July 13th, 2010 by daz parker Xterra France- Tough race/Tough athletes.

I had a good race.

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.)

June 10th, 2010 by daz parker Xterra Italy DNF @ the ‘Beastway’ race.

Well it’s been a while since my race in Sardinia. I have licked my wounds and got myself back on the horse.

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.

April 29th, 2010 by daz parker Las vegas baby.

It was s few weeks later and I was in Las Vegas. A quick change of plan and I was canceling the Club La Santa trip which was the same time  and trying my hardest to get to Vegas. A week before the flight the Volcanic ash was over Britain then Europe and the chance of getting there was slipping away. Then came the day of the flight and of course it was cancelled!! I then made it my mission to get there  my next flight was Friday. Then the airspace opened on the Tuesday evening so I called the airlime on the off chance that there was a flight, I got one for that next morning at 11am the first flight out!!

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.

April 29th, 2010 by daz parker Portugal Xterra ( 4 races in 4 weeks)

Well a little late in the day but need to do this race report…..

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

April 3rd, 2010 by daz parker Xterra Guam

Finally now I have the time to write about my last race in Guam, (tho I have another in a few hours in Portugal.)

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 @)!!