Jhak swept all six Pro 2 tests that weekend and won one of the sections outright. He also had to deal with some very unfamiliar New England conditions: deep dirt, big embedded rocks, rain, deep ruts, technical hills, creek crossings, and some sections that sounded more like Snowshoe than a typical National Enduro.
We also got into what has changed for him this year as his results have started to come around, what he means when he talks about not overriding the track, how he warms up before the first test, and why he has been sticking with the Beta 250 RR two-stroke.
Watch/Listen to the Episode:
Books we Discuss:
The Little Things Are Adding Up
Jhak had a tough start to the National Enduro season. He was sick at Sumter, missed Oklahoma because of an injury, and then was issued time penalties for cutting the track at Cherokee that put a big dent in his championship hopes. Since then, his season has looked a lot different.
At the Barbed Wire National Enduro, Jhak became the first Pro 2 rider to win a National Enduro overall. He followed that with the Rhode Island Pro 2 win. When I asked what changed, his answer was not that he found some big secret or started riding more than everyone else.
He has been focusing more on the technical side of his riding. Looking ahead, hitting his marks, using his legs more, and not getting on the brakes too late. He talked about how easy it is to override the track when you are just trying to go fast, and how much better he has been riding when he slows things down enough to focus on what he actually needs to work on.
Don’t Override the Track
Jhak had a good explanation for what overriding the track means to him.
For him, it is braking too late and sliding into a corner, hoping there is something there to catch him. It is getting on the throttle too hard and spinning the rear tire. It is not looking far enough ahead, so you are already behind when the next turn, root, rock, or obstacle shows up.
Sometimes he will ride by himself instead of riding with fast guys because it gives him the room to focus on the drill or technique he needs to work on that day. That does not mean he is going slow. It means he is not just trying to go fast. There is a difference.
Starting the First Test Ready
I asked Jhak how he gets himself ready for the first test, because this is something I hear riders ask about all the time.
His routine is simple. He starts with a light run, builds his heart rate, brings it back down, stretches, does some basic bodyweight movements, and rides the bike around before his start time. But the mindset part was interesting too.
Jhak tells himself he is already 20 seconds down going into the first test. He is chasing someone. It helps him attack the test with urgency instead of treating it like a warm-up lap and trying to find speed later in the day.
That has helped him start his days stronger, and it is probably a good reminder that a warm-up should not just be what you do because you know you should. It should prepare you to actually ride at the speed you expect of yourself once that card flips over.
Why the Beta 250 Two-Stroke?
Jhak is racing a Beta 250 RR two-stroke, and he is clearly very comfortable on it.
He likes that it is light and flickable, and that he can move it around underneath him to find different lines in the woods. He said the bike can bounce around more than a heavier four-stroke, but he has learned how to use that to his advantage.
The bike is not some crazy built engine package either. He said it is basically a stock 250 with parts added to make it work for him.
That was cool to hear because it goes back to the same point from the rest of the conversation: understanding what you have, figuring out how it works best, and becoming better at using it.
Jhak is having a strong year, and it has been fun to watch. He is still in Pro 2 next year, he is continuing to race XC2 at GNCC, and there are clearly more good things ahead for him.
0 Comments
Leave A Comment