The 2024 Leadbelt Enduro wasn’t a National Enduro this year, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t an epic race. The terrain changes drastically, the rocks are unforgiving, and the waterfall is SLIPPERY!!!!
The Leadbelt Enduro has been on a pedestal for me for YEARS. I’ve watched race footage of Mike Lafferty sending the waterfalls, Russell Bobbitt shredding the singletrack, and Grant Baylor sasquatching the sasquatch. As a huge fan of enduro racing, the Leadbelt Enduro is an icon event that I’ve always wanted to race. Now that I’ve raced it, it’s lived up to the hype.
The Leadbelt Enduro is held in the St. Joe State Park in Pine Hills, Missouri. Due to the old mines in the area, the terrain changes EXTREMELY quickly from rooty to rocky, sandy to off-chamber, and everything in-between. The elevation changes were the most fun for me coming from Texas. They reminded me a lot of Hard Wood Hills, but with less small marbly rock, though it did exist to mess with your front tire.
Due to the heat in Texas, and training for an Ultra Marathon later this year, I haven’t been riding as much. Unfortunately the lack of riding bit me as the day wore on. My shoulders wore out quickly on the day, and I didn’t feel like I fueled well enough for the energy expenditure due to the heat and humidity. I had some wins during the race as well, attacking from the beginning in each test and charging to stay with Brandon Atchley when he passed me from row 24.
A few mishaps on the trail included smashing my foot in Test 3, later to find out I broke my pinkie toe, enjoying one of the craziest high-sides I’ve ever experienced in Test 5, and then washing out my front tire in Test 6 on the waterfall. I’m a bit more beat up from this enduro than I have been in awhile, but it’s all part of learning and grow. I’ve very thankful my foot injury was only as bad as it was. It felt like I was going to have a few missing toes.
The trek to Missouri was long, but it was worth it to enjoy the Leadbelt Enduro. BJEC events do have an arrowing issue, but this isn’t the time or place to continue that discussion.
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