Unusual?

Well it is unusual in so far as I was not totally in the ZONE before the race at all. In fact it was a push to actually get to the race and not DNS. My heart and soul was just not in it. However I managed to get through the long morning until race start  at 2pm.

I prepared for the race as usual with an early morning run and stretch, it was hot in XONRUPT, NE France,  it had been around 37 degrees the previous day. BUT race day was a little cooler at around 32 degrees.

My music definitely helped to motivate me, it fires me up before the race. Soon it was time to pit the wetsuit on ( it was optional) but most were wearing them. The French rules were if a swim skin was used it must stay on for the duration of the race. That is why no one was wearing one…..

I decided that there was going to be too much of a scramble to the front of the swim, it was a beach start so I stayed out of trouble at the back of the pack, when the gun went off I ambled in and took it steady, This seemed to work as I overtook and felt more in control of the race, rather than being mowed down by the eager beavers. However I did a pretty slow swim in the end 27mins instead of 23/24mins.

The swim seemed long as it wasn’t the usual 2 laps with a run between, but I felt strong. Renata and I again were out together. Had a liitle chat to her in transition, and she was off, it was nice to see Emma Smith out with me on the bike from transition, her swimming is getting better too:)

Out on the bike course it was hills and more hills, so I just dug in and did my best not go too much into the red. It was going to be a long day at the office.

2 laps of a gruelling course, more climbing than Maui I think it was over 3000 ft of climbing. But 2ce thro!!! On my first lap half way up the hill I was just plodding on and I suddeny was woken up by JiM McConnel ’s voice behind me “Daz its no good sitting on her wheel come on lets push it GO GO!!’ I realised I was just sitting on a French girls wheel up the hill for much of the climb.. So that gave me an injection of energy and I went. I passed a couple of girls, but lost a place on the technical descents. Falling being my speciality so far on each race.

The second lap seemed easier as I was now warmed up. I had the full suss on and it helped on the desending on the loose rocky stuff. I couldnt believe I was staying upright all the way down..

Nutritionally my 2 gels were maybe not enough. I didnt have a camel back and my bottle was empty, luckily there wrere plenty of bottles to choose from the 2 water feeds.

At the end of the first lap was a smallish ramp for a jump and the first time I was fine but the second time I was eager to get to transition and adrenalin kicking in I charged the ramp and flew up in the air and landed in a judo roll with the bike flying too, I managed to climb back on , put the chain on and go. It was seemless. I think the crowd thought it was all planned..

The run seemed ok, I was half expecting my legs to feel like jelly but didn’t, I actually felt strong, and it seemed I was overtaking quite a few on their second lap. It came to the first hill and a couple of banks to crawl up and then I saw it..carnage-there were people cramping, walking stretching all in agaony. I felt it was unfair that I felt ok. I began to see  a couple of girls in front so I managed to catch them I stayed with a French girl for a while but i couldnt stay with her on the road section.

It was a good race, hard but I was surprised how I got through it without too much suffering. Something is working.:))

I came in 7th Pro in the end and was pleased with the result. Getting back on that horse really did help after the bad crash in Italy.

Once again many thanks go to my sponsors: Bike and Run, Craft, Suunto, Shock absorber, Snugg wetsuits and Bike box alan without which my life as a Triathlete would be much tougher!

RESULTS :
http://xterrafrance.free.fr/download/results2010.pdf

Bring on DURTY TRiathlon in Bonny Scotland!! (I will be filming the day before in that area- so great timing.)

So yesterday evening I did another rcae this time it was just a mountain bike race in Hog hill. That was FUN, hard,  but fun. I have never seen my heart rate so high on a MTB…cor.

Nothing really much to say on the Italy experience I was not in it with my mind and body and the result were  2 X falls with the latter being the worst. I was out cold for a few seconds and lying there on the ground thinking ‘oh ow that is it for the season I am a gonna’. The officials were called and grabbed me and my bike , I then had to prize  them off me and grabbed my damaged bike and rode off to complete the 2nd lap ( this was at the end of the 1st lap and I should/could have retired there and then ). I stopped briefly at the aid station where they doused me and my bloody body with water and I carried on.

My back brake however was badly damaged and was locking badly. I made it half way round and then a  puncture stopped me getting any further. I managed to mend it but could only inflate with a c02 canister with a little air which was unridable. I decided to throw in the towel with my arm bleeding so badly I was feeling faint. I then had to wait in the searing heat for 20 mins for the ambulance who dressd my wounds then then left me in the middle of the mountain side…eh?

I then had to try and get a ride back- but no joy so began to walk ( the wrong way) to the short cut down to base.

No one could speak English and my Italian is only food talk, I guess I should have ordered some pasta??

So by then the race had almost finished and I was still stuck up a mountain 2 hours later. There was a lovely German older man who stopped and gave me his pump. So I was again on my way on the course and home

My poor mum was still standing at the empty space where my shoes still lay, she was in disbelief that I would ever return. She was manic by then as no one had told her what happened. I could have done the run section but I would have been dead last!!

We had to catch a plane that eveniong and had a 2/12 hour car journey to the airport  to do only 1 hour later…phewww what a day.

It was not one of the most memorable races and experiences I have been through, think I lost the ‘love ‘ momentarily. Too many races too early in the season.? Maybe.

Here is the view from the mountain on my pre ride on the course.

I had to pack really quickly  and then there was the bike. my bike you was broken and I had no way to get it fixed before and during my trip. ( Cannodlae lefty being the culprit)

So I had to leave the country without bike, That itself felt strange. But I had no choice. luckily I was to stay with Shonnny Vanlandigham who had contacts with bikes. She had her bike mechanic at Veags whom had a spare bike  I could borrow.

When I got to Vegas it was cold and raining!!! Seems that everywhere I go around the world that is the scenario!!

THE FIRST DAY WAS an interviewe by the race director Trey and posted on the Xterra faceboook page:http://www.facebook.com/pages/XTERRA/139989526109
So  onto the race itself. A wet suit swim of 62 degrees a little chilly but not as bad I’m used to. !AND only 1 lap this time and the pros went off first. The swim went well was out of the water with the first pack of girls.

Hopped onto my Santa Cruz Blur kindly lent to me by Chris who was Shonny’s mechnic ’s girlfriend Adreinne. Thanks very much guys!!!

This bike can move, all was going well for the first few miles and on the first big climb first Shonny overtook me the Renata close behind.

I was then on a tricky loose sandy descent and my front wheel wiped out and I was over and out again I checked myself and found that I was pretty ok.  The bike was a little backwards so had to strainghten it all out, lost my water bottle too…So of course I WAS OVERTAKEN AGAIN BY TWO OTHER GIRLS..Still was in 7th postion but by the end of the bike I was in 9th. I got off the bike and once on the run my quads immediately cramped so had to slow down somewhat. Then there was a dance that occured between me and another pro girl all the way round the 10km course we battled backwards and forwards until near the end she surged forward and got away.

I was happy with top 10 however. All I needed to get into the next US series FREE!!

Yes that’s right FREE.

Now I am in Durango doing some good solid MTB’ing with the expert Shonny Vanlandigham. Lucky me.

I got back from Guam late into Heathrow a lovely smooth journey was had, decided as I couldn’t sleep  I would go for an early morning run at 6 am, it was a lovely day in London but bitterly cold, right there and then I decided that i would join  my fellow Xterra athletes and jump next plane to Portugal for yet another race, 4 races in 4 weeks I was on a roll…

So after much searching for a ticket Ryan air ( Grrr) charged me £280 one way and £240 for the bike ( I was over weight by 8 Kg) Thanks Ryan air!! I will never use you again. And easy jet on the resturn set me back £600 in all. OUCH that is just to race for a day.I was KEEN.

The race was a cold swim in the river ( 14 degrees ) so wet suits were essemtial.

And the bike was two loops of a not so technical  bike course. The run was along the sandy beach and the Town.

The swim was great came out in 23 mins  with Corina and around 3 rd overall. Then the bike was tarmac for a mile until the dirt and  the technical parted about 6 miles in I was overtaken, by Renata, then Carina, then 2 others. I slipped to 7th position by the second lap and holding on by my teeth. Then came the run and I tried to male up some time but the girls were that much faster. I came in 8th and crossed the line in silence something that I was not used to in the Usa they make sucha fuss. It was like tumble weed. I was immediatley approcahed by an officlal who got me to  sign a form and practically marched me to the town hall to have a drugs teat, my very first . I was in there for 2 hours with just water and someone watching my every move. Strange to pee in front of someone even tho it was a Doc.

Glad I went in the end but my bank balance doesn’t agree.

Next step is Las Vegas…

The run was

The race was at a reasonable time 7.30am  and the sun was out. I was really ready for this race. The bike leg was not really what I would call easy, challenging and it had been raining so making it very sticky and muddy. I pre rode the course with Sam, Emma & Shonny a few days previous but struggled and fell badly on a descent which took my right elbow out. (The very same one that I always land on)

I also recc’ed the run waterfall section. For a photo shoot with the wonderful Rich Cruz.

I was set to go and the swim started well two laps of course. I was slower than usual for some reason a slight blip at the begiing as I went anaerobic for too long. I stepped it up a little for the last section, came out just afer Renata again.

I jumped on the bike and tagged along on someones wheel for the best part of the 2 km road section then a climb up to the dirt, I was taken over by Shonny about 10 mins into the climb and she said to jump on her wheel, which I duely did - for that long !

I hit the dirt which was red and sticky and slowed right down , I def need some more tech skills in that dept>Emma caught me about 15 mins in. I didnt see her again til the end.

This time I never came off but had struggled with not being able to clip in due tho the mud and the traction ion my tyres left the bike skidding out of control in most of the sections. I was in a bad way. The road section were a light relief as the mud despersed slighlty. Then 2 guys took over  about 11/2 into it. The markings were a little vague in places and I was lost a couple of times. A little frustrayting. The last road section was also confused as I was flagged the opp direction so travelled 3 miles the wrong way!!

I go into transition with Jim  ( timer guy) asking if I needed anything and he gave  me water, I was fuming from the wrong directions still… But carried on on the run section. I felt good overtaking a couiple of guys who must have slipped passed me when I took the wrong turn so i was back in the =same postion.

The wterfall section was great fun and I slid down without any probs, then a  splash into the river,  the better idea was to swim it a sit  was so deep. FUN. I hit my klnee at one stage and had to take a minute to recover-sometimes you just dont know if you are badly hurt or not., Just push on, The jungle was reminscent of  GI’s wading waist deep with their guns above their heads .. I imagined it must have been terrifying to be a young soldier then.

The course was amazing, sections you thought that it could not get any worse thro rocky natural assault course jungles.

I finally emerged thro a dirt track ( beg to wish I had pre run this bit) and got lost again as the signs sometimes did not exists!

I then got to the road where we started off and was running so hard along the to make up time that I completely missed a sneaky right turn to the beach to the fiinish and had to double back again,..NOTE TO MYSELF PRE -RIDE RUN  COURSE DAZ.

The last section was actulayy wading thro the ewtare waist deep again. The best part of this was it was so cool and a break from the heta and humity.

I finished 5 th pro women and 9 th overall.

 Think I have unfinished business there, lets hope Eric  the race organizer, can give me the chance to redeem myself nexytyear.  BRING IT ON @)!!

I needed to get hold of a bike as I only had my trusty MTB there. The lod=cals are very supportive of the athletes and do their  best to try and find bikes for all who want to race. did have to do some research  finding a bike, and my saviour was Daniel Lumar a local Doc in Saipan who kindly lent me have his steed for a few days prior to the race. It was a ‘Litespeed’ 10 years old. With the added bonus of some tri bars.

It was nice to be back on the  road bike  again I must say I feel more at home on it (especially on hills). I was looking forward to the race  (post cold -tho most of the other athletes had just the same symptoms. Some say it was an allergy to the Island ( So Romeo the bike shop owner tells me) Whom incidentally was my hereo with his 24 hour  bike shop and all night opening hours!! Thanks Romeo for everything!

The race again was an early start and we were at the race venue at the PIC at 5 am at the fabulous host hotel. There was competition too in the pro field as 49 Korean triathelets came down last minute to race. 

So the swim was 2 laps of 1km, I was drafting a few Koreans and came out again just behind Renata  Bucher(beginning to see a pattern here) And Shonny Vanlandigham drafting my feet. I was fast out of tranistion as finally I didnt do any  faffing I guess it was having more experience with than with the MTB!

I saw Renata in front so decidid to catch her. Shonny and I were riding together to catch her and on the descent we caught Renata by surprise both us girls zooming passed her whilst she napped, she woke up and came ast afetr a few minutes she put the power on!! I stayed with them for a few miles and they slowly edged away from me , I came to the first big climb and I realised I must have had a 23 gear ratio, nice so had to grind my way up top. Which took it out of my legs,  on the first out and back I saw Emma creeping up from  behind  just when my chain came off..  I stayed with her for about 5 miles or so. I missed my  Cannondale Slice I visualised it sitting on my turbo back in London. had to snap out of that one!

In transition the bike was taken from us  and we had a bag with our run kit inside as we had sit down on chairs to put them on…luxury!

 The run was long and hot we were sweltering in the heat but the aid stations were numerous and ice cold sponges water and Gatrorade a plenty. All those cheerful volunteers really helped push you forward. I knew I was 6th or 7th by then and had a bit of a gap to catch up but  the money was only top 6…

At the beginning of the run I was joined by a Korean girl who slid past I caught her up and asked if we could work together on the run as she had a good pace on her so I reckoned that she would push me a bit more. I  asked her questions but her English wasn’t that great until she said ‘how old you?’ I said ‘41′ and she replied’ooooooohhhhwww I asked her ‘how old u?’ ‘22′ I replleid Ahhhhhhh then her coach went by on a scooter and shouted in Korena ‘Bangtsn$$$@@VVthj!!! or something. She then said ‘coach not happy I chat’. We went on for a mile and then she collapsed-  think she got cramp. Maybe my running isn’t that bad after all?

I actually enjoyed the race even thought it was tough on the long run, but not as tough as any of the Xterra races.! I finally finished 7th, out of the money, but I’ll be back next year….

The 3 week trip to the pacific was a rollercoaster ride from beginning to end, and potentially a life changing experience for me. To explain  I had no real expectations on the trip when I left that cold wintery evening in Heathrow, except I knew I was going Pro. That after only 2 years on the Xterra and traithlon circuit. I was either going to sink or swim.

I arrived with super jet lag and settled in to the condo in Saipan , joined by 2 friends form the States whom I met in Maui Xetrra Worlds last year. The humidity hit me first, then the ocean view was an  overwhelming turquoise  colour and clear as crystal. 

My bike was a prioritry getting  built so I could get on and do some training. Couldn’t wait to get into the water too. Smashing. I was there only for three days prior to the first race (one of three in three weeks) So no time for acclimatization or getting over jet lag. So inevitably a got a cold the very next day, Traveling for 36 hours and training straight away being the culprit.

Sleep averaged only around 4 hours a night, so I came into  to the race very tired as we waited in the rain (?) and the dark at 5am ready for race start. I actually thought I couldn’t get through as I was feeling so rough. 

The gun went off at 630am and I was surprised to have swam well, staying close on Renatas  feet  and reaching transition just before her. It took a lot not to start chatting. ( All the Xterra athletes are all so friendly, fun and relaxed)

So after faffing there for a while I jumped on my lovely Cannondale RUSH full susser and was away. I then felt great  on the bike and I had a steady climb on the first hill called Navy hill I soon  passed by Shonny V who was making it look easy as she smiled her way passed me.

I soon came onto the track/jungle with a nice Korean man with the smae bike as me, we zoomed down the descents together, and suddenly BANG -hisssssssss, my tyre exploded, couldnt believe it I screamed in frustration it sounded like I went over something metal like a rake as there was a farm we  passed by.; I went about getting  the back wheel off, and saw what looked like ahuge gash in my tyre, I then thought it may not be with repairing but I then thought if I didnt finish I would feel bad it’s a race!

As I was battling with the hole, cyclists were beginning to filter passed me, some asking if needed anything, others not. It took for ever to get the tyre in  a reasonable shape to ride and I was off again about 10-12mins mins down.

I just thought I had to now just get through it. The bike leg was tough as there was much climbing ( more than Maui??) I did preride it  2 days before and got up all the hills, no such luck this time I was so full of cold and hot that I really struggled.

I was so glad to get off the bike and run it was another good run with lots of natural obstacles including a second world war cave and giant boulders, just up my street. It was pretty slippery on the steep rock sections and I of course fell and hit my knee badly, so, hobbled the rest of the way. I finshed 5th in the pro field, not hard as there was only 5 of us!! Ah well learning curve.

Next time I will not be wearing no 13 ( it may not be unlucky in Japan…)

YEP I love  my job.:)

I am now officially 2009 Amateur Xterra World Champion!

If you are intersested in my latest  achievement  please click the link below:

http://xterra.tv/

I did it. I am officially World Champ. I am after two days, can’t believe it.  Taking 25 minutes off last years time and beating an Austrian by only 9 seconds!  The closest amateur race they have seen to date!

I must admit I could not have had any better prep for this race…I had done everything I could to set it up for it, including getting here (Maui) 2 weeks before the race, train and acclimatize.  Getting good rest, nutrition and having my coach Julie Dibens here too to motivate and train with all added to a winning combo!!

I had a great swim and was happy with the postioning in the water with some jostling but very respectful by my fellow Xterra athletes.  It made for a good time out of the water but only to be faced with my bike not where I thought I’d left it and standing looking at an empty space….I was in the wrong part of the pen! OOOPS so I wasted a couple of minutes there!  Ah well time to settle my heart rate down tho. 

The bike leg was pretty hot but not as hot as last year and there was some cloud cover -YES!!

I had a long prep talk with my coach a few nights before and I followed her advice to the letter.  Hydration, keeping my intensity down at the first climb (we climb 3000 feet in total on the bike) I was just concentrating on keeping from red lining and plodding thro.  Then suddenly I was at the plunge (a very rocky down hill section that usually takes many prisoners) I flew down with no fear….all the mtb’ing with the guys paid off technically.  I was passing people by half way and some girls came past who were pros but I thought there were  a few age groupers there too.  So I thundered into T2,  I had no idea which position I was in.  Got my running gear on fast and wet off WITH JULIE’S  PLAN IN MIND (high leg cadence on the hills) I then passed around 10 athletes.  I assumed the girls were out in front so I set out to catch them as I felt quite strong still and this was the plan.  No stopping and walking this year!  All those hill reps also paid off), Mile 5 I suddenly felt someone breathing behind me - a girl on the long beach section had caught up with me. I then felt her clip my heal I HAD to hold her off.  So I lightly stepped my way thro the soft sand and then BBBBRRRRR yep again that damn camera on a quad bike struck up as I passed it  and was on me all the way along the sand, I ignored it this time. 

The girl was still on my heels when we got to spooky forest with its natural obstacles and single track.  There was a guy in front whom I had to pass and as I overtook him - BANG I tripped over  a root and went down head first with CRAMPING in my hamstring.  I got up right away and carried on.  I got back into my rythym and onto the black sand beach - I had to get some air between her and me so I switched on the turbo and left her behind.  The rocks I skipped over and just a little way to go I could tell from the spectators I was ahead of her.  I came down the finish shoot with high fives.  I had no idea what time I did or my position.  I simply had given everthing I had.

I sat down with the coldest towels on my head fending the medics off who wanted to cart me away….eh?

Then Ms Dibens came over to inform me that not only  had I won my age group but she thought I came overall top 3  WHAT??  I looked up at the time and it said  3.37 Hey??? But that is impossble I came in on 4.00 hours last year . 

The night before I made a  deal with Carina (The Austrain Pro) that she was to get a top 5 and I was to get a 3.30.  She got 4th and I got a 3,34.

Crikey I am Xterra World Champ  YEEHAA!  It is my dream come true.

If you can’t dream it it can never happen…

Thank you to my lovely sponsors:

Bike and Run, Suunto, Craft and shock absorber.