Ramblings of a racing addict

I have a wee problem. This XTERRA thing is kind of a big deal over here in the States. Which means things just keep getting more competitive. And results tougher to come by. So when yesterday, on Richmonds gnarly urban assualt course also known as XTERRA East, I improved my own performance by nearly 10mins over last year (when I was 13th)..... it was only good enough for 11th.

So that US Pro tour top 10 still eludes me. Just.

Richmond is simply a cool race. Cool enough it really is worth flying halfway across the world for. The short 1000m swim has to be seen to be believed. Held in the James river, its a water borne obstacle course. Shallow enough in places to lead to numerous beached whale impersonations, yet such a rock and debris strewn bottom to make dolphin diving (or even running) not really an option either. Richmond is probably the only triathlon you can expect to come out of the swim cut and bruised.

This leads to an amazing MTB course. Tight twisty and demanding singletrack. With staircases, railway crossings, culverts, storm water drains. You name it. Followed by a fast 11km including everything from roads, to single track, stairs, old river beds and even ladders. Like I said, its gnarly. And you'd better bring your A game.

Unfortunately, I was sick after last week, and pretty much did nothing all week. So I was a little unsure. But I've learned to trust my ability and the training that has come before, so was on a mission for that top 10. Sadly, I messed up the 'swim' a little. With a seperate pro start it was a great opportunity to get that elusive tow on the strongest swimmers feet. But after a bad choice in starting technique in the waist deep water I lost those feet in oh, about 10m.

I salvaged something at least, but was dissapointed to still give up 3min to the front, and came out one of the last of the 24 pro men. This was certainly a missed opportunity. Out onto the bike course and time to go to work. There were a few exciting moments as I made error after error in the first 20min. even managing to ride off the side of a 6ft high concrete 'bridge' that i've never even thought twice about in the past. Amazingly, I got away with that without major damage, and eventually got things moving, picking my way back through the field. Moving well, but cautious to save a little for the run.

In a reply from last week Ryan Ignatz and I rode the last third together after I finally caught him, and worked together to transition. After a 6th fastest bike split I was a little dismayed to learn we'd only made it up to 11th. Frustrated I chased Ryan out onto the run, and was moving well. I soon lost contact with Ryan which wasn't too surprising, as he proceeded to post the fastest run of the day. I foccussed on turnover an d kept things going, pushing all the way and closing with a 39min 11km trail run almost 4min than I did last year.

11th. 7min off the win, and less than three from the podium. In fact, 5-8 were within about 40sec of each other. As I said, this field has some depth these days!

So I'm pretty encouraged looking to Maui. I'm now in the mix in these races. I'm putting myself in solid positions and giving myself a shot at a top result. The only dissapointment is that its time to go home. Whilst the XTERRA crew have invited us to race the next two pro tour events (Utah in August, and Tahoe in October), and a top ten pro series result is a realistic target; the credit cards aren't too happy with me at the moment!

So it's back home to work, to winter, and a focussed buildup to the World Champs. Training won't be easy, but the carrot of World Championships dangling should provide motivation enough.

More like brutal Alabama... Yesterdays XTERRA was tough. Temps in the mid 90's farenheit, with high humidity making it feel like 100. Even the swim, normally kinda refreshing was uncomfortable. The lake water was measured at over 80 farenheit at 8am.

Warming up wasn't something you needed to do. simply setting up transition was enough to get a sweat on.

Long story short, I managed to put together a pretty solid race. end result was 11th in pro, 20 sec or so out of the top 10. And while 11th was what I got last year, this was a much better quality 11th!

 In all three disciplines I was faster than last year, and finished approximately 10min down on winner stoltz, which on this course, showed huge improvements.

I was pleased to swim a couple of minutes faster than last year, so headed onto the bike with confidence. The first 25min was frustrating as its all singletrack and unlike last weeks MTB race.... fast swimmers in the way (as oppossed to fast MTB'ers) make things a bit difficult. Eventually I caught up to Ryan Ignatz, one of the faster XTERRA MTB'ers and we rode solid together throughout the ride, steadily picking up spots. Quick enough that it wasn't until the last km that B'Man Smith caught us.

Heading out onto the run in about 15th with Ignatz and Smith (XTERRAs fastest runner) I thought things were good. But I soon struggled on the brutal undulating run whose 6+ climbs in the last 5km pack in about 1800ft of elevation gain. In the heat I felt I was creeping. Turns out plenty of others were too. I soon lost sight of BMan and Ryan who ran up to 6th/8th.... but made my way steadily forward to finish strong and post an 11th.

I was promptly ushered to the mist tent which looked like a warzone with the first 10 all sprawled out either on IV's, under ice, or simply lying under the sprinklers. Alabama kicked everyones arse!

I am pretty encouraged by my form though and can't wait for Richmond which suits me even more.

And Nic? She put in a bloody gutsy performance for 10th women overall. She picked up a nasty bug last week and on saturday was really struggling. I wasn't sure racing was a smart thing to do but shes paid a lot of $ to get here and was determined to compete. After all she's here to learn, and competing under such adversity has gotta to teach you something?! So to come through that strongly was impressive. Onwards and upwards from here!

So I'm sitting here on Saturday afternoon, kinda just kicking back and waiting for Sunday, and the XTERRA Southeast Championship here in Pelham, Alabama. It's times like these that being an athlete kinda sucks..... because its hot and humid outside, and being inside and doing pretty much nothing is the only 'smart' thing to do.

I am in the south though, so I'm sure theres some NASCAR racing of some kind on TV all afternoon?!

So I thought I should post up some pre race thoughts. To be honest, I'm not totally sure on my form. I'm kind of in rebuild mode after the NZ season towards October. I think it's good. But who really knows till I race the big boys. Here's what I do know

1) This course is great fun. Its hot. And it suits me. It was the scene of my first pro paycheck last year with an 11th.
2) This year I know the course. I've already had two runs round the run course (as opposed to 0 last year) and one tempo run was 3min faster than I did in the last year.
3) The bike loop is twisty, rocky, rooty, and technical. A MTB'ers course
4) I've done the bike loop 6 times in the last 8 days. I kinda know it now. And I like it
5) I have a 29'er. 29'ers are fast. Period.
6) These days, I can kinda run decent. There was even a pic of me in the XTERRA University Trail run brochure (maybe that was how not to do it?!)
7) Apparently willingness to wear silly looking suits (aka my beige skinsuit) in events can equate to great results. Case in point, current US top dog, my man B Smith. Fastest run split by like 3min at Temecula, and proud wearer of this little beauty....



Any man willing to wear this is worthy of all the luck in the world......

Anyways..... I'm feeling solid I have confidence that my bike legs are good, and both my swim and run are improved on the past. All I can do is front up and put together the best race I can. It worked in Rotorua. All going to plan we'll see how far up the top 10 that gets me tommorrow?! And we'll see if B'man pulls off a win whether the suit comes out for the awards?

Yip, I am alive. Despite the extended lack of any website postings for some time. oops.

With finishing up work at Sport Manawatu, cramming in training (along with some indoor netball and go-karting ), things got kind of hectic in the last week before flying out for the US of A for the current four week roadtrip we're on. Good 'ole majordebt. What a great "sponsor" for enabling us to do this.

Anyway...

.... currently we're in Alabama. We've been stateside for 10 days and I've satisfied my Krispy Kreme cravings. Two sucessful races in the books already, along with a whole lotta driving. After a mammoth travel effort from Palmie North (including a 300 mile drive straight off of the plane..) we took on a regional XTERRA event at Smith Lake. A military recreation area at Ft Bragg in North Carolina (apparently largest base in the US troop numbers wise). Was a good hitout with a 1k swim, 30km ish flat and fast TB, and 5km run not destroying our jetagged bodies too much. Actually the last 3km of the run was pretty much all sand so good thing it wasn't any longer!

 Long story short we both has reasoaly cofy wins. Me fairly quickly erasing my swim deficiet and establishing a 9min something margin by the end. And Nic destroying the next best women by 10min and grabbing 11th overall. So a nice start.

 After a bit of a 4`day tiki-tour down the country we made it to Alabama. Not without a bit of training on the old '96 olympic MTB course near Atlanta first. That race would have been brutal.... but a fun and testing course. The deer, tortises, snakes, and squirrals along the way made things interesting too!

 Finally in alabama we took on the 14th annual "Bump'n'Grind" MTB event that is held on the same MTB course to be used for the upcoming XTERRA (our main reason for being here). Its a big event on the calander for those in the south/southeast of the states. Plenty of $ up for grabs and strong feilds (even cash payouts for Sport 60+ men!). Two laps totalling 36miles of twisting rooty, rocky singletrack, some solid climbs, and fun descents. Made harder by the heat and humidity. Nic raced great in her international pro MTB debut to take third, just 6mins behind the legendary Shonny Vanlandingham in a 2hr30+ race. So not too shabby there at all! (and picking up $500 US. I think shes going shopping this week?!)

 I had a solid race too. My start was rubish. I simple forgot how to be aggressive off the start and entered the single track 3rd last (of 30 odd pros). No excuses... I was just arse. So I never saw the front, and settled into riding a strong tempo. I picked off riders pretty steadily until eventually settling into a good battle with one guy for the 2nd half of the race. Turns out I had got to 6th at that stage! still managed 7th, 40 sec behind 5th and picked up $100 cash. More importantly both laps were faster than my one lap during the XTERRA last year here on the same course so I guess my form is ok.

 so for the rest of the week we'll be craming in the last of our hard training. Hiding from the heat. And taking in some tourist sites. And putting our feet up in front of satelite TV. well at least I will.... Nic needs to be a little busier to stay sane. Then after sundays XTERRA (and our pending good results...), I think we'll be off to celebrate by spending a day at Atlanta's Six Flags amusement parks to ride the roller coasters all day long. Sweet! Much better than work at home in the winter. Although the pay clearly isn't quite the same....