9th Place: Xterra World Championship-Maui Hawaii

The 2006 Nissan Xterra World Championship Off-Road Triathlon, Makena Beach, Maui, Hawaii. It was my season goal to qualify for & finish this race. Ahh, finally!

There are more detailed course descriptions in the "next race" post below this one & the race has also been captured for a CBS Spectacular feature that will air SATURDAY of Super Bowl Weekend, February 3rd 2007, at 10am Pacific time.

I quickly became aware how difficult it is just training for this race because I’m coming off my most important race: The National Championship at Tahoe. It seems like World’s is held a month after the end of the racing season and it’s difficult to keep the drive going especially as my training grounds get cold and dreary. That along with the fact that October is the pinnacle of my work load. But enough whining & on to the race.

I had a solid race from start to finish. No and, ifs or buts and no complaints or excuses. Total time 3:33.22.

Thank you coach Cherie!

Race Results:
Division: 9th of 81
Overall: 101th of 575



Ocean Swim 1500m (.93mi) - Time: 26.16 (pace 28.14 min per mi): Consisted of 2 x 750m laps with a 75m sandy beach run in between. There were over 575 entrants in this race and it was a mass swim start. All of us going at once through the shore break towards the first buoy. I decided to start off to the right a bit, in order to give myself a little space. This worked well for space, but I ended up swimming farther than if I had started directly in front of the 1st buoy.

There were times when people were all over me and I was all over people. I just tried to relax and sometimes I would dive down below them to get to a clear area. One time that technique did not work & I had to pop up right in the middle of a big school of pirahnas. Challenging. No cramping and a solid swim. I could have gone harder, but after the cramping last year that nearly took me out, and with the heat & humidity coming up on the mtn bike & run, I didn’t want to overdo it. I went about 90%. I came out of the water definitely ahead of the main pack and had a good transition (1.42) to the mtn bike.

The pro winner, Hamish Carter, from New Zealand said, “That course wasn’t meant for human consumption. It’s honestly the hardest, meanest course ever. The rocks and the hills don’t go away. You get rid of them on the bike and you get stuck back up there on the run,” said Carter, referring to the more than 3,000 feet of climbing on the bike and run up the dormant Haleakala Volcano.

Mtn Bike 30.7k (19.1mi) - Time: 2:03.47 (pace 9.2 mph): Consisted of one loop up the dormant Haleakala Volcano on private land that is only open once a year for this race. The total elevation gain is 2,600’.

This is one tough bike ride. The weeks prior to the race were rainy and washed away all the sand and dirt, which only left lava rock and terrain masking grass. Very bumpy, loose, and fast & if you’re lucky it’s like riding on jaggedy marbles, go off one way or the other just a bit and it’s like riding on rough bowling balls. There is little control as you guide your bike over a course that leaves no room for error. My back tire was new when I started & nearly bald when I finished. I was lucky not to get any flats like so many other racers. People were walking their bikes with flat tubes draped over their shoulders, having gone trough all their spares. There was plenty of carnage too. Top contending women pros Jaimie Whitmore & Candy Angle had to be carted off the bike course having suffered bloody crashes resulting in a smashed knee and cracked ribs respectively. You get the idea. It was important to survive the bike to make it to the run stage. It was hot and humid and I sweat so much that the moisture dripping from my body literally soaked my bike shoes; they felt heavy & sloshy with the wetness. Besides one little slow speed tip-over, which was due to people walking their bikes

while I was still riding, I had a good safe ride. I got passed by a few on the uphill, but was able to pass them back on the crazy downhills. Again “solid” was the word so far in this race and my 95% bike effort, which was conservative enough to make sure I finished it, was the foundation for the run. I executed a satisfactory transition (1.40) to the run, not super fast, but I got my head together for the final assault!

Third place pro, Seth Wealing, from Boulder CO proclaimed: “It was fun running through the people on the beach but that first sand section is ridiculous. There’s no line at all. The run is so bloody hard, it’s just a strong man’s run. You get off the bike and your legs are just shot and they shove you right up that hill and then to add insult to injury that beach is just unbelievable. I can see that this is the premier race and why it’s the World Championship.”

Trail & Beach Run 11.1k (6.9mi) - Time: 59.57 (pace 8.41 min per mi): Consisted of one loop. The longest uphill was about 2 miles and for once I didn’t notice the climb too much. I just kept my pace and kept concentrating on going hard and staying in the “pain zone.” There were some good downhill sections where I really let loose and got going fast. Passing and passing. At one point I got passed by one. I looked at the age-number on his leg and, of course, he was in my division. I instinctively said to myself, “I’m going to stay with him.” But it was not to be, he just flew by. I fell into my pace again and low and behold I was gaining on this guy, but I don’t think I was so much gaining as he was slowing. I came up along side for the pass & it seemed like he stepped on a rock & went off the course into the big lava and tall grass. He came back on trail but veered off course again. He kept doing this and was out of control. I was about 20 feet ahead of him when I heard another racer shouting at this guy to stop & take a rest. He was off balance & could not get it together. I call him the Mad Cow. Apparently this was not a rare occurrence in the race as volunteers were looking for several racers who got lost off course in a dehydrated, exhausted & confused state of mind. I was well within myself & I just kept on running. I was relying on using the 5 aid stations along the way to keep dehydration at bay. Unfortunately the volunteers were not fast enough at two of them to get me my 2 cups of water before I had run by. My final pass of a racer in my division was made in the Spooky Forest. A twisty, turny, logy section that is thankfully under a tree canopy. In all I passed 5 in my division during the run & none passed me for good. The last couple miles of this race consist of the most extreme sections, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. There are a couple of rocky sections along the ocean that I have trouble walking on even when not racing. But for me, the ultimate is the deep, hot-sand beach run in the sun on Makena Beach. The sand is so hot it may turn to glass and so deep it feels like quicksand. You’re using all your energy to go what feels like nowhere! I just keep forging ahead, one foot in front of the other, sweating like crazy & eventually it ends.

About this time I heard the announcing far off in the distance at the finish line. I start going as fast as I’m able and blaze through the finish line. I ran 100%! I had nothing left and was smoked. I was escorted to the med tent for a cold towel wrap, 2 liter IV; I downed 3 electrolyte drinks & 3 waters. I looked & felt like a squeezed sponge. I finally left it all on the course & couldn’t be happier! What a race!

There were some super performances by friends of mine. Most notably, Janice, who crushed her division by over 11 minutes @ 3:53. She is truly a World Champion. Another 1st place World Champ was Conrad @ 3:01. In my division, Ross placed 4th @ 3:21 & Jim (with cramping) placed 39th @ 4:06. James had a good race with a 7th @ 3:20. Elise did well with little training placing 13th @ 5:06, and Emma continues her superior showings with a 5th @ 3:56. Gene was 14th @ 6:02, what an animal. Way to go everybody, good job!

Next Race: Xterra World Championship-Maui Hawaii-Oct 29th

From Xterra: CBS Spectacular comes to Maui as XTERRA TV presents Maui's largest television production each year: The Nissan Xterra World Championship. The action will be captured for a CBS Spectacular feature that will air Saturday of Super Bowl Weekend, February 3rd at 10am Pacific time. This year has drawn the largest field ever assembled with 80+ pro and 500+ amateur off-road athletes from more than 20 countries who have travelled the globe competing in 100+ qualifying events for their spot in Maui. Austrailia, Austria, Canada, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Mexico, Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, New Zealand, Brazil, Japan, Spain, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, China, Germany & the United States are some of the countries represented. Competitors Start List

1.5K Ocean Swim / 30K Mountain Bike / 11K Trail Run

Race Details

For the past ten years, this race has put athletes to the ultimate test of endurance and skill. The Maui course is notorious for its unforgiving terrain and stifling heat. Race day conditions can turn even the most seasoned pros into a pile of mush. The battle of human potential -vs- Mother Nature draws thousands to this spectacular venue every October.

6th Place: Xterra USA Championship-Lake Tahoe Nevada

Race Results
Division: 6th of 32 - Finish Time: 3:08 (Note: 3rd - 5th finished in the 3:07s)
Overall: 57th of 333

Oh boy, this one was fun, fun, fun & my most memorable race to date. My close friends & family attended and cheered me on to a fantastic race, which really made a difference. Thanks so much to Mom, Croz, Jen & John (who flew in early from London!), Phil, Elise, Brielle, Catherine, Caroline & Gene who was working the transition. Jim D. was sending good vibes my way. Kari & Dan kept apprised via internet & Dad & Toni had well wishes. I really felt connected with Xterra racing friends including pros & even met online race buddy James who qualified in his first year just like I did last year.

I prepared and trained like a machine for this one and even watched my diet a bit as the race drew near. I owe a special thanks to my coach Cherie Touchette who kept her finger on my training pulse and dialed me in perfectly for my most important race. Send a comment if you'd like more info.

It was an emotional event for me and I could go on & on, but it's race time!

The 1500 Meter Swim Time 29.26 (including 100 meter beach run, 1/3 mile run to transition corral, bike transition & exit). My heart was already racing when, CaBOOM! The cannon sounded the start!

I had really been feeling my swim for the last month. My last swim training log entry ended with "I'm Flipper." I seriously felt like a Dolphin. I got a great start in prime position with all the pros & as luck would have it I found a little space to myself & just swam. Good navigation & drafting when the opportunity arose. Prior to the 2nd lap there's a 100 meter beach run. At this point I'm all warmed up and ready to put in some hard swimming. Yes, that's me in the pic below with the blue X on my back.
I bit of leg cramping crept in towards the end of the 2nd lap, but I backed off & kicked them away. The hard swimming left me a bit whoosy though for the long run up to transition, so I slowly jogged it whilst getting my body & mind together. That was key to my good transition. Yes, you heard right, I finally had a good transition to the bike!

The 32 Kilometer Mtn Bike Time 1:57.02 (including transition to run & exit). As I rode out on Lakeshore Dr towards the dreaded sandy climb known as Tunnel Creek, I saved transition time by putting on my gloves & glasses while on the roll. I noticed however that my vision was blurry, but I didn't pay it much attention because I knew it would be slow going for at least an hour while climbing 2500'. I hammered (& I mean HAMMERED!)
[a close look at the above pic reveals ascending mtn biker racers] up the climb & was fortunate to have a clear route to ride up all the technical sections without having to get off the bike! This is key. I even rode the very top technically challenging (especially because one is spent by the ascent by then) boulder section yelling to other riders, "Gain way, I'm ridin' it!" Then came the downhill, which I'm very good at as well, but (& there's always a but somewhere in a race) I'd forgotten to address my blurry vision & became well aware of it as soon as downhill speed began to escalate. I thought it was my contacts, so I tried blinking and yawning to flush the eyes. No improvement. I tried clearing my eyes throughout the downhill, but they never cleared. I just had to take it slow to avoid a crash. Obviously that hurt my time on the bike. With clear vision would I have been able to beat the guy who got a 3rd place podium position & finished 1min 30s ahead of me? Don't know & don't care anymore. My bike time was still good, but I attribute it entirely to my tenacious climbing. Transition to run was perfect. Amazing, this race I finally have no transition complaints.

The 10 Kilometer Trail Run Time 42.21. No climbing, but twists, turns, creeks & elevated log crossings
were the challenges on this final segment. This is an excellent run time for me & it's where I have made my biggest improvement from last year. Easy to figure because in the beginning of my first season last year I used hate running. I'd walk some during the run sections & I'd get passed. It's no fun getting passed, so now I get pissed. I think of the run as a time to empty the tank, finish strong & no looking back. Half way through I really started to hurt & could feel those pesky cramps trying to sneak in again. Thankfully the cramps subsided & I was able to pound out the rest of the run. Toward the end I was gaining on a pro woman but she was not about to let me pass her. She picked it up & her new pace was perfectly fast for me. Turns out it was Melissa Thomas who finished 6th.

Xterra friends of mine finished well in their respective divisions too. Janice with a 3rd, Ross with a 1st, Emma with a 2nd, Jim with 13th & buddy James pulled an 8th.

It was a great race for me. Thanks everybody!

Next Race: Xterra World Championships - Maui HI - October 29, 2006
This final Xterra of the season will be posted soon.

Next Race: Xterra USA Championship-Lake Tahoe NV-Oct 1st

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1.5K Swim/32K Mountain Bike/10K Trail Run
Qualified Competitors Only
Race Start Swim: 8:45am at Hyatt Beach in Incline Village NV. The start is one of the most exciting parts of the race, which begins with a cannon blast you don't want to miss. Parking is difficult, so arrive early. At about 9:25am the swim to bike transition is good, which will take place at the Village Green. During the 1 hour 45min mountain bike segment would be a good time to get a bite to eat/coffee and/or check out the Xterra Expo. At about 11:15am I will be finishing the bike portion and off on the trail run. I'm shooting to finish (hopefully) a little after noon. For more info and a complete schedule see Race Details. From Xterra: The Nissan Xterra USA Championship is the culmination of a series of more than 50 qualifying events across the US that award points to the top athletes in XTERRA's eight regions. The Nissan Xterra USA Championship is open to qualified amateur athletes from the US and professionals from around the world. Pro athletes race for their share of the $110,000 prize purse.

THE COURSE: Nevada's spectacular natural environment and the majestic Sierra Nevada mountain range provide a world-class setting and challenge for the biggest race of the season. The national championship starts at the beach fronting the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe where competitors swim two laps of a 750-meter course in the spring-fed, crystal clear waters located 6,200 feet above sea level. A short run to the grassy transition area at Village Green follows the swim.
The second element is a 32-kilometer, single loop mountain bike course. Following a short, paved section past prime, lake front real estate on Incline Village's Lakeshore Blvd., competitors reach the trails at Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park, where the race really begins. The first off-road section greeting riders is a 1,600-foot climb up Tunnel Creek Road to Tahoe's famed Flume Trail. The "Flume" is known for its exposed crossing of sheer rock faces and incredible sweeping vistas. Those focusing too much on the view may end up casualties of this 4.4-mile section of single track.
At the aspen-clad Marlette Lake, a second leg-burning climb on Hobart Road takes racers to the Tahoe Rim Trail. Halfway into the 6.6-mile section is the Marlette Lake Overlook at 8,700 feet above sea level (the highest point on the XTERRA course). From the top, a 2,500-foot descent to the second transition area resembles "Toad's Wild Ride" as it passes through a series of switchbacks and the waterless Twin Lakes.
The last leg of the race is a 10-kilometer forest trail run consisting of two 5-kilometer laps through some of nature's most arduous obstacles, including a dozen creek crossings. While the run course remains relatively flat, there are numerous short, steep climbs and quick descents. Splashing through glacial creeks, balancing along narrow log crossings, and skipping over boulders are just a few of the final tests of skill and endurance. The run course also passes by the crowd at the compound, who can hoot, holler, monitor, and react to the action.

6th Place: Xterra Mountain Championship-Snowbasin UT

I won a free entry to this one during a random drawing at the Crested Butte race, which is what got me going here. I was tapered and going crazy all week 'cause I just couldn't wait to lay it on the line for this would be my last chance to purely qualify for the World Champs in Maui. Xterra originally listed the bike leg climbing gain at 1800' so I figured "no problem." My intel and research put the Snowbasin upper loop at 6mi that contained the most technical aspects of the course. So, I set off to pre-ride that section at 9am on Friday, the day before Saturday's big race. As luck would have it I met up with pros Mike Vine and Andy Noble who had the same notion. Mike took off to check it out from the finish backwards & Andy & I began the pre-ride. At that point, I really couldn't be happier. I was looking to ride for an hour max, but an hour into it the climbing was getting insanely steep and I was getting worried. The preride was actually 12mi & took 2hrs, which was just too much.

Race Morning: Waking heart rate 10 beats higher than usual. Hmmm, not good, but this can also be nerves and I felt good, so lets get going. This race was a bit of an exercise in set up strategy due to the 1/2hr distance between the swim-to-bike transition at the lake and the bike-to-run transition at Snowbasin ski resort. Good thing my setup plan worked because if something was forgotten there would be no time to take a shuttle bus back to parking and impossible to make the start.


Swim 1500m (incl transition) 27.10 (2x750 with a 30yd shore/gravel run between): Good starting position up on the left and took it easy to the first buoy then started to pick it up. Also started inhaling some outboard engine fumes from the Sheriff boat idling too close while trying to contain the swim course, yuck! The fumes passed and I came in to shore feeling good and a quick trans had me heading out on the bike in a flash.


Bike 16.8mi (incl transition) 1:50.36: The first part of the bike leg has about 1/2 mile of road and there was backed up auto traffic. I was with four fast riders and we were all drafting each other and passing cars. There's a sharp turn over the dam and wow, I was going fast and just missed slamming into a school bus. Whew! "Wake up XTEric, you've got a some climbing ahead." Legs just fine and I was feeling good, riding well & passing, that is until I got to Snowbasin where the climbing really began. Rocky, loose, steep, dusty, switchbacks, up, up and up and more up & when I thought there was no more up there was plenty more up. About half way up the ski resort was all my legs had left after over-preriding yesterday. Even so, this was still the toughest bike leg I've raced, period! I found myself getting pissed off at the course just to hammer my way through it. The downhill was short, but punishing. I could sense I was drawing near the end finally, and with just a few more pounding switchbacks to go, all of a sudden a rider comes out of nowhere, flys through the apex and wipes out hard right in front of and blocking me! I don't know how he didn't strike me out, but I'm like, "now it's time to get out of the way!" He drug himself aside and I made it into transition relieved to get off my bike.

Run 5.9mi-41.46: During the Trail Run clinic on Friday the pros described the run as 5mi up and 1mi straight down. The first mile was definitely up and I was expecting more up, but it really never came. It was more like flat on top with a couple power climbs then the steep 1mi down. I found myself at the finish line feeling like I had more left in my run-tank. That's me in the background nearly lapping one of the 1/2 distance finishers.

I talked to the directors afterwards about the bike climbing and found out that Big Kahuna Dave (race director) was not happy with the original bike course so more climbing was added at the last minute. This put the final bike climbing gain at 3000'. The couse designer said he wouldn't even want to ride the course and when he said it was only 16.8mi I challenged him saying, "No way, I'm checking my bike computer." Bike comp said 16.65mi. There were 53 DNFs and it takes a lot for me to say it, so you know it was grueling.

No World's qualification with a 6th place, but Odgen UT stole the show when it comes to venue, special perks and just feeling welcome. The whole downtown square was Xterra and the awards were held in an outdoor amphitheater. Good food, GIANT big screen with video from the day of racing, followed by a concert had me feeling that this post race event was better than Nationals or World's. No kidding.

If you look closely at the "Next Race" pic below taken from Snowbasin resort, you can see the lake way down in the background.

Race Results
Division: 6th of 45
Overall: 51st of 318

Next Race: Xterra Mountain Championship-Snowbasin UT-Aug 19th

XTERRA PRESS RELEASE MOUNTAIN CHAMPS COURSE: The aptly named XTERRA Mountain Championship race venue at Snowbasin has seen world-class competition before as home to the downhill and super G races of the 2002 Winter Olympic events, but this time the competitors will be in the water, on mountain bikes, and in trail running shoes.
It starts with a 1.5K swim in the calm and clean Pineview Reservoir (at the same time there will be a hot-air balloon launch!) which is a 20-minute drive from downtown Ogden and situated at about 5,000 feet above sea level. At the first transition area, racers will hop on their mountain bikes to start a 30K ride to the Snowbasin ski area. The ride traverses dirt and rocky trails as it meanders into Wheeler Canyon, a spectacular slot canyon shrouded in oak, aspen and pine trees.
From there the trail opens into a field splattered with a colorful array of wildflowers. Competitors climb about 1,800 feet on the way to the ski area, and once there they'll loop through the spectator-friendly base area before switching gear at T2 and heading out on an idyllic, hilly 10K trail run. The run course zigzags its way through aspen groves and fields of wildflowers and tops out at about 8,000 feet before finishing near the bottom of the Olympic downhill ski run.

Further Race Details

4th Place: Xterra Crested Butte CO-The 9,775 footer!

This race had some stiff competition. All the fast people want to race the highest elevation venue on the Xterra circuit. Top elevation of 9,775' was reached while summiting Strand Hill during the mtn bike (good thing I was on my Yeti). My division alone went off in the first wave with the realatively large pro field. This race along with Granite Bay have been my most satisfying.

Swim: started strong, drafted well during the middle half, then passed and took it on in strong. Felt some cramps trying to sneak in towards the end and while exiting the water, so I took it a bit slower into transition than my usual charge.

T1: Had a good transition for me. No real snags, could work on the heel of the bike shoes folding in.

Bike: The course was interesting in that there was a lot of road and fast dirt road (hardtail), but the off-road was brutal (suspension). There was a mile long rock-garden (more like a quarry); mostly uphill, which was all slicked up from the prior evening's dramatic lightning/hail storm. A lot of walking & found myself wishing for a $5,000 walking stick instead of the Yeti. Narrow single-track riding with a few surprises around corners, and a deep over-the-cranks water crossing (gotta ride it). A real local's course, but aren’t they all? I went with suspension and was glad.

T2: Good for me. However, I still tried to run out the bike exit.

Run: I’ve found the run is a matter of "guts" (thanks Jameson). I try to leave mine on the course.

Finish: A lot of hard work and finished just outside the top 3 "hardware," AGAIN!!!

Race Results
Division: 4th of 29
Overall Male: 17th of 104

Next Race: Xterra Crested Butte CO-Jul 30th

A doozy with an average course altitude of 9,300 feet! No, that's not a typo! 1K Swim, 24K Mtn bike, 9K Run & an Xterra licenced pro field for 2006. Not that I'm anywhere near pro-level, but the race is sold out and will be quite competitive. I'm finding I get motivated to "throw my hat in the ring" for these kind of races. It's a long journey, but I like to think, remember?
Race Details

5th Place: Donner Lake Road Tri-Truckee CA

OK I decided to do my first Road Tri the day before the race. I was like, "how can I not do a local tri?" Plus I wanted to see what "guts" I had versus the local talent, however, it would be a "C" race for sure. I just did Xterra Vashon last Sunday, & spent the first part of the week doing my annual training session in Bend OR (where I happened to bump in to Conrad Stoltz on several occasions: very motivating) with my coach. Of course, I had to do the International Distance & I didn't know what to expect.

First I had to get my road bike together. Where do I put the bike number? The registration lady says she tapes it to her seatpost to be aero, so that's what I did, and that's where the coolness of my bike ended. I saw some amazing bikes at the race. They looked like alien spacecraft. My bike is a basic "10 speed" with a granny-cheat-triple chainring, which came in handy during the steep, windy, climb up Old HWY 40.

The race started with a 1500m swim that was directly into the sun. I was really trusting my instincts/following blindly (literally) to the first buoy. When I got there I noticed I was having a good swim; definitly ahead of the main pack. About half way through it, my legs started cramping. Strange, because I don't kick much. I tried kicking the cramps away, which didn't work, so I had to back off for the final 1/3 of the swim. I was worried the whole way to shore and took it slow getting my legs coming out of the water; no cramps so let's get moving! I tried some new techniques in T1 that all went well except one, which cost me dearly. Trying to put bike shoes on with the straps strapped and the damn heel kept folding in. I had the slowest T1 in my division.

The bike was 40k, steep up from Donner Lake then more gradual fast downhill to Kingvale and back. At the turn around is where I seemed to be riding with a racer that, as it turned out, we went back & forth all the way to the race finish. I took it easy on the steep downhill back to the lake and was glad I decided to remove the aero bars (I had put them on Friday before the race and removed them the next day), which I didn't know how to comfortably use as I'd never used them. Case & point, my friend was going too fast and ended up in the hospital with a separated shoulder after hitting the guardrail & another went over the guardrail. It's steep and fast approaching T2, so the directors wisley demand each racer to stop & put a foot down so we don't all pile up at the hairpin transition entry. T2, not bad, but could be better.

The run, a long 11k (more like 7mi), all the way around Donner Lake. It's a mental challenge because looking around the whole lake I was wondering how I would be able to do it. I just ran & ran & ran. I was trying to catch my super fast swimming (2nd out of the water) & fast riding friend who's not a good runner. At that point I had no idea he had crashed hard on the bike. Well not only did I finish the run, but I had the 3rd fastest run time in my division!

I was very satisfied with my race except for transitions, where I figured out I lost my chance for a podium position. I'll work on it!

Swim 1500m 23.03, Bike 40k 1:20.14, Run 11k (more like 7mi) 47.25

Race Results
Division: 5th of 46
Overall: 32th of 411

5th Place: Xterra Vashon Island WA

Gorgeous venue! Well worth the 750mi (one-way) drive. I really prefer to drive unless it's going to take over 2 days because I can pile all my stuff into the truck and be ready for all the unknowns that seem to happen at races. Plus it was a beautiful drive and I have time to really think (about anything) without feeling like I'm wasting time. Yes, it is an island, so I had to take a ferry from Tacoma. Way cool. Vashon is a rain forest sancuary, which is surrounded from a distance by Seattle and Tacoma.

Oh yeah, it's a race, not a road trip. Saturday AM, pre-race day, I was going to do my little swim/run drill & save the ride for later when the course would be marked. As coincidence would have it, my buddy from home pulls up and says he raced here last year and would take me on a ride of the course. Cool, as I'd much rather get it all out of the way and go relax! We rode up to where last year's mtn bike started and there's a new house being built. We rode around for over an hour trying to find the trail, to no avail. It will be marked by 2-4p, but I don't want to wear out, so I swam and ran a bit & figured I'd just race the mtn bike course. I'm feeling good that evening and get the idea: "Why not pre-ride 1 loop of the course as part of my pre-race warmup?" It is only a 6mi loop and we'll race 2 loops. That was risky, but ended up working out perfectly!

The race went well for me, we swam in a harbor. I was out of the water well before most, decent transition and on to the mtn bike. I was really flying. The single track was all grown over so you had to be ready for the "rogue" log. There was such a log jam. A double whammy, which hits front & rear tires at the same time, right after a sharp hairpin turn. On the first lap that one really tested my core to keep it together and on the 2nd lap it took me down. Not bad, but I did get passed, which I later found out was by one in my division. T2 I racked my bike one rack off, but moved quickly to my correct position, this might have cost me 5s. The run was wierd in good way, it was a loop, and except for the brief uphill in the beginning, the whole thing felt downhill. This was great to have gravity on my side 'cause I'm not a runner. Really grown over, cool & lush. You just pop out of a thick forest to cross the finish, and there were only a few racers done so I knew I did well. Quick results showed I was 13th overall. That's great for me, so I knew I'd get 3rd or better in my division. Boy was I wrong about that: I got 5th in my division! I really wanted to sob at that point (but I couldn't). Apparently some good racers from Alaska came down & beat me. Oh well, it was very fun, I just felt like I earned a 3rd.

Race Details
Race Results
Division: 5th of 14
Overall: 12th of 73

4th Place: Xterra Southeast Championship-Pelham AL

Wow, a race of adversity. I had to recover just to write about it. This all started when I injured my shoulder back in April. Since I wouldn't be in any shape for the Western Champs in Temecula I asked Xterra if it was possible to transfer me to the next Championship. Well, not only was the answer yes, but they immediatly put me on the start list for the Souteast Championships in Pelham, Alabama. So I went with it.

The adversity started after I arrived and assembled my mountain bike. Rear disk brake had not even enough grip to lock up the tire and was also rubbing and creating drag. The local bike shop could not get it much better even after several brake line "bleedings." I decided to preride the race course anyway. Miraculously, the brakes firmed up as I used them on this twisty, rooty, rocky and very fun course. The brakes were rubbing a little, but they were firm and race-able. About midway of preriding the 29k course I stopped to tighten the headset, which normally comes a little loose after assembly and riding.


During my stop a lifelong Alabama-local mtn biker stopped and we chatted for a good half hour. He had a deep southern accent and was telling me of a section coming up on the course called "Blood Rock," and to be careful. Good thing he said something, because it comes up quick, but with course knowledge it can be dealt with. Had a super preride and then loosened up with a swim in Double Oak Lake. The water was so warm I knew then that wetsuits would not be legal for this race.

Back to adversity. Later at the hotel I spun the wheels and looked at the brakes: Hey, wait a minute, what happened to my special titanium bolt. A quick call to the bike shop and, "oops, we must have accidentally grabbed a different one off the bench." They never found it for me, but they promised to order and ship me one. I gave them a bit of hell for this, which I ended up regreting. Oh, well, at least I have a bike that will race.

Saturday evening (prerace evening) all is well. I begin attaching my racing number plate and doing a prerace bike check. What the hell? The pedal is rattly-loose, but screwed in tight. It's bound to break-off if I race it that way. I've come all the way across the country for a Championship and I feel doomed, my race is over before I even get to start! My only chance is that the remote bike shop tent out at the Xterra race site can get me a new crankset installed and race-ready right before the race starts. Oh and yes, it's the same bike shop: Cahaba Cycles! A crankset is like a cars transmission. I had very dim hopes that evening.

RACE DAY MORNING: I head to the race early and the remote bike shop is empty. However, I have to keep moving forward as if I am going to be ready to race. Some time passes and there's a dude at the bike tent. It's Faris, and he says he'll see what he can do. I go put my stuff in transition and return. They think they can get me a Shimano XT out from the shop, but no guarantee it will be done in time. Please get it going! Assuming it's going to be touch and go to the end with no time for a bike warmup, I head out for a long warmup run. Ok, it's getting to be time to get down to the water for a warmup swim. I swing by the tent and my bike has new cranks on (hooray) but with some plastic pedals on!?! "Can you please put my pedals on?" "Oh yeah, sure." I go to transition, fiddle and come back. Bike's ready. Quick shot of lube and I ride and shift it for a bit and it's working! Wow, ok, I'm going to be starting this race. Thanks to Faris and the tent mechanic at Cahaba Cycles!

After all that my race should go well. I was wrong. After a good swim (especially with little pool time while my shoulder healed), a good T1, and after patiently passing a lot of bikers on the narrow singletrack I was all clear to put the power down on the bike. Psssssssssssss, what's that? NOOOO, A FLAT! Ok, now I start laughing. I quickly changed my first ever racing-flat. New tube in and those quickfills are great. I'm off again. I'm just going to go harder than ever, but as I begin to pass again, the riders are asking, "didn't you already pass once?" I had a great rest of the ride and dealt with "Blood Rock" handily. Race director, Big Kahuna Dave, said during the race briefing that, "you can't win the race at "Blood Rock," but you can certainly loose it there." So, with all else that had happened, I jumped off the bike and just ran through it. Fine.

Now it gets really funny: The Bike to Run transition joke. I run out with my bike shoes on, then go back and put my run shoes on the wrong feet (I was in mental overload). Eventually I got it right and had a good run. I went really hard to make up for my T2 faux pas. Passed two in my age group, which usually is vice versa for me in the run. I ran strong across the finish line.

There were a lot of pros at this race and I just love talking with them. Age group buddy from Incline, Ross McMahan took first place. It's so fun to race with him. Congratulations Ross!

Bottom line: I'm stoked with my finish. This race showed me that perserverance gave me the opportunity to prevail.

Race Results
Division: 4th of 31
Overall: 50th of 192
Pro Race Report

Next Race: Xterra Southeast Championship-Pelham AL-Jun 11

Pelham, Alabama here I come. Shoulder is feeling like I can race. I've been going crazy not being able to mountain bike or swim, but I just started swimming again and will begin mountain biking this weekend! Race Details

Xterra West Championship Blues-Temecula CA

Ok, wow, I've got the blues. While I've been nursing my shoulder back to health, my main focus race has come and gone without me. Besides Nationals, this is the most competitive Xterra, and I was really looking forward to a Championship distance race. Competitors from my area did really well; congratulations Emma 2nd, Ross 5th & Conrad 1st. Way to go! I just plain ol' miss racing. I've just been able to start swimming again and I'm going to try a mountain bike ride this weekend.

A Temporary Off-Road Racing Setback

OK, reality sets in. April 15th I went over the bars while mtn bike training in Minden, NV. Shoulder has been acting up. Haven't been swimming or mtn biking since. Had to skip Xterra Castaic, and my racing schedule is up in the air now. After coming off such a good race in Folsom, it's pretty depressing. Upside is I've had more time for the recent work crunch. I guess some things happen for a reason. Blog time too.

4th Place: Xterra Real MTB Triathlon-Granite Bay CA

2006 racing season kicked off with my best Xterra Off-Road Tri ever, and I needed it as it was very competitve. Placed behind the N. West, S. West and last year's National's winner. Yeah!

Race Results
Division: 4th of 32
Overall: 24th of 185
Race Report
Newspaper Article