Caveman wins XTERRA Buffelspoort 2012 despite a broken zipper.

Stoked to kick the season off with a win. The Festive Season on the farm is over, so is the twice weekly splash in the dam, but the never ending honeymoon is full steam ahead.

Even though its the start of the season, I’m happy with a solid performance - set up by a reasonable swim. I’m busy fixing my swim stroke (again) and just started real THRICE weekly swim training- tailor made by Mikael Mendonca.

The bike leg was quite eventful early on- about 10 minutes in I was pumping it, and there was no one in the rear view mirror. I then came upon a closed gate as the road forked. The arrow pointed towards the gate, but in my disbelief I went the other way. It was a 6ft game fence with bladed wire rolls on top. How can the route go there?! But I knew it saw the right way, and turned around, opened the gate, just as the 2nd guy and Dan rolled up.  5 Min down the road there was another closed gate- this one had a lock on it. I got off the bike and started to look for a place to throw my bike over. Was still pondering the consequences of climbing a bladed wire fence in white Lycra. (and how 500 other guys in Lycra would fare) I took a last look at the lock- the shackle was not clicked in. A loud “BLIKSEM” helped it open quicker - a minute gone - I hopped on, just in time to have Dan and Theo velcro onto my wheel. Ah, a pretty swim wasted. I had to rebuild a new lead, and got off with a 2 min 30 gap.

My bike training has been pretty solid as we’re getting ready for SA Time Trail  Champs. (last week my coach discovered the event is March 1 and not next week!) This time I have been spending more time testing and getting comfortable on my UCI legal Specialized SHIV - we’re up quite a few watts from last year, but I bet so is everyone else…

The run course was really really tough, (I ran 53min for the 12km) - it has 3 huge climbs per lap and equally steep downhills. It was hot, and felt slow, but it turned out everyone was slow. Even Stuart “Flying Feet” Marais battled on the run. Hats off to the Warriors battled on till way past lunch time.  I’ve been doing a lot of Biomechanical correction work with my physio in Stellenbosch  Christoff Smit, and I’m looking forward to increased mileage and a more rounded game.

Top 10 Pro Male results:

My new not-so-secret weapon

Even checking the bike course to make sure the bridges are Caveman proof…

I quote from the XTERRA race report:

[ STOLTZ AND VAN HUYSSTEEN SECURE ANOTHER XTERRA BUFFELSPOORT VICTORY

Reigning individual men’s and women’s champions, Conrad Stoltz and Carla Van Huyssteen expected nothing less than a battle when they returned to Buffelspoort Dam on Saturday, 28 January 2012 to defend their titles at the grueling  TOTALSPORTS XTERRA Buffelspoort Full presented by REHIDRAT® SPORT. Although competition was tough, both Stoltz and Van Huyssteen proved to be unstoppable on the day, railroading to victory in a finishing time of 02hours20minutes08seconds and 02hours52minutes55seconds respectively.

According to Stoltz, the 2012 XTERRA Buffelspoort was a fun season opener.  “The event was really scenic with a great atmosphere.  I had a good swim and made a gap on the mountain bike discipline right away. I really enjoyed this leg as it featured a bit of everything. The run was tough with some big hills, this combined with the heat and humidity on the day made it quite a challenge.  I take my hat off to all XTERRA warriors who spent up to 5  hours out there.  I dont think anyone had an "easy time" out there.  I am really happy to start the season off on a good foot and am looking forward to XTERRA Grabouw.  I am thankful to have my wife, Liezel support and help me on every level.  I’m usually a little late for my races, but this morning I was on time and even had warm breakfast in bed!  I could relax and take it easy before the start all thanks to her.  Married life really is better than what I imagined possible, I'll never leave home without my wife!” says Stoltz.  Dan Hugo came in second, while Stuart Marais finished third.]

Carla van Huyssteen had to wrestle free from her torn wetsuit in the middle of the lake,  (it started parachuting wildly) but stayed calm and strong. Good luck with the European XTERRAs this year!

I rolled my beloved Specialized Sworks  Epic 29er with fast Renegade Control tires on this undulating, sandy, rocky and lumpy course. Raced with GoPro camera, which will hopefully provide some footage for the XTERRA TV shows.

In order to get the Caveman some real splits, Liezel even braved the back seat of Fanus Oosthuizen’s* very unique dirt bike - with real bells and whistles!! - the price to pay was shooting B-roll with the fish eye lens at 60km/hr through the veld. Thanks Fanus!

*Official Oakpics photograher and Roof of Africa hopeful.

Russell White - aged 55 - dirt bike legend and coach - also triathlon ace (he taught me my 1st Motocross Start right after the 2000 Olympics - and rolled with laughter when I flipped the bike). He aced the Lite race by such a margin and speed, the camera man wanted to know if it was the leader of the Lite race, or a pro warming up for the full. I’m with you Russ - age is but a number…

The bike transition was PACKED.  A lot of new people to the sport: The story of the day though was the record field of 1500 athletes combined in both events.  Wow!  It is so cool to see how our sport has grown - a testament of the importance of TV, good, fun races and especially the way Stillwatersports has managed the sport and the brand the past 8 years.  Looking forward to racing more XTERRAs in more places soon.

Like I said, PACKED:  Lite race start - there is barely space for water in there!

Lite swim finish… at least now you can see some water in spaces

Getting a tweet from Lance Armstrong on race morning is always nice… thanks Lance!  Hope to see you at the XTERRA SA Championships in Grabouw end of February…

Looking at my wife… I’ll have to work on my 6-pack a bit harder…  Thanks to Oakley who pimped us earlier this week.  I raced with the “Radar” with XL lenses and Liezel is rolling the “Immerse”

Did I mention the hills on this nasty 2×6km “run”? (I also sauntered them on lap 2)

Did I mention the heat? These are the more serious athletes cooling down. I took a similar little dip here and vowed to never go to a race without my Bex Runner cooling devices again - no matter what the weatherman says…

Some had cooling strategies of their own…

Great to see XTERRA family from all over. Got to hang with the Namibians quite a bit. What a fun group of people. Patrick, (de Goede) we missed you this time, thanks for the biltong, and God bless…

Traveling by rental car, my wife, my bike and I miss our Thule bike racks and Kelfords Ford Fiesta TERRIBLY.

We’re currently on the farm visiting my parents. We recently heard my dad’s cancer is terminal. He is not getting further treatment. He walks most mornings, I hobbled along on sore legs. Happy to share a mile and a story. If people ask him how he is he’ll say: “I’m dying, but otherwise I’m fine thank you.”

No no, this is not the office. BUT the fine lunch and even finer wine at Guardian Peak Winery with my lovely wife,

is the reason I ended up in the office on Sunday AFTERNOON…

3hrs on my Specialized Roubaix. Stellenbosch to the far side of Franschhoek pass. 4 Passes. Hard tempo up both sides of Helshoogte and both sides of Franschhoek pass, and twiddling along at 300- 330W on the flats.

One of the biggest allures to me about the Stellenbosch area is the amazing scenery… Simonsberg here

And if course the Franschhoek Pass baboons…

The Franschhoek Baboon has got to be the laziest baboon to walk the earth…

Ok, this little one is still semi awake and admiring his toe.

Top of Franschhoek Pass. In this corner, Barry Pauw- my team mate at the 2005(06?) Cape Epic, rolled a front tire (because of a slow puncture) 130km into the 8th stage, already we had lost 3 chain ring bolts (fixed chain rings together with zip ties and could only use big ring!) and punctured twice. And my achilles was half torn by then. In other words- we were not filled with mirth- Barry’s front wheel washed out in the hair pin bend and he crashed wholesale across the road- Barry, bike, bottles, big words and glasses all scattering in different directions. We fixed the small side wall cut by wrapping duct tape around the tire a few times, (now THAT looked Caveman-like) and vowed never to do this bladdie stoopid race again.

In that same corner, you’ll find the sweetest mountain water- I never miss the refill stop.

Back up Helshoogte you get the other view of Simonsberg. Oooh, what cute little numbers dancing around on the Wattage meter screen- its gonna be a good season. (XTERRA Buffelspoort this coming weekend)

Finally- Dorpstraat Stellenbosch- home sweet home.

Liezel played international Netball (Americans. click here for Netball video) for the past 15 years, and just recently took the endurance sport plunge. She took to the endurance thing like a springbok to the Karoo, and here, doing intervals on the Stellenbosch fields, I had to ride my bike just to keep up…

The Totalsports Challenge is a great season opener- its a fun event, the course is really scenic, all kinds of endurance junkies pitch up and we decided  to do the Terra Firma event as a Mixed Team: I do the 45km draft legal TT (road bike) leg, Liezel does the 13km road run leg, I do the 30km MTB leg, and she does the 9km beach run…

The 45km bike. I used it as a trial run for the upcoming SA TT Champs. So I didnt bother with drafting or trying to attack anyone. I’m trying to make friends with my UCI legal (no nose cone) Specialized SHIV TT. However, the hard part is staying friends  with the “Flat bike” as I call it for an hour of pain. The Time Trail is called “the race of truth”, and after 40 minutes or so, no amount of speed (or big watts) makes up for the pain surging through your body…

A gaggle of riders enjoyed my draft for 43 of the 45km, (the yellow line offers the least rolling resistance)

But whenever the TV got near, and on the 2 big climbs (Rooiels in picture) they attacked.

We finished in a pack of about 7, Liezel (in pink) waited at the change-over and burned some rubber on the way out. 13km is a long race for a first time runner, but she paced it well, and put some time into our competition.

After that hard TT leg (1.02 for 45km) my legs were a little dented, but gravity provided some relief and time for play. (And to pick off a few more riders) Thanks to Fanus at Oakpics.com for the great pics

Liezel blitzed the 9km beach run bare foot and brought it home 4th in the open Terra Firma and 1st in the Mixed  teams. It was so much fun being able to race with my wife and being able to watch and support each other along the way. We do some of our training together which is great, but we are both born competitors and nothing makes our adrenaline pump like a gun at the start!

Talking to the TV  hairy squirrel (microphone) in top right…

Hobnobbing with fast athletes Kevin Evans and Richard Murray instead of warming up. Notice GoPro camera- when I get some time (and skill) I’ll put a video up.

After a long day, our Team Kelfords Ford Fiesta with Thule racks, and securely locked Specialized Shiv TT and Specialized Sworks Epic 29er takes a romantic overnight break at Hangklip,  Pringle bay.

After an action packed, fun day, Team Stoltz takes a romantic break at Hangklip, Pringle Bay…

[Hey Conrad Stoltz,
You are a big hero of mine and you have inspired me to cycle from central China to Denmark, my home country. I've been a fan of you since I heard about the BAMF nail incident. [He's referring to this blog. C]
I know you are busy with your wifey, congratulations man, but I would be really pleased if you could update your blog. You don’t have to do some crazy long blog, just a little bit and it would be great.
All the best,
your fan Henrik Hagemann]

Hendrik prompted me to start blogging again.

1st off: “Hey Hendrik Hagemann, please write me your story and I’ll post it on the blog. China to Denmark is a loooong bike ride, and I wish to know if I inspired you in a good or bad way to ride that far…

Your fan Conrad Stoltz”

What happened since the last blog after World Champs:

Thanks to a match made in heaven, Liezel (nee Wium) and I blitzed romance, engagement and got married on 11.11.11 in South Africa. Good wedding pictures take time, I’ll blog about the wedding when the photographer is done editing…

Since then we have been having an amazing time, honey mooning and spending quality time together… We started on the tropical island of Mauritius,

Stayed a while… (Here sailing over shallow corral reefs)

Then Thesen Island in Knysna, South Africa,

Knysna Elephant Park was an amazing experience…

And after all that time in and around the ocean, we headed for the Karoo.

Then we had a quick 2 weeks in Stellenbosch (Liezel had to work!?) and then we joined my parents on the farm for the Festive season.

It rained  A LOT. Sometimes flooding the road and cutting us off from the outside word…

And sometimes you just have to hold your breath and take the plunge…

Liezel got to meet the rest of my family and we had a great Christmas.

I re-lived my dream from when I was a 3 year old. (Back then, there was no triathlon)

Training? Yes, we did some. My wife is a machine!

Here is a rough draft of my race schedule, kicking off this weekend:
Jan 14: Total Sports Challenge. Liezel and I will do the 2 man Terra Firma event under “Team Stoltz”
Jan 28: XTERRA Buffelspoort SA.

Feb 5 National road TT champs
Feb 12: National MTB Champs
Feb 28 XTERRA SA- Grabouw

March 3: Argus MTB race.

As you can see, we had an amazing 2 months together, growing even closer. We wanted to start our marriage off on the right foot, and keep joking “we’re on honeymoon for life”.  I didnt blog for these 2 months because the “bloody computer” is probably the biggest distraction from personal interaction and training, so I switched it (and the “bloody phone”) off and left it at home for 3 weeks. Was quite a liberating experience. Blogging is a hobby, not business as I have yet to make a cent from it, but I’ll gladly humour you guys, and thus keep recording memories.

Thanks for the kick in the backside Hendrik

To get to the bottom of my breathing problems at XTERRA Worlds,  I went to the see Dr. Jeroen Swart (whom I used to race MTB against in South Africa- I like my professionals fast and/or fit!) at the Sports Science Institute in Cape Town. I made sure to do this test before our wedding on 11/11/11 as I didnt want to run the risk of being breathless for the wrong reason…
Test for Exercise Induced Asthma:

I ran on a treadmill “till you fall off” and blew through a spirometer before and after  (3 blows -for best average- every 2 minutes for a 10 minute period) running to measure air flow. Afterwards I went through my medical history with Jeroen and we identified that I may well have had many previous episodes of broncho-spasm (where the airways close up and make breathing difficult) but, we found that it gets particularly bad when I have an infection which exacerbates it.

In September last year (2010) I had similar symptoms after having bronchitis for 3 weeks. (I stupidly raced with a head cold at XTERRA Canada and thereafter I got bronchitis for 3 weeks) Things only settled down when the doctor prescribed an inhaler with a bronchodilator and a corticosteroid. Suddenly I felt amazing, pumped the training sessions and won XTERRA USA Champs by 4 min (at altitude- much to my surprise) and XTERRA Worlds by more than 5 minutes, but thought I was cured for good as I reasoned it was “only bronchitis” and stopped using the inhaler after Worlds.

Then this year, I got sick from over racing in February, and had what I thought was mild flu with a bad cough for 3 weeks. I missed 3 big races and a sad DNF at XTERRA South Africa. I saw 3 docs, went through 2 courses of antibiotics and in the end was diagnosed with “a rare fungus in my lungs, usually found in bat guano, found in caves.” The doctor didnt know me so well and asked, if I have been in a cave recently. Thought that was a funny question for the Caveman…

Prior to XTERRA Worlds I picked a light viral infection ended up having a slight fever 4 days before the race. I had a few wheezes during training but nothing too serious and less than 2 weeks before I had a number of amazing sessions where I knocked my PB 2010 bike numbers out of the park. (I rode 10 x 5′ hill reps at race effort- the lowest avs power was 455 and the best and last was 477W)  However, at Worlds, coming out of the swim and especially during the bike leg, I felt very short of breath, tired legs and developed a rasping sound in my chest. It turns out that this is a type of wheezing, and was due to the air having to move through the narrowed air passages.

What the numbers said:

I have the lungs of a caveman and they happen to be about 1 litre larger than the average guy of my height and weight. All good so far.

However, after running till failure and then blowing through the spirometer as hard as I could,  instead of being able to empty at least 80% of the air in my chest in the first second of breathing out, I was only exhaling about 75%. More profoundly was the movement of air in the middle of my breath (which is a more sensitive test for asthma and broncho-spasm). In that middle phase I was about 1.3 litres lower than the average guy. If you consider that my lungs are a litre bigger than average, I was probably moving about 2 litres less than I should be. Losing 2 litres on 8 litre lungs with each breath is not a handicap you want at this level of racing.
So it turns out that I have a subtle case of exercise induced asthma that I have coped with during my career but which fells me if I develop an upper airway infection and then try an exercise.  Other conditions which also exacerbate the asthma is cold dry air, chlorine and altitude. (no wonder I hated racing at altitude so much, and hopefully the chlorine explains the relative slow times and dislike for the pool?!)

To supersize (normalize) my breathing, the doctor prescribed an inhaled bronchodilator called Salmeterol which I need to take before exercise. These inhalers used to need a special dispensation from WADA (World Anti Doping Agency) called a TUE but after extensive research it turns out that they really don’t provide any advantage unless you have broncho-spasm or asthma. As of 1 January 2011, WADA has taken away the need for a TUE for these inhalers.  So if you dont have asthma, the inhaler wont make you any faster, but there is a limit to the amount of Salmeterol you may have in your urine, but to get there you need to take something like 350 puffs all at once.

Emotionally (and financially) it was a brutally painful experience, and I wish I didnt have to learn this lesson at World Champs, as its the pinnacle of the season, my form was so amazing, it was the run for my 5th XTERRA World title, the course was nice, and obviously during the race I was seriously confused about where all those Watts went I had just a week before. Surely you dont turn “old” the day your clock strikes 38? (race day was my birthday- a racing memory I’d like to forget)

On the other hand, I’m super excited to know that in future I’ll be faster- without all that extra training! EVEN at altitude, AND in the pool!

XTERRA Worlds 2011. DNF

Disappointed I couldnt do my great form and World title justice at XTERRA Worlds yesterday. Started getting asthma when coming out the swim- couldnt ride close to my race pace and trying to run wasn’t even worth it.

However I had a great season- won ITU Cross Tri Worlds in one of my best performances ever, won my 9th XTERRA USA Series title, and best of all, in less then 3 weeks, I’m getting married to the most amazing girl to walk the earth…

Thanks for your support, -especially my sponsors- and thanks for the birthday wishes.

Caveman and Lance Armstrong at XTERRA USA Champs

Here is some really cool footage of Lance and I duking it out up the 1st long climb at XTERRA USA Champs in Ogden Utah. The buzz  Armstrongs’ participation at XTERRA created was amazing, and never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined trading punches with the 7x Tour winner up n climb on knobbly tired bikes. Even though Nico, Dan and Josiah (and the altitude!) worked me over, I’ll show the kids this video footage some day and say: “Your daddy used to be GOOD”.

Watch this video on www.cyclingdirt.org.

Thanks a lot to the good folks at Cyclingdirt.org for making me look good…

Part of the reason I havent been blogging lately is the fact that my Wordpress is too outdated to upload video.

2012 Specialized Sworks Epic 29er with Fast Trak 2.2 tires and 1x on form Caveman - ready for 5th XTERRA Worlds title

Here is an interview with Triathlon Competitor about Sunday’s (23 Oct) upcoming XTERRA Worlds.

Due to lack of time, I’m cutting and pasting Trey Garman from XTERRA’s pre race report:

To follow the event live, follow my twitter feed: @conradstoltz  

This is for sure the most exciting Pro field we’ve ever had, and I’m really looking forward to racing Lance Armstrong. This climbing extravaganza provides a nice comfy introduction to XTERRA. Apparently he’s a fast swimmer, so for once on the run I may be chaser and not the chasee…  Whichever way- its gonna hurt!

BEEHIVE STATE BUZZING WITH EXCITEMENT

Can Lance run? Will DeBoom stay close enough on the bike? Is there enough technical riding and running to bring out the best in the Caveman? Could this be the race that makes Josiah a household name? Perhaps the Frenchman will peak at just the right time? Maybe Seth will have the magic day?  Or is this the race Hugo busts out of the shadow of his mentor and becomes the champion?

Thank goodness races aren’t decided on paper, as the questions on “who can do what” at this year’s XTERRA USA Championship are simply too difficult to answer.  One thing is for certain, a pair of 40-year-old XTERRA rookies, Lance Armstrong and Tim DeBoom, ignited a firestorm of interest into what was already off-triathlon’s national treasure.

The other wildcard is a brand new 7+ mile Sardine Peak Trail that extends the mountain bike course to one of the Wasatch Range’s most visible peaks at 7,300-feet.  The 360-degree views that span from east to west are nothing short of breathtaking.

Combine more than 1,000 of the world’s best athletes with one of the nation’s best courses, perfect weather, and a community brimming with excitement and support and you have all the right ingredients for an intense showdown at Snowbasin Resort near Ogden, Utah.  Yet, intense isn’t the right descriptor – fun is.

“More than a decade ago I saw a picture of Steve Larsen running his bike through a creek in Richmond, Virginia and said ‘wow’, that looks like fun, so I applied my fitness to XTERRA and I really enjoy it,” said defending USA Champ Conrad “the Caveman” Stoltz (pictured above), who is shooting for XTERRA U.S. Pro Series title No. 9 on Saturday.  “I think that’s the same thing that draws Lance Armstrong here.  I presume he’s coming here to have fun and enjoy.”

It’s most certainly the reason Tim DeBoom is here.  “Oh yeah, the fun factor, and you know it’s for real when you see a guy like Conrad stick around the sport for 10 years,” said the two-time Ironman World Champ who is making his XTERRA debut on Saturday.

Indeed, the overwhelming majority of the men’s pro field have been in the mix for years, and it may be that experience – the time put in on racing against each other and at high speeds and on this mountain – that will make all the difference. The humble and soft spoken Josiah Middaugh (pictured), a true mountain man of all season and the six-time XTERRA National Champ, is certainly hoping so.

THE WOMEN’S RACE HAS DRAMA TOO

On the surface it seems that this is Melanie McQuaid’s race.   She’s won here the last three years, is in great shape, confident and determined.

Lesley Paterson, however, has progression on her side.  She was fourth here in Utah in 2008, third in ’09, and second last year.

“It suits me no doubt, lots of climbing, not too technical, and I race well at altitude,” said the fiery Scottish triathlete (pictured), who is also a film producer and writer.  “This is my year to win it maybe, who knows!”

Perhaps, but what if a miracle happens, and the reigning XTERRA World Champ Shonny Vanlandingham is able to overcame the aches and pains associated with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee?

“I tore my ACL five weeks ago, 90% off the femur,” said Vanlandingham, who has a custom brace that will do its best to keep her from further injuring the knee.  “I really just want to finish the race, and don’t have the same expectations of winning as I did five weeks ago but I I’m an athlete, I love to compete, and I am a woman of faith.  And, I do believe in miracles so it’s not totally out of my mind that I could win this race.  I do believe it’s possible.”

Vanlandingham has surgery scheduled on Oct. 7, so she won’t be able to race the XTERRA World Championship in Maui, but she will attend to support her fellow athletes and the sport.

While those are the premier three in the women’s race, the field is stacked and deep.  Watch out for Kelley Cullen – a mountain biker with mountain credentials – and Sara Tarkington, who is another great climber.  Emma Garrard from nearby Park City has had a great season, as has Canadians Danelle Kabush and Christine Jeffrey, who will lead them all out of the water.

Everywhere you turn there is a pro contender here in Utah, and they are all wearing smiles and having fun.  Only two, however, can ultimately walk away with the biggest grin – and the title of XTERRA USA Champion.  Who will they be?

SOME OF THE WEEKEND STORY LINES

While Lance Armstrong and the pro races are grabbing the majority of the headlines this week, there are literally hundreds of amazing stories to tell from this year’s field.  Here’s just a couple..
 - XTERRA great Jamie Whitmore makes a heroic return from cancer, and will compete in Saturday’s XTERRA Utah short course race. When Whitmore won the 2007 XTERRA USA Championship for the fifth time in her career it marked her 37th championship win.  At the time, it looked like 50, even 100 wins wouldn’t be out of the question. Then came cancer, and her focus turned from winning races to fighting for her life.  Thank goodness “J-Dawg” is as tough as they come and she not only survived, but thrived.  Whitmore now fills her days exercising, playing with her adorable twin boys – Ryder and Christian - and coaching others how to excel in their own careers.  While her days as an elite may have come to an end, her life as an athlete never will.  In fact, Whitmore’s athletic career got a new bill of health this year in the form of a brace that will allow her to ride her bike again.

“I have no glute, no hamstring, no calf and cannot move or feel my foot at all.  The only thing functioning on my left leg is my quad,” explained Whitmore.  “So this brace I’m going to get is really exciting stuff.  It’s the same brace Craig Vogtsberger uses when he races, and should be stiff enough for me to start riding the bike and not have my foot flop while I pedal. I am also having custom orthotics made to help with stability.”

- There are a trio of young deaf competitors – John Klish , Taylor Seavey, and Jessica D’Amato – who are competing at the highest level in the USA Championship race.  Klish is one of the favorites in the overall amateur race and Seavey is one of the sports brightest young stars.  Led by Klish, this trio has an ambitious plan to start an organization designed to increase deaf participation in events that will ultimately lead to a better quality of life for deaf individuals.
- “One-arm” Willie Stewart returns to XTERRA.  Steward dominated the challenged athletes division at XTERRA for years, and now brings his contagious smile and sense of humor - along with that super cool prosthetic arm that allows him to ride a bike - to Utah.  Other challenged athletes are also on the start list, including legally blind racer Michael Stone who returns to defend his title with the help of his friend and guide Jared Berg.  Craig Vogtsberger, who won the 2009 Physically Challenged XTERRA USA title, is also back (see story in today’s Deseret News).

XTERRA NATIONALS QUICK FACTS
WHO: More than 1,300 athletes from 40 states and 10 countries ages 13-to-80.
WHAT: The XTERRA USA Championship triathlon and XTERRA Utah short and long course tri’s are on Saturday, plus kids races, clinics, and Ogden’s annual Harvest Moon Festival, and the XTERRA Trail Run National Championship half-marathon and 5k, 10k fun runs are on Sunday.
WHEN: Friday-Sunday, September 23-25, 2011
The XTERRA Expo is from 12 noon to 6pm on Friday
The XTERRA USA Championship race starts at 9am Saturday
The XTERRA Trail Run Nationals race starts at 9am Sunday
WHERE: Ogden on Friday and Snowbasin Resort on Sat/Sun
WHY: Both the XTERRA Tri and Trail Run National Championship races are the culmination of 70-race nationwide series, that end with a best-of-the-best showdown in Utah.
TV: XTERRA TV is producing an hour-long, nationally broadcast television show on the USA Championship, highlighting Northern Utah as a mecca for outdoor adventure recreation.
WEBSITE: www.XTERRAUtah.com
LAST YEAR’S HIGHLIGHT VIDEO: www.XTERRA.tv
2011 XTERRA NATIONALS PRESS GUIDE

View and/or download a PDF of the XTERRA Nationals Guide complete with racer profiles, course descriptions and maps, schedule of events, past USA results, and more.
2011 XTERRA USA CHAMPIONSHIP PRO START LIST
Here’s the pro start list, complete with the bib number they’ll be wearing on Saturday.  Have a look at the key below that explains how they got their number…
2011 Rank - Name - Age, Hometown
1 - Conrad Stoltz - 37, Stellenbosch, South Africa
2 - Josiah Middaugh - 32, Vail, Colorado
3 - Nicolas Lebrun -38, Digne, France
4 - Branden Rakita - 30, Manitou Springs, Colorado
5 - Seth Wealing - 32, Boulder, Colorado
6 - Craig Evans - 33, Hendersonville, Tennessee
7 - Cody Waite - 32, Lakewood, Colorado
8 - Dan Hugo - 25, Stellenbosch, South Africa
10 - Jason Michalak - 33, Lakewood, Colorado
11 - Adam Wirth - 33, Boise, Idaho
12 - Brad Zoller - 33, Avon, Colorado
13 - Patrick Valentine - 25, Colorado Springs, Colorado
15 - Matt Boobar - 38, Stratton Mountain, Vermont
18 - Will Ross - 22, Anchorage, Alaska
24 - Jimmy Archer - Boulder, Colorado
25 - Will Kelsay - 29, Boulder, Colorado
30 - Ben Allen - 26, North Wollongong, Australia
31 - Lance Armstrong - 40, Austin, Texas
32 - Tim DeBoom - 40, Boulder, Colorado
33 - Chris Ganter - 32, Boise, Idaho
34 - David Henestrosa - 34, Manresa, Spain
35 - Michael Hiscott - 28, London, England
36 - Lewellyn Holmes -29, Bristol, England
37 - Greg Gibson – 31, Salt Lake City, Utah

2011 Rank - Name - Age, Hometown
61 - Melanie McQuaid - 38, Victoria, B.C., Canada
62 - Shonny Vanlandingham - 41, Durango, Colorado
63 - Christine Jeffrey - 38, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
64 - Emma Garrard - 30, Park City, Utah
65 - Suzie Snyder - 29, Fredericksburg, Virginia
66 - Jessica Noyola - 29, San Diego, California
67 - Caroline Colonna - 46, Taos, New Mexico
68 - Tracy Thelen - 31, Colorado Springs, Colorado
70 - Kelley Cullen - 30, New Castle, Colorado
71 - Lesley Paterson - 30, San Diego, California (Scotland)
72 - Sara Tarkington - 30, Boulder, Colorado
73 - Danelle Kabush - 36, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
74 - Luisa Bryce - 29, Denver, Colorado
75 - Jaime Brede - 33, Breckenridge, Colorado
77 - Kim Baugh - 31, Colorado Springs, Colorado
80 - Mical Dyck - 29, Victoria, B.C., Canada
81 - Tammy Jacques - 45, Steamboat Springs, Colorado
82 - Carina Wasle - 26, Kundl, Austria

- Numbers 1-25 represent men’s exact position in 2011 XTERRA U.S. Pro Series standings
- Numbers 30-up represent non-ranked pro men in alphabetical order, then late additions
- Numbers 61-77 represents women’s exact position (those ranked 1-17) in 2011 XTERRA U.S. Pro Series standings
- Numbers 80-up represent non-ranked pro men in alphabetical order, then late additions

2011 XTERRA NATIONALS VIDEO LINKS

Here what some of the top contenders are saying before the race, see some of the images from around the course, and be sure to have a look at the footage Conrad Stoltz captured with his GoPro camera mounted to his handlebars on the bike course this week…
2010 XTERRA USA Championship Show
Conrad Stoltz clips from the course, Part I (scenics)
Conrad Stoltz clips from the course, Part II (downhill)
Conrad Stoltz Pre-Race Interview
Shonny Vanlandingham Pre-Race Interview
Tim DeBoom Pre-Race Interview
Lesley Paterson Pre-Race Interview
Cindi Toepel Pre-Race Interview
Christine Jeffrey Pre-Race Interview
Pictures from the course

XTERRA USA PRIZE MONEY BREAKDOWN
The 2011 XTERRA U.S. Pro Series distributed $143,000 in prize money: $10,500 at each regional, $20,000 at the USA Championship, and $60,000 to the top overall points scorers in the Series. Here’s how Saturday’s payout breaks down to the top performers in the Series:

XTERRA U.S. Pro Series
Pro Purse ($60,000)    
Rank    Men    Women
1st    $10,000    $10,000
2nd    $6,000    $6,000
3rd    $3,500    $3,500
4th    $2,500    $2,500
5th    $2,000    $2,000
6th    $1,500    $1,500
7th    $1,200    $1,200
8th    $1,000    $1,000
9th    $800    $800
10th    $600    $600
11th    $400    $400
12th    $300    $300
13th    $200    $200
And for just the XTERRA USA Championship race:
XTERRA USA Championship
Pro Purse ($20,000)   
Rank    Men    Women
1st    $2,500    $2,500
2nd    $2,000    $2,000
3rd    $1,500    $1,500
4th    $1,200    $1,200
5th    $900    $900
6th    $700    $700
7th    $500    $500
8th    $350    $350
9th    $200    $200
10th    $150    $150

XTERRA USA TRIATHLON COMPETITOR STATISTICS
The XTERRA USA Championship triathlon is truly a national, even international, affair with just 5% of the field hailing from the home state of Utah.  Here’s a look at the stats…
Countries Represented: 10; Austria, Australia, Canada, France, Scotland/GBR, South Africa, Germany, Spain, Mexico, USA.
U.S. States Represented: 40
Oldest Man: Nathaniel Grew – South Woodstock, VT, 74
Oldest Woman: Libby Harrow - Vero Beach, FL, 60
Youngest Man: Nielsen Powless - Roseville, CA, 15
Youngest Woman: Erin Quinn - Littleton, CO, 15
XTERRA USA CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE STATS
Swim course distance: 1,500-meters (0.93 miles) Combines two 750-meter laps (no run in-between)
Elevation at Port Ramp Marina for swim start:  4,900-feet
Water temperature: 67.4 on Wednesday
Mountain bike course distance: 28-kilometers (17.7 miles)
Total climbing on bike: 3,400-feet
Elevation at highest point: 7,300-feet (where Sardine Peak Trail meets the ridgeline)
Elevation at T2/Snowbasin Resort Lodge: 6,400-feet
Trail Run course distance: 9.65-kilometers (6.0 miles)
Total climbing on run: 885-feet
Total climbing on course: 4,285-feet
HOW TO WATCH THE XTERRA USA CHAMPIONSHIP
Spectators should drive to Port Ramp Marina at Pineview Reservoir for the swim start th at 9am (there is plenty of parking) then head up to Snowbasin Resort for the finish. When leaving Pineview, the fastest route to avoid the slow down at the spillway (dam) will be to take a right turn out of the parking lot and go around the reservoir through Huntsville to the main highway (Trappers Loop) to Snowbasin.  At Snowbasin Resort spectators will be able to see the bike-to-run transition, finish line, and listen to live race updates from the announcers.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…
There has been an incredible amount of terrific media coverage in advance of this weekend’s XTERRA Nationals in Utah.  Here are links to a few of the stories, just in case you missed it…
Runner’s World Daily Digest - Max King Wanted Poster
Salt Lake Tribune Preview
Sports Illustrated Preview (AP)
ESPN - Armstrong to compete in XTERRA (AP)
15-year-old local boy McKay Hunt story
Deseret News - Craig Vogtsberger (pictured) overcomes all odds

The Caveman on Armstrong
Triathletes, Trail Runners head to Ogden/Snowbasin
The King to defend his Crown
UPCOMING XTERRA RACES
Sept. 24 - XTERRA Utah Off-Road Tris (Ogden/Snowbasin, UT)
Sept. 24 - XTERRA Harbins Park 10k Trail Run (Dacula, GA)
Sept. 24 - XTERRA Nationals Tri (Ogden/Snowbasin, UT)
Sept. 25 - XTERRA Nationals Trail Run (Ogden/Snowbasin, UT)
Oct. 22 - XTERRA Kapalua 5k/10k Trail Runs (Kapalua, Maui)
Oct. 23 - XTERRA World Championship (Kapalua, Maui)
XTERRA.TV - 24/7 WEB TV NETWORK
Check out XTERRA.TV to watch a wide variety of XTERRA programming right now.  Available content, which is updated weekly, features everything from the Maui show to adventures in Utah.  To see the XTERRA broadcast schedule listing shows that are on in your hometown check out our network TV Schedule
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Sorry, website cant do show video right now, (Old Wordpress) but the link will take you to youtube

Josh Shadle, owner of Tri-Massage. (And quite a speedster himself)

After my long trips to XTERRA Japan and Canada (blog to follow, promise) I came to Boulder with a legs “like cement”, so Josh worked his magic, returning them back to their usual muscly (albeit of steel) feel.

Josh’s 1 stop recovery shop, called  Tri-Massage is aimed at providing all the possible recovery needs for athletes:

• Muscle Restoration Threapy
• Ultrasound with E-Stim
• Sports Massage
• Chiropractic
• Graston Technique®
• KT Taping
• Functional Movement Screening
• Stride Pros Gait Analysis
• Chinese Herbal Wraps

Allsports Recovery Club, is a recovery center where you rock up when you want, open till late any day of the week, help yourself  whenever you feel like it deal- for $30 some/month:

• Normatec MVP Pro Compression
• Ice Bath
• FDA Approved Mini-Ultrasound
• FDA Approved Cold Laser w/tens
• Inversion Table
• Foam Roller, Tiger Tail & other tools

The Normatec boots room, is a relaxing room with ample space and Normatec machines for 6 people at the same time. It has all the athletes favourites: Big screen TV, WiFi, Cappuccino machine, recovery drinks, blender and smoothie ingredients!

Also a great place to catch up with long lost friends- ie Pros from far and wide. Just bumped into Tim O’Donnell and Tyler Butterfield.

Facilities like this is the future in sports recovery & performance…