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XTERRA Midwest Cup - TriathlonOther


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Augusta, Michigan
United States
Elite Endeavors
50F / 10C
Overcast
Total Time = 2h 51m
Overall Rank = 77/137
Age Group = M25-29
Age Group Rank = 9/15
Pre-race routine:

Let me preface this whole race report with my goals for this race which were aub 20:00 swim (1000m), sub 1:39:00 mtb (20mi.), and a sub 48:00 run (6mi.), with a 2:50:00 overall time goal. I was in town to watch my brother's law school graduation in East Lansing, MI. Originally from Michigan, I had done this race a couple years ago when I still lived there. What better idea than to combine graduation with a race?

Left my brother's around 4:45, got to the race site around 6:15. Surprisingly few people there early. Got checked in, set the gear up, and waited for the parents to arrive.
Event warmup:

Rode the bike a few miles down the road and first part of the trail.
Swim
  • 20m 14s
  • 1000 meters
  • 02m 01s / 100 meters
Comments:

Swim time includes a 100m run up the small hill to transition. I had trouble getting started. The water was a little cold so I took a slow start. I knew going into this race I wasn't going to push it too far into the red zone at any point, and certainly not in the swim. So I am satisfied with the time, it is not bad, but I was hoping for a little faster. I tried to find feet most of the time but nobody was swimming straight. Every pair of feet I grabbed onto would start going astray from the line so I would let them go.
Transition 1
  • 02m 6s
Comments:

I wasn't prepared to ride in the cold while wet and hadn't mad enay arrangements to address that. Somehow I get the thought about 5 yards from my gear that I should rifle through my transition bag and put on the bike jersey in there. It gets caught on my shoulders and everywhere else, fumblerusky. On top of that I had problems getting my wetsuit off. This sets the record for my worst transition in recent history
What would you do differently?:

Pretty much everything
Bike
  • 1h 36m 54s
  • 20 miles
  • 12.38 mile/hr
Comments:

Some stealthy rain rolled in during the previous night apparently and surprised us all with a higher than normal river crossing, with a nasty 2 foot pothole catching everyones front tires and sending them into the river headfirst (witnessed at least 3 or these). In another spot which is normally fast and dry there was 2-3 feet of standing water over the trail to ride through. This is why we do XTERRA.

So with tougher conditions the first lap was tough, not only were people having problems with the normal trail, but the extreme river crossing and deep puddle did it's damage and slowed everything down quite a bit.

I rode through the first lap at a decent clip. As mentioned before I had not intentions of pushing my physical output into the red zone. I kept everything in check, really wasn't able to go that fast with what seemed like everybody in front of me going slow (obviously that was not the case).

The second lap was welcome relief as the field had spread out and seeded itself nicely. I was able to go much faster (like 5+ mins) and it felt good to carry speed consistently. The first lap, due to slower riders in front of me, I had to stop halfway up each climb when the rider(s) in front of me lost momentum and blocked the trail. I think the first lap I walked the river crossing (due to people in front of me's endos into the river) was able to ride the deep pool, and made it up only one of the climbs. Second lap I roder everything without getting off once, so you could see how I could gain much time.


What would you do differently?:

Swim faster so I was in the front of the pack starting the bike. Can't complain though I beat my goal time.
Transition 2
  • 00m 50s
Comments:

I didnt take my feet out, so I had to take shoes off at area. Thought about changing out of soaking wet socks (feet almost totally numb). Thought better of it and just put shoes on and left.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing.
Run
  • 51m 50s
  • 6 miles
  • 08m 38s  min/mile
Comments:

Something was off here. I really felt I was pushing my pace the whole time but came up with a horrible time. Really all around paces and times were pretty slow. Possibility the course was a bit long.

Begining my first lap Will Kelsay makes the turn for his second lap burnin it up. Halfway through the first lap Renata Bucher and Christing Jeffrey pass me on each others heels. I could see Renata pulling away from her slowly. I on the other hand was going nowhere near as fast as the above pros, but felt I was keeping a fast pace for myself.

Second lap was tougher, my quads started to tease me as to whether they would cramp or not. At one point I got scared enough to give them each a stretch. I pass a guy at the beginning of the second lap who was walking, only to have him BLOW by me with about a mile left, I said something like "nice turnaround" he mentioned he had just officially found his legs.

Coming out of the woods on the second lap was welcome relief. I tried to bring it in strong and actually had some gas left to put in a nice finish in the chute.
What would you do differently?:

Run faster
Post race
Warm down:

Walked through the chute took gatorade and bananas and pretzels and licorice. saw the folks and mingled with them for a while. Said out goodbyes and they took off. I went to the lunch tent and got the lunch and beer. YUM. Beer. Then started the 18 hour drive back to Colorado.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

First race of the year I wasn't trying to go out there and do too much. So with low expectations I was not worried much about performing faster.

Event comments:

This is a great race and I'm glad XTERRA picked it to be a "Cup" race in their series. Although the course is relatively flat (no sustained climbs) it is fun and twisty with areas to catch air and cruise. A bit of everything. So I really like the course and it is well run. The XTERRA crowd is a great group of people who make no excuses and have no fears.




Last updated: 2009-05-05 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:20:14 | 1000 meters | 02m 01s / 100meters
Age Group: 0/15
Overall: 0/137
Performance:
Suit: Full Orca Equip
Course: clockwise square/rectangle in Eagle Lake
Start type: Wade Plus:
Water temp: 62F / 17C Current: Low
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 02:06
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? Yes Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
01:36:54 | 20 miles | 12.38 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/15
Overall: 0/137
Performance: Good
First lap - 52:03 Second Lap - much faster
Wind:
Course: Red Trail at Fort Custer Recreation Area including Trenches, Cardiac Climb, CPR, GRanny's Garden, the Peninsula
Road: Potholes  Cadence: slo
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average Hills: Average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 00:50
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
00:51:50 | 06 miles | 08m 38s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/15
Overall: 0/137
Performance: Average
First was faster than second that's all I know
Course: 2x 3-mile loop on green trail
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

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2009-05-18 3:04 PM

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Subject: XTERRA Midwest Cup
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