Xterra REAL Race Report

The rain stopped sometime yesterday and it was just enough to keep the course wet and muddy... Perfect day for racing with low temps and about two hundred plus mass start in the water. Get ready for Xterra!

This was my first triathlon of the season and a good marker for fitness, identifying limiters and keeping reality in check. Last year I went into the race with a high running volume (and poor form) that left me injured for the race and most of the season. This year I have been focusing more volume on the bike and only about 5 miles a week running but lots of focus on form. Time to test the waters...

Did I mention that the water was FREEZING! C O L D. "Suck it up" I told myself and just tried to get my face in without loosing my breath. I think that the water at Tahoe last year had to be much colder and when the race started I all but forgot about the cold...I knew it would disappear when the gun went off so I just needed to warm up my arms. Done.


The Swim-
The gun went off and the laughter began... Mass start with everyone running, diving, dolphin a few times and after I take a few stokes I feel the bottom. I look up and everyone is running again and cracking up after hitting a few shallow sandbars on the way to the first buoy... Hearing everyone laugh was a great way to start the race with a fun attitude.

My swim was pretty uneventful (thankfully) as I settled in after the first buoy and tried to find some feet. That didnt quite work out but I was happy to keep pace without getting kicked around also...but it didnt last for long. My goggles got knocked around after the second buoy just enough to fill with water but I just closed my eyes and tried to feel out the water. It actually helped because I focused on my breathing and going smooth and easy.

Swim complete. Long run to the transition ahead and I elected to put shoes on at the bottom. Probably a mistake looking back as I was so numb fumbling around with my shoes I had about 10 people pass me. One was Jon Clark who was flying up to the transition... Why are these people running so fast? We are just starting here? I jogged up and saw a few people who sprinted at the bottom already starting to walk... p a c e.


The Bike-
Now I see the reason for the scramble up to T1. Single track and loads of people in line. After about half a mile the trail hits a road and I flew past a bunch of people knowing that the fist climb (more single track) was just ahead. I fall inline right behind Jon Clark. Nice. Usually, if I can see Jon I know that I am doing good ;-) Last year at Snow Valley I tried to keep pace with him but I was smoked after the run and elevation . . . So now my goal for the fist lap was to try to pace him (without blowing up) and try to get passed as many people as possible. . .it worked out perfectly. We probably passed 10 or more people and it was easy to navigate around people when Jon was clearing the way. The first lap was solid and I still felt fresh.

Lap two and I try to pick up the pace. Still keeping an eye on Jon but we are now starting to pass through some people on their first lap it was getting crowded on that beautiful single track. The mud pits were getting wicked and the heat is turned up just a bit more. Somewhere in the middle of the lap Jon started to fade but I didnt realize it until we got passed by a few people... Should I pass him? I was reluctant but I had to know and go at my own pace so I pass and then push past a few more people. At one sand trap when it was piling up I tried to sneak by a few people and went over the bars... Good thing it was sand! Transition off the bike was perfect. I got my feet out before the last sand trap and stepped off into T2 and slapped on my shoes for the run.

The Run-
Here it comes... This is always the moment of truth for me. Did I go to hard on the bike? Did I get enough to drink/eat? Can I still pull enough to pass or am I going to get run down??
Mile 1 goes by and I pass a few people. I felt really good off the bike and was going at a good pace without feeling like I was pushing it yet. I guess the few miles I have been running have been off the bike so that was a big help. Shortly after the first mile marker Jon came up behind me flying by and we encourage each other as we climbed around a hill. By the time I got to the top he was around the next bend. Dang hes fast! I was holding out for the last big climb to really push and then it is a flat mile or so to the finish. This is where the fatigue really hit me and I was just trying to hold my pace. I couldn't see anyone close ahead and only the same guy far behind in the distance so I had a nice run into the finish line.

I got back just in time to get some water, chat it up with a few people and hop back on my bike to take some pictures of Monique. . . I'm so proud!! Her first Xterra and she was charging off through the run passing people.


Monique had a great race and ended up placing in 3rd place for her age group!! Killer job!! I got a 4th place finish for my age group and we both scored some points for the series. Here are some random pictures from the day.

(Monique on the podium!)

(Part of the run course. Do you see the trail? Exactly)

(Jon and I walking back from the podium)

(monique in T2)

Folsom preview

I feel like yesterday was the first day the jet lag was finally shaken off and the grind of work was starting to move back in...On the road again... We are off and free to another destination and the US of A is sooo easy to travel through with our new perspective ;-)

The idea for the weekend was to camp it out like we did last year and ride the course the day before but the constant rain on the way up and the recent memories of those warm hotel beds made it too easy to pull into a Marriott and call it a day. Ahh...nice.

We did get up early enough however to grab some bfast and head to the races scene. TFB racing always has something going on here just about every weekend and it is easy to see why...Loads of diversity through roads, trails and water in just about every direction. Auburn is less than an hour away, Tahoe about two hours and that is IF you ever run out of things to do right here in Folsom. . .

Today there was a trail run, mini-tri and a health mix of TFB crew and loved ones showing the support out in the rain.


We made our way around the bike course and I think the rain just make it even better. No deep sand traps and fast. Mud makes me happy ;-)

(The course is in PERFECT shape!)

(Monique making the climbs in in the back of the loop)

This year Monique is stepping up to the starting line and this will be her first Xterra! She is ready but after our little dip in the lake we spend the day chasing down some neoprene swim caps because the water was so cold. We may need a nice long warmup and venti mocha to get us going in the morning. Despite the recent rain the water in the lake was sooo lowww... This is going to be one long run to the transition after the swim. The transition is still about 100 yards the other way from the picture below and it took us over 10min to walk to the waters edge.


The swim also was my first test in my new suit. Matching suits? Funny how we arrived at the same result but I spent way more time and energy after Moniuqe just ordered hers about a month ago online. I just know it is the best fit for me. In the last two months I have tried on the 2XU lineup, De Soto, Orca 3.8 and Apex and one Zoot suit and NOTHING feels this good. I have two suits already but went from my QR large and Orca size Med to a small Xterra and it is a perfect fit. So stretching and snug. Love it. We will see how it goes tomorrow...

Check out this dog we saw too... This was a dog from some of the runners today and it was the coolest dog I have ever seen. It is a Australian sheep dog and chow mix.



Time to get some sleep and prepare for the mud floppin' tomorrow.

Back

We are back in the U S of A and we need a vacation from all the recent activity...

What an adventure from the time we started the planning...We walked tons, ate pounds and pounds of cheese (my stomach and the toilets of Europe will never be the same) and got to get out on the trail too. From seeing some of the worlds best "art" and history that enriched our lives to sweating it out in a euro pool with the Italians to watching the snow fall while walking the streets of London with Mandy and Marius...It was simply "brilliant". We are so grateful we got to partake and words just cannot describe.

This post is just to link together our posts abroad and tie up our last days out.

(back to livin' the American dream!)

Mind the gap
London Eye
Euros to Pounds. . .
Florence by Day
Aqua Calda and off to Florence
Dinner for Two
Bike Time
Siena by Chance
Off to Siena
Vacation or Adventure Race?
Vatican City
Roma Around
When in Rome
London Heathrow
Off to Europe
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Eruos to Pounds. . .

Today was our last day in Florence and we headed back into town to see the statue of David.
In the Accademia Gallery Michelangelo not only created David but also he created "Slaves" between 1520 and 1530. There he left six statues unfinished, some whose facial features are barely suggested beneath the fog of marble, which expressed his nature and the symbolic of the incompleteness that plagued him throughout his career. These pieces and their struggle to free themselves from the prison of the enormous marble blocks was inspiring. Probably one of the coolest thing we have seen yet and it was "unfinished"...go figure.

Our last night in Florence was amazing... it rained, and then cleared up to a beautiful
sunset and a clear blue sky. Everyone was out in the streets enjoying the cool night.


The next morning we were off to the train station to head back down to Rome to catch our 5:15 pm flight out to London. We ended up getting a earlier train then we expected and we were off running to deck number 24. The train was getting ready to leave so we jumped on and grabbed our seats. On the train ride down it started snowing through Tuscan hills, it was beautiful!

(Monique waiting for the train in)

Once in Rome we had some time to grab some lunch and a cappuccino before we were off again on our next train ride to the airport!


In London again and we can understand people.. Its cold but nice and the parks are pretty

tomorrow we walk around for the fist time

Florence by Day

Another day out on the road. . . walking around forever and seeing all we could on our unstructured adventures. They say a picture is worth a thousand words so here you go.

Aqua Calda and off to Florence

This was our last day in Siena so after a quick breakfast we headed out on our bikes again and we had our checkpoint set on Aqua Calda... An aquatic center that was just out side of town. The goal was to see another side of the town as we rode through, pound out some meters in the water with the local Italians and get back to checkout of our hotel in time to make the train and head north.

We had some help trying to locate the Aqua Calda but we were off on our bikes again without detailed directions. . . It was all part of the adventure and we were getting pretty comfortable with the area already anyways. Moniques trusting navigation got us there with no problems after just a short ride through the hills and we discovered a ton of stuff here at the edge of town. Even an outside Velo track

Who else takes pictures of stuff like this on vacation?

Our planning worked out to the T and we were on the train to Florence with no delay...The only way to travel!

beautiful hills and green the entire way

Once we made it to our hotel in Florence with no issues to speak of and we were back in "the city" with all the modern marvels you would expect from a Hilton hotel... Like a mirror that NEVER fogs up in the middle.

I am amazed at the simplest things sometimes

After a little check in and a look at the $20+ dollar burgers at the hotel we were off to get some local food and ended up picking up a couple (more) pairs of shoes. Those Italians know their shoes ;-) Tomorrow we are heading to some of the downtown sights to check out what this place has going on... Time for some sleep.

Dinner for two

Today we explored more of the town in Siena and have the bus schedule down now... I love this public transportation! The Tuscany area is so vast and the towns so different that it really feels like we are in a different place every day.


Everything is on the go here but not the "American way". We tried to find some energy bars, snacks, etc for our ride but there is not much in the way of processed food to be found. That is a good thing. Most of the deli's are "fast food" also but not the way we supersize it...


You get some fresh food after walking all day and most people don't even sit down. Order up an espresso, sip it at the bar standing and go back to your walk around town. Fast food.


We did a little shopping and eating and sight seeing like our normal rounds and then headed back early to our little bed and breakfast. For me it was some quick hill repeats up and down our driveway hill and a little nap next to the pool was just what the doctor ordered for Monique. An ideal vacation day for both of us after our ride yesterday.

(Monique knows how to enjoy the time away)

This was our last night in Siena...So bummed to go after we are starting to get such a feel for it but Florence is calling. We headed down the hill one last time on foot to watch the sunset and have a nice dinner (#2)...

The sunset was amazing

The food was right on

We stayed up late when we got back and lived it up in Siena on our last night(hopefully not for the last time). Sweets, cheeses and vino all night... We took the late train to Florence and it was a dinner and a time to remember.

Here are some of the Pictures posted


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