XTERRA Buffalo Creek
23.06.2009
After my win in Winter Park last week, I got back after it. It’s now 4 weeks until the XTERRA Mountain Cup in Beaver Creek, 14 weeks until XTERRA Nationals in Utah and 18 weeks until XTERRA Worlds in Maui. It’s time to stay focused, buckle down and hit it hard.
Last week’s training looked like this:
- Monday: Recovery spin (2:00)
- Tuesday: Short interval speed swim (:45), Vo2 bike-run combo intervals (2:00).
- Wednesday: Endurance climbing mtb ride (3:30), hilly transition run (1:00), open water endurance swim (:40)
- Thursday: Recovery spin (1:30)
- Friday: Race Prep: Course pre-ride (1:30), acceleration run (:15), acceleration swim (:15)
- Saturday: XTERRA Buffalo Creek
- Sunday: Recovery spin (1:30)
XTERRA Buffalo Creek went well overall. We ended up with a small, but solid group of pros in the men’s field. Branden Rakita and myself were the “regular” Xterra pros, and then we had 3 solid ITU pros from Boulder joining in on the fun, and a couple of other guys in the mix as well. I had yet another lack luster swim leaving me 5 minutes behind the four leaders getting on my bike. Branden and the ITU dudes swam 20 minutes, I swam alone in 24:50. Sad.
Anyhow, I had made my mind up before the race that I wanted to put everything into my bike at this race. Leave nothing behind and simply kill the bike course. Mostly for confidence purposes heading towards my A-races, but I also knew that was my only chance at winning the race as Branden and the others would kill me out of the water.
I hit it hard out of transition and never let up. I think I may have ridden that course about as cleanly and focused as I could. I covered the 20 miles, 3000 feet of climbing of fire road and singletrack in 1:23. just shy of 5 minutes faster than Branden and 7-10 minutes faster than the other ITU dudes.
Out of T2 I was in second only 40 seconds behind Branden. I kept my focus and headed off on the run with the goal of winning. At the halfway point, after the only climb and descent portion of the run, I closed it to 20 seconds and I could see 1st place ahead. I zeroed in and put my head down and ran. Along the flat lake road Branden was able to keep his distance despite my effort. With a half mile to go, into the final trail portion back to the finish I knew I was running out of trail to catch him. Then 200 yards to go I hear someone behind me! Shit, I forgot about the ITU guys running behind me. Around the final corner and 50 yards to go I get out sprinted for 2nd and finish a dissapointing 3rd place. 22 seconds from first, 2 seconds from 2nd.
Major bummer and bad mistake on my part to not look behind me on the run. I was so focused on the runner ahead, that I lost track of the faster runners behind. Painful lesson to learn, but glad it was here rather than at Nationals and for 2nd place and not 1st.
Still a solid race and a strong bike which was what I was looking for. Now it’s time to focus in and get ready for the big events ahead. My plan is to swim a bit more so I can maybe get a minute back by Nationals, keep the bike going on the upward swing with more bike racing, and maintain my run strength for the hilly courses ahead.
CW
solid training and racing dude… i think you should use that same race plan from hear on out. if you put your head down on the bike i don't there is really anybody who can ride with you.
don' sweat it to much. the guy tyler that got 2nd was in the olympics in 2004 and rode for slipstream last season. you killed the bike like a redneck kills squirrels!