JAMES SHIRLEY
The Scottish racer and new MBUK columnist is enjoying his favourite time of year
For five years I’ve been racing full-time all over the world, and the majority of those summers have been spent in Europe with the van. As much as I love racing enduro, the end of the season is always my favourite time of year. The pressure is off. No more serious racing. No more gnarly training. Just riding. The weather is usually OK and there’s enough daylight to make the most of it. It’s so cool just to get out because I can and I want to. I’m free to tick off those big rides or new trails which I’ve had in mind but not had time to explore. There’s also plenty of opportunity to dig in some juicy tracks with the boys for a winter at home in Fort William!
You might think I’d be over it by this time of year, after 20 or so different races in various countries, but if there are still any fun events or cool trips, then I’m definitely still keen. Last year I went to ride in Israel for a week, just because I could! I normally find myself full of enthusiasm and feeling rejuvenated, with an optimistic outlook for the following season. I get excited thinking about what things I can do or change to make it bigger, better and more successful. As I write this, I haven’t finished putting together my plans, but I hope that everyone reading it now gets to make the most of their 2019. Happy shredding!