California Multisport - Vail Lake

Race day and race day fitness is always an interesting time...Ideally, we are all looking for that window on race day where it all comes together. A peaked physical body that is rested and ready to deliver what your mind can make it do... The training is all about getting your "form" ready to go the distance at the fastest pace possible and follow the execution plan. It is all part of the fun and when it "works" PR's are a natural result and expectations are exceeded. Good stuff!

This weekend, I was able to participate in the first California Multisport race of the year and it was the closest I have gotten to what "works" for me. Despite my overall placing in the race I was able to exceed my expectations and I kept thinking throughout the race "this is JUST like I imagined it would be"... a euphoric feeling when mixed with the pace of pushing harder than I thought I was capable of while having more fun than should be allowed for such suffering ;-)

The motivation was easy to come by because of the Cal Multisport staff, event lineup and atmosphere at these races. Last year, my first Multisport race motivated me enough to really start training to “race” and was the first series of races I have ever stuck to for an entire season. This year Monique, Luke and Nick were racing a relay and we have now become friends with a lot of the people at the event...Great people and a huge motivation!

Monique and Luke in the double

The course is just like an Xterra except the paddle replaces the swim. To those who have not paddled . . . all I can say is that swimming is to paddling like road bikes are to mountain bikes. Yep.

We started the race with a XC style bike start from the pool (start/finish area) over the hill to the lake and it was a HOT pace. Thankfully, I was able to learn from the XC race last weekend and quickly shot out to the front group. We made it to the lake in 6.5 minutes with my heart rate hitting 173bpm!

Paddle time! I just started doing intervals about two weeks ago in the boat and my top speed for 1-3minute intervals was just under 7mph. After the race I checked my watch and managed to maintain that for about an hour. Expectations exceeded! It was a big help to be leading the paddle with Josh Williams pushing me the entire time just behind me. What I didn't realize was that we were putting a good gap on everyone else. By the time we got back to the transition I had a 2min gap on Josh in 2^nd place and was SO stoked to start the bike course.

The bike was the same course as the 12 hours of Temecula that I raced with Wes in January. When Wes and I were racing a duo I was really trying to pull the fastest lap of the day and was about a minute short with a few 40 minute laps. On Sunday, the dirt was in PRIME condition and I whipped a 38min mid race lap. Without anyone in front of me it was jeti style riding around the corners knowing that I didn’t have to worry about passing, etc. The Big Bear shootout last weekend really set my perception of how hard I should be pushing on the pedals and I really didn’t want to get “run down” in the last few yards of the run course so I planned on leaving nothing after the bike… I reached the transition after the bike with a 10 minute lead. STOKED!

The run was brutal but just enough for me… Karen managed to find the only “jungle” trail in Temecula and we ran through the bush and across a river before starting our accent UP the damn climb. I was surprised to still feel some snap in my legs, however, that did not keep me from looking over my shoulder! A little over half way up the damn climb we turned off on a “goat track trail” following some ridges and then down and out a sandy washed up riverbed back to the finish line. As stoked as I was to be finishing and in the lead I didn’t want it to end… I put another 3 minutes on my lead running scared and crossed the line with a little over 13 minutes over second place. Thank you Jesus!

stoked

I realize it is far and few between for me to feel this good at a race so it felt that much better to give it my all...to win was just icing on the cake. I guess the resting behind my "project meltdown" is what made that project a success.... Hopefully, my biggest lesson learned from this will be understanding what "works" for me heading into a race but finding the motivation to put it all together outside of the California Multisport races may be hard to come by... I love me some multisport!

Monique, Nick and Luke dominated the relay with Luke posting the fastest bike split of the day!

Kim heading out on the bike after pulling in the womens fastest paddle of the day

Jordan Romero completes his first of many Multisport races at just 12 years young

Tiffany (again) takes the womens top spot