HARD ENDURO PIATRA CRAIULUI
July 6, 2025
The Freeride Spirit
July 9, 2025
HARD ENDURO PIATRA CRAIULUI
July 6, 2025
The Freeride Spirit
July 9, 2025

🏁 Romania, Sweat & Supplements: How a 51-Year-Old Enduro Guide Survived HEPC7

– by Athanasios from Enduro North Star

A week ago, I made the brilliant (or completely insane) decision to join my gang for an extreme enduro race in Romania — yes, Romania, after 45 straight days of guiding groups, fixing terrain like a farmer from space at TheCabinsProject.com, and working like a madman for half a year.

Honestly? Best. Idea. Of. The. Year.

If you’ve already read the post about HEPC7, you know we survived. We finished the whole thing. But let me get real for a second: it wasn’t just adrenaline and Greek DNA that got me through it.


🎯 I Had Help – From Training and... Science

(Okay, sports science, not NASA.)

Here’s what I did:

🏋️ I Trained — Sort of.

Between guiding groups and moving rocks like a caveman, I started sneaking in some workouts.
Dimitris pushed me into some wild trails at night under killer heat — thanks bro, my legs still remember.
The terrain wasn’t Romanian, but it was savage enough to prep me for what was coming.


💊 I Supplemented — Like a Pro (Who Also Drinks Greek Coffee Twice a Day)

10 days before the race, I switched gears:

  • 💧 Hydration became serious.

  • 🧃 BCAA started showing up in my training drinks.

  • 🥤 Warrior Lab Complete Whey Protein post-rides. Smooth, no stomach circus.

  • 💊 Vitamin B-Complex to keep the energy up — and I swear I felt the difference.

  • 👑 Magnesium Liquid (Pintoliko) — the MVP. Helped my sleep, muscles, and recovery. I took 300mg per day.

That’s it. Nothing fancy, just consistency, a bit of planning, and trust in the process.


🏁 Race Days: Water, Gels, and No Bathroom Drama

I ran two bladders in my backpack:

  • One with BCAA + Electrolytes (IsoDrinx by Nutrend)

  • One with plain cold water

Every 45–60 minutes, I had a small gel pack (also Nutrend), and — believe it or not — no bloating, no emergency toilet stops, no dehydration. Just smooth sailing through mud, logs, climbs, and pain.


🎉 So, Did It Work?

Placebo or not, one thing is true:
👉 A 51-year-old Greek tour guide, after months of work and riding, finished HEPC7 smiling.

I didn’t break records — but I didn’t break me, and that’s a win.

So if you're wondering whether it's worth training a little, supplementing smartly, and taking care of your body before a challenge like this — here's your answer:
Hell yes.


🧪 My Supplement Team:

  • Warrior Lab Complete Whey Protein

  • Vitamin B Complex

  • Liquid Magnesium energybody 

  • Nutrend IsoDrinx (Electrolytes and added BCAA)

  • Nutrend Endurance Gel

  • Tera Energy Pre-Race Shot


Thanks to the crew, the trails, and the madness of HEPC7.
Now back to coffee, clients, and maybe… another race?

Stay wild,
Athanasios | Enduro North Star
#enduronorthstar #hepc7 #enduroracing #endurons #supplementsmart

– by Athanasios from Enduro North Star