Tribe Daddy is racing and this is happening right now. I am writing this post from Laces during the multi-day Chili Enduro race.

If you’re wondering if competing an enduro race is feasible with a 2-year-old toddler, read on to see our experiences and thoughts on the matter.

Training as a Dad: Compatible or Not?

Intense training has always been a priority for Dad – a mantra that carried over from his pre-parenthood days. Now, fatherhood requires a different kind of training focus. As a dad, he faces the reality that time is limited—specifically, training time. If you want to spend lots of time with your little one as working dad, as our tribe daddy wants to do, finding the right time for training without feeling guilty for not being with the child can be tough.

One strategy for training and enjoying time together has been using a trailer. We love these family MTB rides, and daddy gets strength training while carrying the trailer.

Of course, downhill training requires a solo mission – no two-year-olds allowed on those crazy downhill tracks! Scheduling these solo adventures can be a juggling act, but it’s worth the effort. The reality is, daddy’s current training regime might not be perfect, especially compared to the pre-dad days. Juggling fatherhood and racing means arriving at competitions less trained than he’d like.

This requires a mental shift for someone as competitive as him. He’s now focusing on enjoying the ride rather than chasing podium finishes.

Racing as a Dad: A New Concept of Racing

Gone are the days of meticulous pre-race rituals like perfectly timed sleep and meticulously planned meals. Racing with a toddler means grabbing a quick bite to eat on the fly and lining up at the start gate after a night of interrupted sleep.

The mental shift required is significant and takes time. I still wonder if Tribe Daddy is used to this new, less competitive style of racing. The races are no longer just about competition; they’ve become disguised training grounds.

Despite the challenges of balancing fatherhood and racing, enduro race weekends are a blast for our entire family. While Daddy is racing, me and our little one become his biggest cheerleaders. Race weekends morph into incredible family adventures, filled with exploring new places, meeting fellow riders (and their families!), and soaking up the fresh mountain air. It’s a unique way to bond as a family, adding a competitive twist to our outdoor adventures.

Daddy Enduro Races experiences with our little one

At the Chili Enduro where we are now, Dad is competing in his second day of the race. Edo is having a chill after a full morning exploring the nature around us. I’m thinking and writing about these amazing racing days spent as a family. While Friday’s bad weather kind of ruined the good vibes (riding under the snow was quite freezing and demanding for Dad), yesterday Dad and us, the cheerleaders, enjoyed the Chili Race a lot! To recover well after the race, Dad has to jump, run and walk around non-stop with little Edo, who misses his Dad so much! That’s a typical race day for a Dad, where the post-ride recovery could be even more demanding than the race itself. But that’s our idea of fully living as a family, enjoying every single moment, living fully!

One of our favorite races as a family, and even before we became parents, is Transvaraita, a multi-day enduro race in the Varaita Valley. We went there one year before becoming parents and two years later with our little one. Traveling by car was a disaster—it was hot, and Edo cried continuously—but we soon forgot the travel woes upon arrival. There’s always this magical atmosphere of being part of a tribe sharing the same passion. Last year, we met another racing family with a toddler as old as Edo. The other mom and I watched the race together with our kids in trailers. They also swam together and had a great time.

Another race we explored last year as a family was the Val di Fassa EDR, which was a beautiful experience too. Despite being just an hour and a half away, the travel was a disaster—everything seemed to go wrong. The camper had a water spill, Edo was crying, and dad was anxious. He would have preferred a relaxing evening before the training and race, but he realized he needed to adapt to this new mindset. This means attending races less trained, less concentrated, but experiencing them as a family and introducing your little one to this environment early on.

To sum up, I think there should be a separate results list for dads competing—just joking! But honestly, competing as a dad is a challenge in itself, yet it’s worth it!