Xterra Indian Peaks 2011 Race Report

This weekend two years ago was when I first went on a date with Adam.  This weekend last year Adam and I drove 6 hours to Warren, PA for the Kinzua Country Tango Adventure race on Friday, raced Saturday and drove back, then put me on a plane Sunday morning to send me out for a full day interview for the job I currently have now.  I'm thinking this weekend will have a little less impact on my future.

Before I do the report, here's a bit of what's been going on the last few weeks and what my thoughts had been on this race.  Initially I wanted to do this race, then I was told it was really technical and decided no way, then finally decided to do it a few weeks ago.  Once I had signed up, there was no turning back--I won't waste an entry fee out of fear.

After Beaver Creek, I got a spot for the xterra world championships in Maui.  I knew I couldn't go ecause I have an exam the Wednesday after the race and it is just too expensive anyway.  But I didn't turn down the slot until my entry expired on Friday, you know, in case I won the lottery or something.  Hopefully it made someones day to get the spot.  I did get a spot to nationals which I can do, so that's something to look forward to.

Including the race 2 weeks ago, I have only run 3 times in the last 3 weeks.  I have biked and swam 8 times but only short ones.  I got a new saddle after breaking my old one in my crash in Montana. I was having pain in my right lower back after the crash and it got worse.  I finally went to the chiropractor this Friday.  So, I wasn't expecting much of the race.  I really just wanted a positive, no crash race.

To the actual race...

Swim:  1000m (I think it was short), 15:28, 18/61 females, 3/12 in my age group

I couldn't find my watch and so I raced without one which threw me off a bit.  It was a time trial start which I thought I would like but I didn't at all.  It turns out I like the excitement, pressure, etc of the group swim starts.  I'm not saying I like starting with 1000 people, but waves of 50-100 are good.  The seeded us by swim times and biking ability.  Apparently they used biking ability first and 50% of the field considered themselves elite or in the top 15% of mountain bikers.  Hmm.  I seeded my swim time right at 15:30 (I think) and in the middle of the pack for mountain bikers.  Shame on me for being honest, that put me as the # 155 starter.

With no sense of time, I didn't get in to warm up and with the crowds I didn't even swing my arms or anything.  I just stepped up to the mat, gave my number, asked if I could go, she said I could go so I got in and swam.

I discovered a few years ago that if I don't start out somewhat fast swimming, I just swim slow.  Guess what I did?  Yup, I started off nice, easy and relaxed.  Like I was off for a swim in the lake by myself.  After that I just felt slow and sluggish.  There were small little packs here and there, people to pass, but I just felt like I was floating along at a slow pace.

My left goggle started to leak after the first turn bouy which made for a fun sighting challenge.  Less people, all wearing blue and green caps and an eye full of water.  I was looking forward to getting out of the water.  Thankfully, it was over quick.  My time of 15:28 would be good if the course was actually 1000m, however, I   think it was a bit short.  People I normally swim near were swimming 1-1.5 mins+ faster than me, so I would have liked to be in that range.  It will come back with training, and the usual race atmosphere.

Run1:  4:48 13/61 women, 6/12 AG.  T1 was just under a half mile up the road from the swim.  I exited transition, ran up the road a little getting my wetsuit unzipped, then stopped at my shoes and took a bit more time than I would like removing my wetsuit.

I forgot to mention the giant chip.  We had these huge chips and they slip around on my ankle when I swam biked and ran and it was hard to get my wetsuit off over the chip.  This is the same kind of chip that I sliced my hand on during the swim at NJ state last year.

Anyway, I thought I was going to kill this run.  I threw my wetsuit over my shoulders, carried my cap and goggles and started to run up the hill.  Did I mention this race starts at 9000 ft of elevation?  I was huffing and puffing and walked a little up the hill, then hit my stride a little more on the flat and downhill, still wheezing like crazy.  I did not kill the run, it sort of killed me.

T1: :39, 2/61 women, 1/12 AG, with no wetsuit to remove, not too much to slow this down.

Bike: 24k, 1:36:20, 32/61 women, 8/12 in my AG.   Ouch!

I prerode one loop of the course and while there were a lot of rocks and steep rocky uphills, since there weren't any scary downhills, I was feeling ok about the ride.  Right out of transition we started to climbI started passing some people and felt a little bad that I might clog the trail when we got to the single rtrack.  Once we got up to the single track I was doing ok.  It didn't seem like there were people waiting behind me and I was even passing some people and staying off my breaks for the most part.

Mistake #1 was where I took my first gu.  I took it in where I thought was a good place, but wasn't finished in  time for a steep sharp rocky downhill turn.  For some reason I cant think and hold a partially eaten gu in my mouth, so I stopped, unclipped, finished my gu, put the gu wrapper in my pocket, then continued on with my race.  Smooth, I know.

Not too long after that I got to a steep climb. I was busy tooting my own horn about how well I was doing on the course and didn't think to shift into my small ring until the last second and then off goes my chain.  And for some reason I just couldn't get the chain back on as person after person rode past me.  Ahhhh!  Finally I got it back on and ran up the hill.  I had a couple hills on the first loop where I couldn't quite ride a part and then just couldn't get back on my bike.  I was getting so frustrated.  So I did a lot of walking/running with my bike. I ran another muddy, twisty rooty section, but the first loop ended with no crashes, so I felt good about the second loop since I would know it better now.

And I did do better.  I was moving faster, walking less, getting back on my bike faster, and I ate my second gu in a better place so it didn't interfere with my race.  Then I was riding up a steep hill and my rear tire started to slip and my bike started to go backwards.  I unclipped and then fell backwards, butt first onto what had to be the hardest rock in the world.  It doesn't count as a crash if I wasn't attached to the bike right?  Anyway, I sat there for a moment starting to cry.  A few guys passed and asked if I was ok.  I said, I think so threw some tears.  Another guy said he could tow me back on his bike.  Not sure how.  I got up, I started walking sniffling and saying ouch, ouch, ouch with every step.My first thought was that I broke my tailbone.  I'm still not sure whether or not I did.  I walked slowly up that part of the hill and then decided that biking would probably hurt less than walking.

I rode back (with a few walks up hills and through the muddy root section where I ran past someone who was trying to ride through it), got super hungry and had another gu, but made it back without incident.  For the last bit of the course my bike felt a little funny, but I kept riding.  As I came off the hill towards transition I noticed my rear tire was flat.  I rode it into transition thinking I had a pretty unlucky ride.

T2: :32 Tied 1/61 women, Tied 1/12 AG, I thought I moved slow through here, but I guess so did everyone else.

Run: 4.1 miles? (I heard so many different distances listed I have no idea what it really was), 35:42 11/61 women, 4/12 AG.
This was a really cool run course, I wish I could have enjoyed it more.  It was twisty turny, up and down steep rocky hills, on grassy trails, through the woods, past lakes.  I started of and my legs felt fresh and my legs felt quick.  I started off good passing people quickly.  I didn't notice the literal pain in my butt too much except a little on the down hills.  I figured the faster I ran those the less it would hurt.  Maybe a mile or so in, I had to really go to the bathroom.  I had been having issues in the morning and apparently they weren't over. Ugh.  I kept running, but I was starting to fell pretty horrible. I was walking up more of the hills with maybe over a mile or so to go I was alternating a slow jog and a walk. I was a little confused about where to go too, so that didn't help.  It felt so much longer than just over 4 miles.

Overall: 22/61 women, 7/12 AG  I obviously didn't have the best race, but this was a seriously tough field especially in my AG.  My age group was more competitive here than at Beaver Creek.  Even if I had an awesome race and was in peak shape, on this course, I don't think I would have placed top 3 in my age group, that's just how tough it was.  I'm not happy that I had such a tough day, but I am ok with the race.  I wanted another off road racing experience and I didn't want to crash and that is what I accomplished.  Now I need to get back into shape in all three sports and take my mountain biking skills to a new level in the next 7 weeks leading up to nationals.

Another note, for those of you who watched the first season of the bachelorette (it was on like 7 or 8 years ago), Ryan the "winner" was a Beaver Creek and this race, both times with camera crews.  He was near me in transition and another girl said oh, he must be a pro.  Nope he's just a reality tv star.  He did take it upon himself to take up 2 spots in a very full transition area.  I don't think any of the pros did that.  So I decided I wanted to beat him.  I guess I sort of did because he didn't finish the race.  He did beat me in beaver creek however.

Any finally, my only picture from the race--4 of the EPC girls post race.