Showing posts with label Parvilla Cycle and Multisport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Parvilla Cycle and Multisport. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Saturday, November 3, 2018
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
Friday, August 24, 2018
Monday, June 19, 2017
Well...Last Weekend Turned Out Pretty Good!
Well after being cut down by a stomach bug, the weekend of racing turned out pretty good!
The Xterra Big Elk 21km was on Saturday and despite having heavy legs I did reasonable job of pacing myself to a 3rd overall finish and importantly gaining top points in the age group. That should have wrapped up the series age group win for the 2017 Xterra Atlantic season!
And then on Sunday at Ramsey's Revenge MTB race I took the Cat 40-49 win!
The Xterra Big Elk 21km was on Saturday and despite having heavy legs I did reasonable job of pacing myself to a 3rd overall finish and importantly gaining top points in the age group. That should have wrapped up the series age group win for the 2017 Xterra Atlantic season!
And then on Sunday at Ramsey's Revenge MTB race I took the Cat 40-49 win!
Friday, May 19, 2017
Next Up.....Xterra Oak Mountain!
The first goal race of the season is upon us.....we are down at Oak Mountain State Park for Xterra Oak Mountain, the Southeast Regional Championship race and World Championship qualifier.
I pre-rode the course yesterday and it is awesome as always. It has been lengthened slightly to include just over a mile of additional trail. Conditions look good for Saturday and with just a swim of the course today and a shakeout run I will be ready to rock. Game on!
I pre-rode the course yesterday and it is awesome as always. It has been lengthened slightly to include just over a mile of additional trail. Conditions look good for Saturday and with just a swim of the course today and a shakeout run I will be ready to rock. Game on!
Monday, April 10, 2017
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Saturday, January 16, 2016
December 2015: Training Ramblings.......A little bit of Consistency
After a pretty damn sloth-like November it felt good to get back to a little more structured training in December. Well to be totally honest it was more like let's actually do some workouts and build some base so that come January the 2016 season training can begin in earnest.
The weather was very un-December like which didn't stop me getting a cold however. Personally I blame our visitors from the UK, as the Wrights headed over to visit for two weeks! The combination of playing around with two under 4 year olds, once of which had a cold was a surefire way to get a bug.....it was well-worth it though as Hunter and Grace are so much fun. We also headed up on mass to Newport, Rhode Island to see Cathy and Ron (and Olly & Iris).
As I said training was really just getting back into some consistency which did occur, a few runs, swims and bikes and one final cyclocross race of the season. The race coincided with my cold so the result wasn't exactly great but it was fun to have Hunter running around the course with Sarah blowing his Vuvuzela!
The good thing about getting some training going on is that the it gets you amped for the 2016 season and so it's time to think about the races. The next blog will cover the 2015 season as a review and what the 2016 schedule will look like! The 2nd year of Xterra will be fun :-)
What I am drinking this month:
Maui Coffee Company: Grown in the West Maui Mountains, 100% Maui Coffee is the pride of the island. This flavorful coffee is grown from the same tree as Kona, but develops a slightly different flavor, due to the different soil and climate conditions.
December Total: 387miles/31hrs 32mins/2085 TSS
Swim: 10.07m/5hrs 07mins/ 263 TSS
Bike: 307m/17hrs 45mins/ 1140 TSS
Run: 70.7m/8hrs 40mins/ 683 TSS
The weather was very un-December like which didn't stop me getting a cold however. Personally I blame our visitors from the UK, as the Wrights headed over to visit for two weeks! The combination of playing around with two under 4 year olds, once of which had a cold was a surefire way to get a bug.....it was well-worth it though as Hunter and Grace are so much fun. We also headed up on mass to Newport, Rhode Island to see Cathy and Ron (and Olly & Iris).
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| "Tuddles" with Gracie! |
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| A tired Hunter! |
As I said training was really just getting back into some consistency which did occur, a few runs, swims and bikes and one final cyclocross race of the season. The race coincided with my cold so the result wasn't exactly great but it was fun to have Hunter running around the course with Sarah blowing his Vuvuzela!
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| Fun & Games at the 'Cross race |
The good thing about getting some training going on is that the it gets you amped for the 2016 season and so it's time to think about the races. The next blog will cover the 2015 season as a review and what the 2016 schedule will look like! The 2nd year of Xterra will be fun :-)
What I am drinking this month:
Maui Coffee Company: Grown in the West Maui Mountains, 100% Maui Coffee is the pride of the island. This flavorful coffee is grown from the same tree as Kona, but develops a slightly different flavor, due to the different soil and climate conditions.
December Total: 387miles/31hrs 32mins/2085 TSS
Swim: 10.07m/5hrs 07mins/ 263 TSS
Bike: 307m/17hrs 45mins/ 1140 TSS
Run: 70.7m/8hrs 40mins/ 683 TSS
Monday, December 21, 2015
November 2015: Training Ramblings......Nothing to See Here
The month started on a big high at the Xterra World Championships in Maui and the race report for that can be found here. With the Summer and Fall being geared completely for the World's, the rest of the month was dedicated to not having to think about structured workouts or upcoming races.
The week after the race was spent relaxing and exploring Maui! It was amazing and quickly gets to the top of our list of vacation spots...we are already trying to figure out how and when we can go back.
So literally there is nothing to report from a training perspective, it was just riding along with some fun MTB and road rides. I did jump into the MABRA Cyclocross Championships at the end of the month at the always muddy Taneytown course and snagged a 5th place finish in the Master's 123 race. It must have been carry-over fitness from World's but it was certainly a shock to the system to race all out for 45mins after a few weeks of de-training.
What I am drinking this month:
1562 Roastery: Colombia Chalo Fernandez - Apple, Raw Almond, Red Wine!
November Total: 199miles/19hrs 32mins/1049 TSS
Swim: 4.96m/2hrs 33mins/ 125 TSS
Bike: 166m/13hrs 16mins/ 686 TSS
Run: 27.4m/3hrs 32mins/ 228 TSS
The week after the race was spent relaxing and exploring Maui! It was amazing and quickly gets to the top of our list of vacation spots...we are already trying to figure out how and when we can go back.
So literally there is nothing to report from a training perspective, it was just riding along with some fun MTB and road rides. I did jump into the MABRA Cyclocross Championships at the end of the month at the always muddy Taneytown course and snagged a 5th place finish in the Master's 123 race. It must have been carry-over fitness from World's but it was certainly a shock to the system to race all out for 45mins after a few weeks of de-training.
The best this so far about Fall/Winter? The weather has been awesome and riding at the Parvilla Cycles Annual Cranksgiving ride was done in shorts! Long may that continue.
What I am drinking this month:
1562 Roastery: Colombia Chalo Fernandez - Apple, Raw Almond, Red Wine!
November Total: 199miles/19hrs 32mins/1049 TSS
Swim: 4.96m/2hrs 33mins/ 125 TSS
Bike: 166m/13hrs 16mins/ 686 TSS
Run: 27.4m/3hrs 32mins/ 228 TSS
Friday, November 20, 2015
October 2015: Training Ramblings....The Final Prep for Xterra Worlds
Much of this is now obsolete as the run up to the Xterra World Championships was pretty much chronicled in previous posts. As such this post is really just a brief outline of the training numbers for the month for posterity's sake.
I did race a few cross races which were planned as high-intensity workouts that are tough to mimic in training and to give a little bit of additional motivation. Having races and goals on the calendar are always a good idea to ensure that you don't skimp on workouts or simply mail them. Always have a long-term goal and some closer near-term goals. Those cross races went well, a 35+ 123 race at a very muddy Hyattsville ended in a top ten finish and then two races at ABRT's own AACX race saw me get two 5th place finishes (and in the money!).
Prior to Worlds in Maui, the rocket ship arrived in the form of the Orbea Oiz mountain bike. Getting to partner with Orbea is awesome and not only gives me a huge boost for Xterra Worlds but also for the 2016 season of Xterra and endurance MTB races. Only getting to ride it a few times before Worlds was a little worrying but after the first ride those worries went away. The fit was dialed in by Stu at Parvilla Cycles and it was perfect! Now I wish I had had a full suspension bike the whole season :-)
And with that it was off to Xterra Worlds in Maui and you can read all about the build up to the race and the race itself in the posts.
What I am drinking this month:
Ritual Coffee Roasters: Hermes Calderón's Los Crestones, Costa Rica
The people of La Piedra de Rivas grow these Caturra and Catuaà variety trees on their various small farms, 1600-1800 meters above sea level, in the Chirripó mountain region. Previously, their coffee had been brought to a nearby mill and bought and sold at low, generic prices.
Feeling that they had better than generic coffee, they bonded together to open their own mill, Los Crestones, and appointed Hermes Calderón as the micromill manager, producing exceptional coffee ever since. When we last visited with Los Crestones, we were excited to see that the mill was running efficiently, the drying tables had been expanded, and the coffee this year is better than ever before!
Full of fruit, this coffee exhibits flavors of Seville orange, tropical mango, and cherry.
October Total: 463miles/44hrs 32mins/2665 TSS
Swim: 11.88m/5hrs 58mins/ 317 TSS
Bike: 351m/26hrs 26mins/ 1383 TSS
Run: 100m/12hrs 08mins/ 965 TSS
I did race a few cross races which were planned as high-intensity workouts that are tough to mimic in training and to give a little bit of additional motivation. Having races and goals on the calendar are always a good idea to ensure that you don't skimp on workouts or simply mail them. Always have a long-term goal and some closer near-term goals. Those cross races went well, a 35+ 123 race at a very muddy Hyattsville ended in a top ten finish and then two races at ABRT's own AACX race saw me get two 5th place finishes (and in the money!).
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| The podium at AACX 123 race |
Prior to Worlds in Maui, the rocket ship arrived in the form of the Orbea Oiz mountain bike. Getting to partner with Orbea is awesome and not only gives me a huge boost for Xterra Worlds but also for the 2016 season of Xterra and endurance MTB races. Only getting to ride it a few times before Worlds was a little worrying but after the first ride those worries went away. The fit was dialed in by Stu at Parvilla Cycles and it was perfect! Now I wish I had had a full suspension bike the whole season :-)
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| The inaugural Oiz ride! |
What I am drinking this month:
Ritual Coffee Roasters: Hermes Calderón's Los Crestones, Costa Rica
The people of La Piedra de Rivas grow these Caturra and Catuaà variety trees on their various small farms, 1600-1800 meters above sea level, in the Chirripó mountain region. Previously, their coffee had been brought to a nearby mill and bought and sold at low, generic prices.
Feeling that they had better than generic coffee, they bonded together to open their own mill, Los Crestones, and appointed Hermes Calderón as the micromill manager, producing exceptional coffee ever since. When we last visited with Los Crestones, we were excited to see that the mill was running efficiently, the drying tables had been expanded, and the coffee this year is better than ever before!
Full of fruit, this coffee exhibits flavors of Seville orange, tropical mango, and cherry.
October Total: 463miles/44hrs 32mins/2665 TSS
Swim: 11.88m/5hrs 58mins/ 317 TSS
Bike: 351m/26hrs 26mins/ 1383 TSS
Run: 100m/12hrs 08mins/ 965 TSS
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Xterra World Championships (Maui) 2015: Race Report.....Learning some lessons!
I was nervous.....I hadn't been this nervous before a race in a while. It was a combination of things but primarily the fact that the pre-ride on Thursday had gone so horribly bad that I was questioning everything. Was I fit enough? Was the heat and humidity going to destroy me? Had we come all the way to Maui for a terrible race experience?
Yes the pre-ride on Thursday had been bad, I had bonked 5 miles into a 20 mile ride and it took a lot out of me to get back to the condo. As Sarah can testify I had the "sunken face" look that I only get when bad things are about to happen and that normally features some form of unconsciousness! It took the rest of Thursday and most of Friday to get re-hydrated and the small cramps to go away, luckily I remained conscious. In hindsight knowing what the course and weather is like, riding the course in the heat of the day after a long day of travel was not a good idea. That is Lesson #1 for next time......yes, I said next time!
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| Trying to remember the rack location pre-race! |
I was also nervous as this was the bloody World Championships, not your local triathlon, this was 850 of the best Xterra racers in the World. Racers from 43 nations were all lined up along the beach, the race blessing had finished, the helicopter was flying overhead, this race was about to explode!
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| Taking it all in prior to the start |
At 9:05am the cannon fired and the men's wave detonated into the surf. Then the usual two things happened, firstly the nerves all went away and race mode was switched on and secondly I used the facilities in the open water. If those two things don't happen early in the swim then I know that something is wrong. So I was now calm now, at least inside I was, externally it was a fighting match until the first buoy at around 400 meters after which it settled down a bit. The M shape of the course meant that we exited the water after 750 meters (saw Sarah and Team Banks) and headed back in for the 2nd half of the M. A quick glance of the watch had me at 12 minutes so on course for around a 25 mins swim. The 2nd half of the swim was much cleaner in terms of contact and the water clarity. You could see all the way to the sandy bottom for the entire way, as much as I was hoping I didn't get to see any turtles. Apparently there were some around but not within my eye sight.
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| T1 - getting ready for the bike. |
The run to T1 was a sign of the course to come....uphill all the way for a couple of hundred meters. The swim was just over 25 minutes and gave me a little bit of confidence that I was ahead of the majority and would get a cleaner course esp. on the first few miles which are all limited in passing opportunities. For this race I decided to wear my hydration pack rather than rely on a single bottle and the two feed stations. I wanted to be able to drink when I wanted rather than when the course let me. It worked perfectly and I was able to carry 1.5 Liters of First Endurance EFS for the duration of the 20 mile bike course (with 3500ft of climbing) and collected water at the feed stations to dowse myself.
The key to my day on the bike was patience. Not to harp on about it but the Thursday ride had me wary and I needed to get to Razor Ridge in reasonable shape to have a good rest of the day. I purposely rode easy for the first few miles but to be honest the decision was partially made for me. Even with a decent swim the course was a little crowded to begin with and the risk vs reward factor on passing and riding hard on the singletrack was pretty minimal. As such I passed when I could and rode as even a pace as I could....steady but not necessarily all out race pace. The legs felt so much better and upon getting to the top of the first climb to Razor Ridge at mile 5 and then hitting the high point of the course at mile 7 it was time to hit the gas.
Descending from mile 7 at the top of the plantation was sooooo much fun! I knew the legs were good, the view was amazing, all I could do was smile and I couldn't stop smiling. It still makes me smile now.....here I was riding an amazing bike course (on an equally amazing Orbea) in Maui at the World Championships! You could see down the mountain seeing riders slowly coming up, riders zig-zagging down the plantation roads, the resort and Molokai in the background, it truly is a scene that will forever be etched in my memories of this race.
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| The view heading down from the West Maui Mountains |
Getting back into T2 just over the 2hr mark surprised Sarah and Team Banks (that's a good surprise though) and it was now onto the run course. Another 1300ft of climbing faced us over the 6.5mile course. Much of the climbing was in the first three miles and then it was a matter of letting gravity do the rest....perhaps a little bit simplified but you get the idea. Immediately I knew it was going to be a good running day.
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| Heading out onto the run....#parvillatruckerhat |
I crossed the line in 3hrs 28mins, the nerves gone and a satisfying result. 28th in age group and 189th out of 775 that toed the line (including pro's) for a top 25% finish. There were certainly some lesson's learned in the build-up and during the race that I can use for future Xterra races and hopefully a return to the World Championships in Maui. Knowing how the race plays out and what the course is like is so critical that I would definitely change the training plan and the race plan for a return trip......this isn't a trip we can do every year (even though we would like too) so it's a two-year plan. It would be good to head back as a young 40 year old in the 40-44 age group in 2017.
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| Post-race after getting lei'ed! |
If you want to see some great video of the race check out this two videos:
Official Xterra Worlds 2015 Highlights
Xterra Worlds 2015 Drone footage
Obviously races like the World Championships do not happen in a vacuum and it was season long goal with many people involved so a huge Mahalo to above all my very patient wife and chief supporter Sarah. Without her none of this would be possible! Team Banks are always there for me too, although I don't think they could pass up the trip to Hawaii! Also thank you to:
Parvilla Cycles - the best bike store I know :-)
Orbea - for putting the fastest bike underneath me
ABRT - for supporting me and pushing me on training rides
Pactimo - for the awesome kit and support of the Parvilla Tri Team
So now to start thinking about the 2016 season and race goals!
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Xterra Worlds 2015 Countdown: 1 day to go.....It's Time!
Saturday and just one day to go! An easy day on the books today started with Sarah and Dad running the Kapalua 10km trail race over the same course as the World Championship course. It was awesome to watch Sarah race as I hadn't done that before (She raced earlier this year at Richmond but I ran with her) and it is actually quite emotional to watch....I think the fact that it was at the World Championships added to the whole effect including the cannon start!
We knew it was a tough course including a 3 mile climb, obstacles and a final beach run totaling 1200ft of climbing in just 6 miles! Sarah did great though, beat Dad by a few minutes with a 1hr 27mins finishing time and importantly a smile as well! Dad ended up in 3rd in the 6X-6X age group (numbers x-ed to protect the innocent).
The rest of the day was spent chilling, hydrating and attending the pre-race briefing. Very uneventful to be honest and something needed to rest the body and mind ahead of what will be a demanding day both emotional and physically. The course is a doozy and has to be treated with a lot of respect. The course conditions as well as weather conditions can quickly turn the day into something horrid and the key for me is to really enjoy this experience while racing to my potential. If that means taking it easier during certain portions of the race then so be it.....just from watching the 5km and 10km trail race today there were plenty of people that didn't respect the conditions enough and paid for it.
We knew it was a tough course including a 3 mile climb, obstacles and a final beach run totaling 1200ft of climbing in just 6 miles! Sarah did great though, beat Dad by a few minutes with a 1hr 27mins finishing time and importantly a smile as well! Dad ended up in 3rd in the 6X-6X age group (numbers x-ed to protect the innocent).
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| The Old Geezers Podium! |
With that I'll sign off with the knowledge that I have done everything in my power to have a good day. You can bring out all the cliches that you want, like "The hay is in the Barn" and all that, and it really is. The bike is prepped and ready to rock, the legs have come round over the past couple of days, I can't do anymore. In the words of Bruce Buffer....."IT'S TIME"....
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Xterra Worlds 2015 Countdown: 2 days to go....Playing in the Surf
Friday: 2 days to go.....today was about getting more comfortable. After the long and hot ride of Thursday, I headed out earlier and hit the Lower Bowl of the bike course. The legs felt much better this morning although I still kept the effort level relatively low as it was in the low 80's and rising as the morning went on (it ended up in the mid 90's as we headed shopping later in the afternoon). Despite "only" riding the lower portion of the course it was 10 miles and 1500ft of climbing....there really isn't anywhere to hide on the bike course. The course is also drying out and as such getting quicker every day, with no rain forecast through race day it should be at its quickest on Sunday. My claim to fame for the day though was passing Xterra legend (and 2015 Hall of Fame Inductee) Conrad "Caveman" Stoltz on the course....granted he was leading a master class on the trails but I did pass him (literally like he was standing still, which he may have been at the time)!
We headed out to grab some groceries and after a leisurely lunch, headed down to D.T Fleming Beach to check out the swim location and practice the swim entry and exit. That may sound like a silly thing to say but the surf can be pretty big at the beach and so knowing how to dive under the waves heading out and surfing them back in can pay off come race day. Fortunately my childhood days of playing in the waves came back quickly and it was a fun session. I did swim out to the far buoy as well to stretch the arms and check out some of the sighting angles.
The beach was awesome and it is the first location I have been to where the lifeguard calls out to swimmers/surfers over the loud speaker and informs them of rip currents that they may be close to or actually in (and tells them which way to get out of it).
In the evening we all headed to the "Night of Champions" banquet to celebrate the race and more specifically the 20th year of the Xterra World Championships. Something that started with 116 racers in 1996 has now swelled to 900 racers and over 300 races globally. There were some great videos of all the global qualifying races in some very cool locations, who is up for Xterra Tahiti in 2016? They also showed video footage from every single Worlds race here on Maui going back to the inaugural 1996 "AquaTerra" as it was called that first year. The evening finished with the Hall of Fame induction of Conrad Stoltz, oddly he didn't mention my passing of him earlier in the day!
Tomorrow Sarah and Dad run the Xterra Kapalua 10km race over the same course as the Worlds on Sunday and for me it will just be a day of relaxing and hydrating with a short run and a brief bike to just give the Orbea Oiz a check over. Plus I get to be support Sarah for a day and give back to her what she has done so many times for me. Without her I really wouldn't be able to do any of the training and racing that I do......
We headed out to grab some groceries and after a leisurely lunch, headed down to D.T Fleming Beach to check out the swim location and practice the swim entry and exit. That may sound like a silly thing to say but the surf can be pretty big at the beach and so knowing how to dive under the waves heading out and surfing them back in can pay off come race day. Fortunately my childhood days of playing in the waves came back quickly and it was a fun session. I did swim out to the far buoy as well to stretch the arms and check out some of the sighting angles.
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| Xterra Worlds Swim Start from 2014! |
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| D.T Fleming Beach |
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| Race day exit from the beach |
In the evening we all headed to the "Night of Champions" banquet to celebrate the race and more specifically the 20th year of the Xterra World Championships. Something that started with 116 racers in 1996 has now swelled to 900 racers and over 300 races globally. There were some great videos of all the global qualifying races in some very cool locations, who is up for Xterra Tahiti in 2016? They also showed video footage from every single Worlds race here on Maui going back to the inaugural 1996 "AquaTerra" as it was called that first year. The evening finished with the Hall of Fame induction of Conrad Stoltz, oddly he didn't mention my passing of him earlier in the day!
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| It was a packed house at the "Night of Champions" banquet |
Tomorrow Sarah and Dad run the Xterra Kapalua 10km race over the same course as the Worlds on Sunday and for me it will just be a day of relaxing and hydrating with a short run and a brief bike to just give the Orbea Oiz a check over. Plus I get to be support Sarah for a day and give back to her what she has done so many times for me. Without her I really wouldn't be able to do any of the training and racing that I do......
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| Can't wait to see this finish line on Sunday! |
Friday, October 30, 2015
Xterra Worlds 2015 Countdown: 3 days to go.....More Climbing??
Thursday and 3 days to go. The first full day here in Maui and time to register and ride the bike course. Race registration was the same old process although they did have a cool explanation of each and every Xterra Worlds race as this is the 20th Edition. They had results, photos and memorabilia from each race starting back in 1996 with just over 100 racers....it is now at about 900 racers! We did get to see some bright flowers on the grounds though and the transition area is pretty spectacular!
The main task for the day was to ride the full bike course. It's a crucial part of the build-up as you learn about the course especially the more technical areas of the trail and enables you to dial in the bike with tire pressure etc. I headed out in the heat of the day at about 1:00pm with temps hovering at 85 degrees, not crazy hot but coming from the Fall in Maryland it felt hot and the wind had died down over night to just a slight breeze.
As expected the bike course was a tough one, part due to the nature of the course - 3400ft of climbing in 20miles including 5 mile climb straight out of the gate to Razor Ridge, the heat and the lack of power in the legs which I am hoping was the travel and lack of sleep from Wednesday. Technically there isn't much to worry about, it is simply the relentless climbs which are both long and steep....yes it is true that what goes up must come down but the physical exertion of going up far outweighs the time gained coming down. With not feeling great on the bike I took the ride as easy as I could but you get to a point where you need to lay down the power just to get up the climb. Take a look at the profile...from sea level to 1200ft in 5 miles.
To be honest I was pretty wiped after the ride so the rest of the afternoon was spent just re-hydrating and refueling. On race day it will certainly be a battle of pacing, hydration and nutrition as well as having good legs. Overcooking it too much in that first 5 miles will destroy your whole day. The Orbea Oiz however was great and with the somewhat primitive trails at times the full suspension Oiz was definitely the right bike for the course. It's performance was outstanding today and saves a ton of energy and exertion on a tough ride.....anywhere you can save energy will be critical on race day.
Has the pre-ride of the course today made me change my expectations? Perhaps a little but then again it will be the same for everyone. There were a number of people that were looking worse for wear on the side of the trail today and I had only one racer overtake me, so as bad as I felt, it was certainly worse for others. It's important to trust in the training and fitness with tomorrow being another day to ride after a good nights sleep. I'll take in the lower bowl tomorrow which is approximately 8-9 miles (the first 3 miles and last 6 miles) and will get out earlier in the morning which will be closer to race conditions.
On a slight side note, we did have Maui Coffee Company coffee this morning, grown locally on West Maui.....When in Rome and all that!
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| Transition on the grounds of the Ritz-Carlton resort |
The main task for the day was to ride the full bike course. It's a crucial part of the build-up as you learn about the course especially the more technical areas of the trail and enables you to dial in the bike with tire pressure etc. I headed out in the heat of the day at about 1:00pm with temps hovering at 85 degrees, not crazy hot but coming from the Fall in Maryland it felt hot and the wind had died down over night to just a slight breeze.
As expected the bike course was a tough one, part due to the nature of the course - 3400ft of climbing in 20miles including 5 mile climb straight out of the gate to Razor Ridge, the heat and the lack of power in the legs which I am hoping was the travel and lack of sleep from Wednesday. Technically there isn't much to worry about, it is simply the relentless climbs which are both long and steep....yes it is true that what goes up must come down but the physical exertion of going up far outweighs the time gained coming down. With not feeling great on the bike I took the ride as easy as I could but you get to a point where you need to lay down the power just to get up the climb. Take a look at the profile...from sea level to 1200ft in 5 miles.
To be honest I was pretty wiped after the ride so the rest of the afternoon was spent just re-hydrating and refueling. On race day it will certainly be a battle of pacing, hydration and nutrition as well as having good legs. Overcooking it too much in that first 5 miles will destroy your whole day. The Orbea Oiz however was great and with the somewhat primitive trails at times the full suspension Oiz was definitely the right bike for the course. It's performance was outstanding today and saves a ton of energy and exertion on a tough ride.....anywhere you can save energy will be critical on race day.
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| The top of Razor Ridge at 1200ft |
On a slight side note, we did have Maui Coffee Company coffee this morning, grown locally on West Maui.....When in Rome and all that!
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Xterra Worlds 2015 Countdown: 4 days to go.....Travel Day!
Wednesday and 4 days to go! We finally travel and get to Maui. A nice early 345am wake-up call, a short ride to BWI, pay extortionate prices for luggage and the bike and we even had time for the Silver Diner.
Vacations are fun, the travel to get to your destination is never much fun! We headed to Phoenix for the first leg and then on a packed flight to Maui....yes a bunch of triathletes were on board but a heck of a load of kids to disrupt the sound of the Antman movie on the tiny above the head screens. It felt like transatlantic flights in the 80's! And boy Maui is a long ways away!
We finally landed at 200pm local time headed to baggage and waited along with all the other nervous triathletes in the hope that one of the big back boxes would a) be ours b) have a bike in it and c) have a unbroken bike in it. We went three for three and the Orbea Oiz was still in one piece after TSA had their way. Next up was cramming all the luggage and bike boxes onto the car rental shuttle and then being offered the "special offer" of a convertible Jeep Wrangler (apparently that is what you have to drive in Maui). Upon refusal we then got upgraded for free to a very Presidential blacked out SUV....that's how we roll and critically more than large enough for the bike! You might sense a theme that travel day is all about getting the bike to the destination in one piece.
Race headquarters is on the Kapalua resort on the west side of Maui and we are staying within the resort at a condo so for the next 5 days we are really close to all the Xterra shenanigans. Driving north from the airport was spectacular, along the coast and some great looking beaches. Going through Lahaina, I looked out for the cast of the short lived "Living Lahaina" which for some reason I remember from MTV. We did see plenty of shave ice and surf shops though....
The resort here looks fantastic and a great setting for Xterra Worlds! Over the next few days I'll get out onto the trails to check out the bike course and at least some of the run course. Once we arrived, it wasn't long until sun down so after putting the bike together (phew it was all good!) and a quick grocery trip, Sarah and I headed out for a short shake-out run. It gradually got dark so apart from seeing the race village and heading down to the beach it was on the resort roads.
Oh I almost forgot....my parents arrived late in the day, we just about stayed awake to welcome them!. They are here for the race and then we go our separate ways as they tour the Hawaiian Islands for the next three weeks. Dad is also racing the trail 10km with Sarah on Saturday so start placing your bets on the winner!
Vacations are fun, the travel to get to your destination is never much fun! We headed to Phoenix for the first leg and then on a packed flight to Maui....yes a bunch of triathletes were on board but a heck of a load of kids to disrupt the sound of the Antman movie on the tiny above the head screens. It felt like transatlantic flights in the 80's! And boy Maui is a long ways away!
We finally landed at 200pm local time headed to baggage and waited along with all the other nervous triathletes in the hope that one of the big back boxes would a) be ours b) have a bike in it and c) have a unbroken bike in it. We went three for three and the Orbea Oiz was still in one piece after TSA had their way. Next up was cramming all the luggage and bike boxes onto the car rental shuttle and then being offered the "special offer" of a convertible Jeep Wrangler (apparently that is what you have to drive in Maui). Upon refusal we then got upgraded for free to a very Presidential blacked out SUV....that's how we roll and critically more than large enough for the bike! You might sense a theme that travel day is all about getting the bike to the destination in one piece.
Race headquarters is on the Kapalua resort on the west side of Maui and we are staying within the resort at a condo so for the next 5 days we are really close to all the Xterra shenanigans. Driving north from the airport was spectacular, along the coast and some great looking beaches. Going through Lahaina, I looked out for the cast of the short lived "Living Lahaina" which for some reason I remember from MTV. We did see plenty of shave ice and surf shops though....
The resort here looks fantastic and a great setting for Xterra Worlds! Over the next few days I'll get out onto the trails to check out the bike course and at least some of the run course. Once we arrived, it wasn't long until sun down so after putting the bike together (phew it was all good!) and a quick grocery trip, Sarah and I headed out for a short shake-out run. It gradually got dark so apart from seeing the race village and heading down to the beach it was on the resort roads.
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| The Bike overlooking Molokai! |
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| The view from the condo...... |
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Xterra Worlds 2015 Countdown: 5 days to go.....Expectations
Tuesday: 5 days to go and the bike is ready to get to Maui. That is the main worry now, ensuring that we get there and the bike gets there, preferably at the same time!
Training wise it was a very short and simple run today on the treadmill. Just a few strides in a 3 mile run which is essentially an easy pace run with short bursts of race pace. Nothing taxing and allowed me to finish the pile of work on my desk :-)
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| Had to go in the big boys box....the bag just didn't cut it! Thanks to Parvilla Cycles! |
Yesterday I didn't get round to rambling about my race expectations.....without doubt it will be an amazing trip and a great race, but what do I expect of myself in terms of a race and race result. It is something that I have been thinking about for the past few weeks. Training has gone well - it's been consistent and steady, the technical skills on the bike have gradually got better and with the new Orbea Oiz it will only be better.
From what I know of the course, which is based on video of last year and a few race reports, it is more of a fitness course than a technical course. That bodes well for me as I tend to do better on those courses, less time to lose over the technical stuff. The entire course is hilly....sustained climbs, not something that we have around here but again an area where hopefully fitness will trump technique.
The run course looks to be 3 miles up and 3 miles down with the final section on the beach. Luckily both Sarah and Dad are running the 10km over the same course the day before on Saturday....they can give me the skinny. Heat will certainly play a part. Daytime highs are around 85 with significant humidity which isn't much different from Maryland....if it were August! The last few weeks have been solidly in the 60's here so it will definitely feel hot when we land tomorrow! Four days won't be enough for acclimatization so it will be a matter of keeping on top of the hydration and nutrition before and during the race.
Result wise I know it will be very stiff competition, after all it is the World Championships. Based on previous years results and times I think a top 15 in age group would be a very solid result and one I would be pleased with. Although a trip to Maui won't be in the cards every year, I hope to be back to Worlds and can use this trip as a stepping stone to bigger and better results.
To wet the appetite here are some images from today of where we will be swimming!
Xterra Worlds 2015 Countdown: 6 days to go......
Monday: 6 days to go and 1 day to go until we fly out to Maui for Xterra Worlds! Nothing crazy to write about and less time to do so as it's all about trying to get work finished up before 10 days out of the office. It always seems like you have to work more before you go on vacation than you actually spend on vacation!
Anyway, training wise it was an easy treadmill run at lunch and then a flaying of the arms in the pool in the evening. Nice and easy to stretch the body out. The plan was to pack the bike in the evening but I came to realization that the bike bag is a little too small for the 29'er so will have to take the regular bike box instead. Oh well, $150 each way it is then...don't get me started on airline fees for bikes. Unfortunately we are flying with American Airlines rather than our preferred Southwest and the baggage fees are kind of extortionate!
I was going to write about my expectations for the race but will have to do that in the next few days....
Anyway, training wise it was an easy treadmill run at lunch and then a flaying of the arms in the pool in the evening. Nice and easy to stretch the body out. The plan was to pack the bike in the evening but I came to realization that the bike bag is a little too small for the 29'er so will have to take the regular bike box instead. Oh well, $150 each way it is then...don't get me started on airline fees for bikes. Unfortunately we are flying with American Airlines rather than our preferred Southwest and the baggage fees are kind of extortionate!
I was going to write about my expectations for the race but will have to do that in the next few days....
If anyone is (as you should be!) interested in the live timing and feed for XTERRA Worlds (Maui) next Sunday (November 1), here is the info:
"You can join the discussion by following us on facebook, twitter and instagram @xterraoffroad. #xterramaui and #xterra20 are the official hashtags for all things XTERRA Worlds as we celebrate twenty years of off-road racing on Maui.
Enjoy our live finish camera on race day at www.xterramaui.com, beginning about 11:15am Hawaii time (1:15pm PST, 4:15pm EST, 11:15pm Europe and Monday, November 2 - 8:15am Sydney/6:15am Tokyo)
"JTL Timing will have live, unofficial race times for all competitors throughout the event."
Click BELOW for the link to live results. Sign up to receive text updates BELOW. And, don’t forget to visit the XTERRA website – a great source for event information everywhere on the XTERRA Planet.
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