XTERRA CURT GOWDY & OTHER THINGS

This update is long overdue.  Sorry folks for the delay.  Over the weekend of June 20th I traveled to Laramie/Cheyenne Wyoming for Xterra Curt Gowdy.  It was also a special weekend for me, because it was the first Father's Day I have been able to spend with my amazing daughter since she was 2 years old.  Needless to say, I was thrilled to have my #1 fan there with me. 

Scarlett hanging with me in transition before the start

OTHER STUFF

 

As I have mentioned before, I like to race with a purpose. I know if I were to never race again, workout daily, I could most likely live a totally happy life.  Obviously I am a competitive person, so personal gain is a huge factor.  I have mentioned before some of the other things that keep me going (role model for daughter/family/friends, be best possible ambassador for sponsors, promote the sport of Xterra, etc). 

 

But recently I have found something (someone) that could use some support, and I hope that my racing can be used to help out.  My first swim coach, Cindy O'dwyer, coaches the Jackson Hole Stingrays.  She coaches all ages of kids, and has helped produce some amazing swimmers over the years, including her own daughter, Sinead.  One girl in particular, Brianna Clancy, is poised to be one of these super athletes. At age 9 she already holds 10 state records.  In March, however, she was life flighted to Salt Lake City for emergency surgery to remove a brain tumor in her Cerebellum.  It turned out to be Medulloblastoma (Pediatric Brain Cancer). 

 

I was able to meet Brianna and some of her family back in early June, after her surgery and finishing 6 weeks of radiation.  She is preparing to return to Salt Lake for 6 months of Chemo.  What a tough little girl.  I have embarked on a mission to help her/her family as best I can during this difficult time for multiple reasons. She is close to my daughters age, and I can't imagine having to go through this from her perspective nor her family's.  I lost a really close friend of mine to cancer back in high school, and knowing how critical it is she gets the proper treatment, I want to do what I can to provide her that opportunity.  I have decided to dedicate my season to her, and specifically the World Championships in November. 

RACE

Swim (1200m):

A combination of cold water, tight wetsuit, first race of the season, and altitude have yielded panic attacks and poor results the past 2 years.  This year was different - I was prepared for these challenges, and after about 200 yards of hard swimming I settled in the lead group of my wave with Ryan Ignatz and Tyler Volz.  Honestly, I felt like I was cruising at recovery pace drafting off these guys, and was looking forward to starting the bike fresh.  A little foreshadowing - I noticed that my legs were feeling a little tired while kicking.  Luckily I didn't kick much, and the hope was that they'd loosen up on the initial road section of the bike. Swim time of 15:31, was good enough for 8th fastest overall.

I'm in the middle with the black cap

Bike (12 miles):

My transition from swim-bike was slow.  Couldn't get wetsuit off, and for some reason struggled to get into a rhythm.  This problem continued on the bike.  There was some passing early on, and then I spent the rest of the time struggling to chase down Bryce Phinney, whom I could see for most of the bike.  This course was very technical, and not at all what I've been training on, so I would lose ground in those sections and close gaps on the climbs.  My legs felt really flat, and the only way I was making any ground was to spin.  I couldn't push very hard gears, and was definitely worried about the run, but after 12 miles of navigating tricky rock features, I was kind of looking forward to running.  I held on to 5th from the guys in my wave, but the bike result ended up 1:04:11 and 9th overall.

P.S. - I do recommend, however, that everyone that makes it to the area check out these trails.  It's a gorgeous venue with excellent camp sites and fun/challenging trails.

 

Cruising in the meadow

Run (5.4 miles):

Bike-run transition was probably my worst ever.  It started ok, but I forgot my number belt.  Went back, got the number belt, but noticed the buckle was actually missing.  Went back again, looked for the buckle, then just tucked the ends into my shorts and went for a the 5.4 mile jog.  The first 3 miles of the bike are shared by the run.  Good news is that by now, you know what to expect, and the rock features are easier to manage on foot.  It was hot, and I think I was a bit dehydrated going into the run.  I didn't bring a flask, so I relied on the aid stations for water.  It was enough to get me through.  I pushed as hard as I could, and ended up with a time of 44:35 and 14th overall.

Final Result:

2:07:23, 1st Age Group, 9th Overall.  First age group win of the season - I'll take it.  3 races and 3 podiums...my times continue to drop, so I'm looking forward to my next priority race - Xterra Mountain Championship in Beaver Creek, CO.

30-34 Podium