much as possible’ nor ‘drink when thirsty’ are ideal recommendations for athletes.
There are three good explanations for their rejection: 1) We do not want to flush out our system with too much water. 2) Some athletes do not get thirsty while exercising. 3) Thirst is signaled when we are in a state of light dehydration.
Thirst is a signal when your body weight deficit is around 1–2%. Which is the reason why athletes should NOT depend on thirst to prompt them to drink. It would be too late.
How Much Should You Drink After The Race?
Start with 0.5 L (16 oz) and continuously refill over the next hours until you have reached a urine color brighter than dark yellow.
The current guideline is to drink 1.5 times more fluid than you have lost, and you need to make sure there’s plenty of sodium either in or with the fluid to account for the salt loss too. A simple post-workout rehydration strategy is to drink plenty of water and eat some salty pretzels.
Rehydration takes up to 48 hours after intense/ prolonged exercise in the heat.
Summary
Remember, just because you do not see yourself as an ultra-distance athlete, your performance can still suffer due to a low hydration level. Per hour, drink a minimum of 24 ounces of fluids with 300 mg of sodium, and add at least 30 grams of carbohydrate to finish strong!
Our recommendation for race day: Avoid overheating – drink up!
“The Sasquatch GPS race scheduled for this Sat 6/20 has been CANCELLED.
This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do and everyone involved in this including Derek, myself and all the other volunteers that have put countless hours into this are totally gutted. This was a total surprise as of this morning. The short answer for why is the property manager changed his mind. Environmental concerns was the driving factor.
I know a lot of you guys bought GPS devices and have made plans, all we can do is offer our sincere apology. We will start the process of reversing the race fee charges back to everyone ASAP.
Again, sorry. This was totally out of our control and we have exhausted all avenues to save it.”
Get Ready for The Sasquatch Extreme GPS on 6/20/2020
How can the tracklog feature help me during the race? How much time do I have to finish the race? How far do I have to be at 3 pm to make sure I can finish?
These and other questions will be answered in our third and final Q/A session with the SEER race directors. We interviewed them prior to the Sasquatch Extreme GPS, which is round number 4 of the SRT/SEER Hard Enduro Series of 2020.
Continue with info regarding checkpoints and rider’s responsibilities.
8) How do I get back on track after I realized I rode in the wrong direction?
‘Come to a stopping point, zoom out to where you can see the course. Then retrace your tracklog option, which should lead you back to the race track. Once you are back on the course, set your appropriate zoom level and continue on the trails.‘
9) Are there any checkpoints? Do they have time limits?
‘We have 4 checkpoints along the 40 mile course. Each checkpoint has a cutoff time limit. No rider is allowed to continue the race in case the specific time limit is reached.
For example, checkpoint number 3 , ‘Turkey Creek’, is at mile 22. If you arrive after 3 pm, you will not have enough time to finish the 15 remaining miles in the last hour of the race (4 pm is the 8 hour cut-off).
The race officials will let you know on each checkpoint if the cut-off time is reached. We are very strict with the time cutoffs to keep every rider safe.
The checkpoints are also the recommended place to finish the race early in case you are not capable to continue. The easy out track will guide you to your way back to the start area.‘
10) How will you decide if racers stayed on track?
‘It is the competitor’s responsibility to make sure that their GPS records during the race.
If competitors abandon the race day due to mechanical, injuries or any other reason they must check-in at the finish (or at one of the checkpoints) to ensure every rider’s safety.
The race directors will let you know if your device is selected to an inspection.‘
Both SEER race directors got to race Red Bull Romaniacs in Europe, which is a GPS guided extreme hard enduro multiple-day event. They had so much fun that they decided to bring this special race experience to the USA!
This might be your first time in this type of race format, but we promise you will not be alone. We will do our best to make sure you don’t get lost ;o)
In part two, read how to take care of your device while riding.
Get expert tips from the SEER team – which zoom settings do they prefer to use?
3) How do I mount/ attach the GPS on the bars? Do I need a protective case?
‘Choose your favorite mount, which will depend on your device. The SEER team prefers a silicon style case eg. from 2-Ride to protect and mount their devices. We also recommend a screen protector.‘
4) How do I keep my GPS from getting lost?
‘The mount will keep it in place but to add extra insurance that your GPS is making it home, a tether is recommended. Some mounts might already come with a tether. Otherwise you will need to improvise (eg. zip tie, lanyard, string).‘
5) Which Zoom Settings do you recommend?
‘When using one GPS, we recommend a zoom level of 120ft. Remember, this is a tight course, you do not want to miss a turn.
For two GPS devices, we recommend a setting of 80-120ft for one, and a setting of 200ft for the second one.‘
6) How could I practice following a track? How do I record it?
‘The easiest way is to track a few routes while riding a bicycle. This is even possible around your neighborhood. Then go back to the start, pick one of the routes randomly and try to follow the arrow. Practicing on a bicycle will also help you to check out your device/ bar mount.
Be sure your track-back feature is on. Consult with the manual of your device.‘
7) How do you keep the screen clean?
‘It might be dusty or rainy on race day, which can get the screen blurry. For a quick clean, you can always simply use your gloves. Additionally you could also use some wet tissues which are stored in your sleeves or in the front pockets of your drink system. Then you can simply pull them out, swipe the screen and continue your ride.‘
Stay tuned for part 3 if you want the details about the checkpoints and the cut-off time limits.
Preview of The Sasquatch Extreme GPS Hard Enduro 6/20/2020
The Sasquatch Extreme GPS is a Hard Enduro that takes competitors through the most extreme terrain the CMRA riding area in Tennessee has to offer. Guided by GPS navigation, competitors have 8 hours to attempt the completion of the epic 40 miles (~ 60 km) course.
Are you wondering how to navigate a GPS guided Hard Enduro?
This race is unique within the South-East, since there are not many other GPS hard enduro races offered on the continent.
Gary Barr and Derek Bratcher, SEER’s owners and race directors are busy finishing the tracks for round #4 of their SRT-SEER Hard Enduro series.
We asked them for an interview including 10 questions how to prep for the race.Read part 1 today, and we will continue with part 2 and 3 next week!
1. Which GPS device would you recommend for this race? How about using my phone? How large does the screen have to be?
‘There is no ‘one-fits-all’ answer, since it is an individual preference.
Personally, the SEER team uses the Garmin brand since it is extremely rugged. After many hours of operation in hard conditions they are holding up well.
We strongly recommend to stay away from touch screen models. If the screen becomes wet or dirty, and you try to clean the screen you can lose your track.
A phone might not be waterproof, has limited battery life and the larger screens can easily break.
For people with visibility issues, a larger screen can be read more easily.’
2. How do I get a track on my GPS? How do I stay on track?
‘Open the email we sent you with the tracks. There will be your race day track (eg. bronze.gpx) and the easy out routes (ez.gpx).
Download the tracks to your computer.
Connect the device to the computer using a USB cable.
Drag/ copy the GPX file from the computer into the folder labeled GPX on your device.
Unplug the USB cable, turn on your device and go into the track manager. There you should see the tracks you just imported.
On race day, you will repeat the last step (find the race day track) and enable it.
A little arrow is you, and in order to navigate using the GPS, you need to keep your arrow on the line (the track).‘
Stay tuned for part 2 which is going to cover Q/A regarding zoom settings and how to practice navigating without having to get on your dirtbike.
Cycle News is best known for coverage of all forms of motorcycle racing and we are very proud to present SEER’s first article in their magazine! The magazine is headquartered in California, the same state our title series sponsor is located.
enduro21: “The Covid Crusher Extreme gave riders a healthy workout blowing away the Coronavirus cobwebs and can claim the unusual honour of being the only extreme event racing on the planet last weekend (May 23).“
The third SEER race of our hard enduro SRT/ SEER series is in the books!
Despite difficult times, SEER was able to put on a race at the Hollytree Offroad Park in Alabama. We extended our online registration and had an online rider’s briefing to take additional safety precautions.
A combination of lots of rain in the week leading up to the race and an extra downpour on race morning made some areas impassable. Several last minute changes, like moving the start area due to the rising creek, kept the course workers busy. Due to additional heavy rain during the race the trails got extremely slick and deep ruts formed.
95 riders from 17 different states were eager to get to the start line in Alabama, after months without much offroad activity. Riders from Texas to Wisconsin found their way to the Covid Crusher Extreme.
Some of them have never tried a hard enduro race before. Oh well, they got an extreme version for their first experience.
The waves of Gold, Silver and Bronze class riders started off with a two minute interval between the rows.
Other than a few Gold class riders crashing in the second turn off the start VIDEO, the majority of the riders left without any issues.
The riders had to conquer several very technical areas along a trail not allowing any rest between the sections. Gold and Silver riders shared the same, difficult track, and the Bronze riders got to bypass some of the most extreme parts.
Within the first minute all riders got to ‘Nico’s Valley’, a brutal rocky uphill creekbed. Half-way through the lap the racers were challenged with ‘Meltdown Mountain’. This was the most difficult part of the race, a steep uphill made of mud-covered rocks.
The third section ideal for spectators was ‘Copperhead Creek’, a pretty steep creek bed. Next to the pits, everybody got to watch riders making their way down into the creek bed, called ‘The Drop’.
Without any chance to recover between the most challenging parts of the trails, many racers were exhausted after two hours. The white flag was shown after 2:55 hrs of riding time. Which meant the riders got the chance to complete another lap, as long as they could finish within the cut-off time of 4:00 hours. Many racers were brave and fought until the last possible minute.
The current SRT-SEER series leaders, Nick Fahringer and Quinn Wentzel provided a breathtaking battle. For hours, they raced close to each other. Frequently they had to show their excellent riding skills by having to pass other riders being stuck in difficult terrain. Nick Fahringer ended up winning the Gold class and Overall, with Quinn Wentzel second and Chuck DeLullo third.
The field in the Silver class was 27 racers, and the podium winners were Davis Jackson, Steve McNeal and Nathan Taylor. The largest class was the Bronze class with 42 racers and Wes Kelley, Chris Evans, and Jimmy Rose finished 1-2-3. Two female riders braved the conditions and battled in the Bronze class.
And the racers who came for an extreme experience went home satisfied. We got tons of great feedback on social media. If you have not done already, join our group ‘SEER-South East Extreme Riders Association’ on facebook.
See what other racers had to say about the race HERE
It looks like everyone is excited to try the next SEER challenge, which is going to be the Sasquatch Extreme GPS. A GPS guided event in Tennessee with a 40 mile loop on June 20, 2020.
Find more information and registration details for the Sasquatch GPS ExtremeHERE
Our races would not be possible without the support from our sponsors and the many volunteers helping us! Thank you!
