Xterra Pacific Championships 2011 Race Report

Sunday I raced in the Xterra Pacific Championships in Santa Cruz, CA. I wanted to go mostly to get my first race under my belt for the year and another off road racing experience.  Ahead of time I had a prediction of how the race would likely go--I would have one of the top swims, a slow T1 due to freezing hands and feet, get passed some on the bike, and pass some people on the back with a strong run.  I was mostly right.

Ready to start the season despite the early morning rain

The water was a chilly 51 degrees Fahrenheit and a bit choppy.  Somewhat similar (but not as choppy) to AG worlds in Vancouver in 2008.  At that race they shortened the swim and I still was very disoriented with the early stages of hypothermia as I exited the water.  I tried to learn from that experience so that I could swim in water that was just as cold, but actually being able to swim an think afterwards.

Putting my wetsuit on in the car so I could stay warm

My strategy for the swim was to wear my normal long sleeve wetsuit, wear 3 swim caps (no neoprene cap, mine seems to choke me a little and make me disoriented), drink tea and warm water to keep my core temperature up prior to the race, stay warm and out of the wind prior to the race, and finally, pour lukewarm water into my wetsuit from a water bottle prior to getting in the water.  

I stayed bundled up as long as I could.

The pros went off, and 3 minutes later all the age group athletes went in a mass start.  I was worried it would be crowed, but glad that it wasn't split into waves where the women start last.  I lined up in front and started fairly well.  There were a few minutes of jostling, and then not as much contact until the turn buoys.  It was really hard to sight.  First of all, there were only 2 buoys.  We swam 2 750m loops with a 100m beach run in between.  I personally would like a few more buoys than that.  In addition, it was hard to see the buoy over the waves.  The swim was definitely challenging.  It felt like an eternity until I reached the first turn buoy.  

I felt relaxed and swam comfortably with a bit more kicking to stay warm.  I felt like the first loop took a long time, but Adam said I came out in around 12 mins.  I didn't feel tired or cold at all until I stood up to do the beach run.  I felt like my breath had been taken away and felt really sluggish.  On the second lap I was alone for most of the swim.  I swam a little harder in an attempt to stay warm.  Around the time I swam around the last buoy, the cold was not just in my feet, hands, and face, but I felt my whole body start to fell very cold.  I looked forward to getting out ASAP. 

This is a "regional championship" and they did not use chip timing.  I've come to expect chip timing I guess.  My watch broke the day before, but Adam said I came in around 25 mins.  I was happy with that considering how choppy and cold it was.  

Attempting to remove my wetsuit with my frozen hands

It was not going so well.

I slowly ran up to transition and struggled a little to get my wetsuit top off.  I got to transition and it was filled with bikes and hardly any people were there!  What a great feeling.

Getting to T1 with lots of bikes on the racks and hardly any people :)

Unfortunately, I had started to shake uncontrollably as I put on my shoes, helmet that just wouldn't buckle, camelback that just wouldn't buckle, and gloves that I struggled with for a long time as I shook and almost started to cry.  I turned to Adam and said I can't do this (referring to the gloves).  I finally got them on, but as I did I was passed by several people, including a few women.  I think I was in there for at least 5 mins.  Ugh.

Struggling to get my gloves on and shivering as I watched people come into transition  and pass me.

Off on the bike I was still shivering and moving slowly.The first 5 miles of the bike was on road and bike trails to get to the state park.  Good because I didn't have to think.  Bad because it was cold and windy.  At least the sun came out so that helped.  I tried to ride hard and when I got a chance I drafted of guys that passed, even if it was just for 30-60 seconds.  Drafting is allowed in Xterra, so of course I was going to take advantage of it if I could. I took a gu early on in the bike and planned to only have 2, but brought 3 just in case. 

Once we got to the park the trail started going up right away.  I wasn't very far along when I got to a section of the trail with deep ruts. I had heard about the ruts but hadn't been able to do a preride for reasons I'll talk about in another post.  I did ok for awhile and then next thing I know I am falling over into a tree/bush.  My leg got a little scraped but it didn't hurt too much.  As I was lying on the ground several people rode by--asking if I was ok.  Yes, physically I am ok.  I got back up and kept going.  I fell a few more times.  One time I fell to my left on a slight decline with my right leg still clipped it.  I started laughing and sort of panicking because I was laying there for awhile and was at and angle where I couldn't unclip my foot or get up. I contemplated taking my shoe off for a minute, but then managed to twist myself in a way that I could force my leg out and get up.  Whew.  I was still really cold and was starting the think I needed to call it a day.

But I kept going.  I walked my bike in sections where I wasn't sure I could ride, I got off and moved for some people passing in areas that made me nervous.  I was a total rookie.  I was so hungry so I had my second gu.  I thought for sure that I was almost done.  I didn't have a watch or my bike computer so I had no sense of time.  My teammate Cary passed me and I asked her how much longer was left.  She said probably 8 miles.  Oh no!  8 miles is a long time on a mountain bike!  I kept plugging along getting off my bike more, falling off some more, usually in a nonpainful, silly way.  I had my last gu hoping I was nearing the end.

After a fairly technical section with maybe 4-5 miles to go, my teammate Kathy caught up to me and it was a good boost for me.  I rode with her for awhile and chatted with her. That made a mile or so go by quickly.  Even the killer long steep hill that everyone was walking.  My calves have never burned so much.

I lost contact with her on the next downhill section and had one more fall on a grassy downhill area and then finished the last section out on my own.  the last downhill to the finish a cold rain started to pour and I was shivering.  I started talking to myself--telling myself that I was almost done, I could do this, I'd get to run soon.
I was so relieved when I was riding up to transition and saw Adam.  That felt like the longest ride of my life.

looking forward to the run

I had a good transition and then felt awesome heading out on the run.

I told myself I had to catch at least 10 people on the run.  I had no watch and no mile markers, so I had to keep my mind occupied.  I felt like I was flying through the first half of the run.  We ran along a trail over to the coast and had a nice view of the ocean and cliffs.  The air was cool with a slight rain so other than the wind, it was a nice running temperature.  I slowly started picking people off.  Then they were coming more quickly   Before I knew it I had already passed 10 people and was working on #11.  When the course turned away from the coast is when I started to loose my momentum.  I didn't have as many people to catch that I could see. I spent a long time catching the next few people. Then nothing.  Just me, running all by myself.  I was tired and low on energy and wasn't sure how much further I had left and I let it get to me.  I even walked up one of the hills.  I probably slowed down at least 1min/mile the last few miles and not because my legs didn't have it, just because I lost the motivation.  I'm a little disappointed in that because I may have been able to move up a spot or two had I kept my pace up.

I was so happy when I finally reached the finish line.

It certainly wasn't my best finish by any means, but I knew this was going to be a learning experience rather that a race to be competitive.  I showed myself that my swimming is strong right now--I had the 12th fastest female swim+t1 (including 8 pro women), and given how bad my t1 was and that I got passed by at least 2 amateur women in t1, that's pretty darn good!  I had the 15th fastest female run (including 9 pro women), so that's pretty good--if I had just kept my head in the game at the end and held my pace!  My bike time and experience shows that I have a lot of work to do when it comes to technical skills on the bike.  My legs felt really fresh after the bike despite all the climbing, so it is not as much a fitness issue but a skill and fear issue.

It was a good challenging race to get the season started.  I would definitely like to go back next year when I have better mountain bike skills and redeem myself on the course.