The EPC Xterra Team Presented by Wheat Ridge Cyclery had a stellar season debut in the Las Vegas desert last week at the first Championship Xterra event of 2010. The Xterra West Championship brought out many of the best amateur and professional racers from across the country and after the dust had settled EPC’s “Hairy” Jason Michalak (pictured) walked away the as men’s amateur victor while finishing 8th amongst the pro’s! His incredible swimming power, continually improving mountain bike skills and steady running speed allowed him to lead the amateurs out of the water, keep the second and third place amateur males in sight on the bike and blow by them as they wilted under the desert sun in the closing miles of the run. One spectator even commented after the race saying she heard him mutter “check this shit out” as he ran past second place to take the lead with his zipper pulled down and shorts hiked up high. Well I think it’s safe to say that everyone was checking him out (especially the ladies) post race as he stood atop the podium and collected his medal. Well done!
HJ was not the only age-group victor in Vegas for EPC. Danielle Kehoe, despite a nasty head on collision on the bike, managed to gather herself and fix her bike 10 plus minutes later and continue on to finish 4th overall (20 seconds behind 3rd) in the woman’s amateur race, easily winning her age-group. She finished only 11 minutes behind the woman’s amateur winner, so there is no doubt she would have been in the mix for the win if she could have avoided that crash. Look for her to win some races in the coming months! READ MORE
The first race of the year has come and gone, the XTERRA West Champs outside of Las Vegas. (FULL REPORT HERE) It was by far my best opening day result (6th place), which is great, but it was not my best performance. In addition, the pro field was a bit weak with only 18 male pro’s which did not include a few of the heavy hitters like Mike Vine and Dan Hugo, and others that were there were certainly not on form this early in the year. I’m happy with the result and my overall showing, but far from satisfied. This all means that I need to keep working and follow my plan to build up as the season progresses.
Down to the nitty gritty. My Race Week went pretty well. Possibly my best to date. I’d like to stick with something similar for all my priority events. Here is what I did:
- Monday- easy hour run + easy hour swim with a 1500m straight swim + foam roller & stretch + nap
- Tuesday- Masters swim at full effort + nap
- Wednesday- 45 min swim w/ a 1500m straight swim + 2.5 hour Race Week Combo (two bike-run race pace intervals) + 1.5 hour massage.
- Thursday- Travel day. No training.
- Friday- 2 hour course pre-ride + 25 min run + 15 min swim in the lake + foam roller & stretch + nap
- Saturday- 15′ swim + 15′ run + 60′ bike, all on course + foam roller & stretch
Race morning looked like this: READ MORE
Here it is…
The much anticipated Seven Sola SLX 29′er I will be racing on the 2010 XTERRA U.S. Championship Series. I have about 25 hours on the bike as of now and can honestly say it is the fastest bike I have ever ridden. The 29 inch wheels fly on the open stretches and roll over the rough stuff with ease. The Seven titanium tubing provides a smooth ride with all the stiffness I need. Big fan of the Lefty fork as well. Depending on tires (Schwalbe’s of course) the weight ranges from 19.75-18.5 pounds. Pictures say a 1000 words, so I’ll leave it to the pics below.
19.3 pounds as pictured.
- CW
I found another great nutritional product through the help of SoCal Xterra champ turned MTB racer James “I swear I’m not a tri-geek, I just like to run” Walsh: FLUID. I have been using the recovery drink after every workout (that means up to 3 drinks a day!) for the last 6 weeks and the difference is noticeable. I am experiencing considerably less fatigue/soreness after workouts and finding my energy levels high enough to keep my workout quality high. What I’m finding to be really great about this product is that it has only just what you need right after your workout and nothing more. Quality sugars (maltodextrin and fructose) to begin replacing glycogen stores, 4:1 whey protein ratio to boost muscle repair, sodium and potassium electrolytes to assist in restoring what you’ve lost, some vitamin C to boost the immune system, and the secret to the lessened post workout soreness, L-Glutamine. This amino acid not only boosts the immune system, but more importantly reduces inflammation and aids in the absorption of the carbs and protein at the cellular level. Good stuff! And here is the great part about this product, all this good stuff in only 125 calories per serving!
Why is 125 calorie serving so great? Well for one it’s easy to digest. There is not an overload of protein like some other product out there that cause bloating, cramping or gas. It’s light on the palate, tastes good, and enjoyable to drink. No more choking down drinks post-workout because “it’s good for me”. I actually find myself craving FLUID after my workouts! The serving size is just right for the first 30 post-workout. Just enough time to get in your shower and stretch or make your favorite real-food recovery meal. Some recovery drinks are 300+ calories and replace meals. I don’t know about you, but I love food and look forward to good recovery meals. FLUID gets me just what I need to start the recovery process and gets me through the first 30-45 minutes after workouts and I let good food take over from there. My gut is happy about this, my taste buds are happy about this and my muscles are happy about this. Solid product! Give FLUID a try yourself and see what you think.
Heading into it’s 3rd year, the EPC XTERRA Team is continuing it’s growth and popularity heading into 2010. Presented this year by Wheat Ridge Cyclery, the team currently consists of 18 athletes divided into two categories “elite amateur” and “age grouper” where the “elite” group is expected to mentor and assist their fellow age-groupers in training, race preparation and other important advice that the less experienced racers are eager to learn. The seven elite-amateurs meanwhile are all eyeing the coveted XTERRA Regional, National and World Championship titles in their respected age-groups as well as overall amateur wins! The supportive atmosphere throughout the team makes it’s an invaluable resource for all members to train, travel, have fun and reach their goals together.
The team is lead by Endurance Performance Coaching’s head coach and XTERRA Pro Cody Waite. While the entire team follows training plans created by Cody and/or elite-team member and EPC coach Cary Kinross-Wright, several of the athletes work closely with Cody and Cary with personal coaching to ensure they get the most out of their training and racing.”We work closely together as a team throughout the season with group training sessions where we get together to push each other and build some great friendships” says coach Cody. Over the winter months they meet for weekly indoor trainer sessions, swims, group rides and runs. “In the spring as the weather and daylight hours improve we will be heading outdoors more for some killer bike-run combo sessions designed for all ability levels to train together. They are super challenging and a good time” claims Waite. READ MORE
The EPC Xterra Team Presented by Wheat Ridge Cyclery had a stellar season debut in the Las Vegas desert last week at the first Championship Xterra event of 2010. The Xterra West Championship brought out many of the best amateur and professional racers from across the country and after the dust had settled EPC’s “Hairy” Jason Michalak (pictured) walked away the as men’s amateur victor while finishing 8th amongst the pro’s! His incredible swimming power, continually improving mountain bike skills and steady running speed allowed him to lead the amateurs out of the water, keep the second and third place amateur males in sight on the bike and blow by them as they wilted under the desert sun in the closing miles of the run. One spectator even commented after the race saying she heard him mutter “check this shit out” as he ran past second place to take the lead with his zipper pulled down and shorts hiked up high. Well I think it’s safe to say that everyone was checking him out (especially the ladies) post race as he stood atop the podium and collected his medal. Well done!
