Posts Tagged ‘mutual safes’
My last trip to Australia was in 2000 for the Sydney Olympics Games. The triathlon, but also the entire Olympic experience was just awesome. One of the fondest memories of my life. 14 years later, XTERRA is finally taking off in this country where triathlon is a main stream sport and where kids are born with the Triathlete gene.
Finally XTERRA is gaining traction in Australia, the XTERRA Australia organizers and New South Wales put on a great event, with good prize money (a rarety) and TV and press coverage. The Aussie Pros also stepped up, “roadies” crossing over to XTERRA, which is great to see. Notably Courtney Atkinson, Brandan Sexton and Kiwi Braden Currie.
Eager to follow through on my win in New Zealand the previous week, Princess Hotstuff and I made our way down the coast to Jarvis Bay.
As quite the meat pie connoisseur, I made sure to sample liberally of what Australia had to offer.
All the while enjoying the cultural experiences. Like car jewellery…
The course was really good. Fast, furious and fun in all 3 disciplines, even though a bit (3km) long in the run. Hats off to Ben Allen who put a whole lot of work into helping this event take off.
The scenery along the course was also quite entertaining. Towards sunset you could hear them crash through to woods as they jump around with those huge feet and tree trunk tails.
Like I said- fun, scenic and entertaining all in one.
Princess Hotstuff and I got “roped” into a snorkel trip for the NWS / XTERRA travel show. The TV show is geared towards tourism in the region- which and helps pay for the hosting of the XTERRA event.
Not that we werent thankful to go snorkeling, but after a fair bit of traveling and a couple of late nights, I started catching a cold on Tuesday. I was doing everything I legally could to not get sick. Stayed in bed as much as possible, mega doses of all kinds of vitamins, drank “Hot toddies” with Cayenne pepper, throat spray without stimulants and the good old snorting of salt water / bicarb of soda mix…
Also tried to learn the course without overdoing it. A bit of a tight rope walk.
To make matters worse there was the matter of our accomodation…
I”m the Caveman because I can sleep on train stations, or in my bike bag in a police station foyer, eat baked beans out of a tin and still perform on race day. We live out of bags just about 7 months of the year, and if I pay real money (wasnt cheap) for a vacation rental (when I’m at work) I dont expect my wife to live like a Caveman as well.
The level of false advertising with this “Vacation Rental” was absurd. We’ve come across it (false advertising) a number of times, this being the most blatant.
I cant remember the precise wording, but the photos were taken by a genius (wide angle lens/Photoshop/creative angles) and the ad included “Spacious house near beach”, “large garden with fruit trees” and conspiciously: “Sleeps 5”
It was basically a garage underneath the owners house, converted to a windowless bomb shelter where the bedroom has a view of the bathroom and where you can cook AND do the dishes AND sit at the dining room table WHILE sitting on the toilet.
For a few hours we didnt have the guts to unpack, not knowing if we’ll be able to move around.
Not a happy place when you’re sick in bed. We’re TV handicapped and couldnt even get more than a blue screen.
Bedroom of our happless 3 friends- Russell Kennedy (ZAR/AUS) James Walker (UK) and Craig Evans (USA). Also, the cutlery and kitchen utensils (by show of cheese grater) musta been left over from a Barbie doll house.
Princess Hotstuffs’ internet free office. And bedroom. And kitchen. And living room. And TV room. Another chapter in the “The Glamorous life of the traveling wife” book.
The basin in the bathroom couldnt even take a cycling jersey and chamois at the same time. Gotta love the one legged microwave oven support and cheery plastic dolpins everywhere…
And of course, the institution had a strict “bikes sleep outside” rule. My poor bike had to cuddle with the BBQ/braai.
We were lucky to find a motel room (everything was packed and crazy expensive over ANZAC weekend) for a few nights, but by then I was properly sick.
Then the icing on the cake: On my one and only run of the week (supposedly a 15min jog) I pull my calf muscle the night before the race. 10 minutes in. I walk home with my blinders on. “Dont think, just do.”
“When the gun goes and the adrenaline pumps- it will be all good…”
At home I text a photo to my guru in LA. “This is where it hurts. How do I fix it before tomorrow?” BTW- there is no app for that
The gun went, I chose the clever line to the left, running along the sand bar. I think I felt some pain. “Dont think, just do.” I rounded the 1st bouy in 2nd. Nice. But the beach run between the two 750m swim laps was interminally long. At least 200m. This time there was no mistaking the stabbing pain every time my foot hit the ground. I eased up a bit, lost the tail end of the lead pack, but not to worry, this bike course has my name all over it- flattish with a good mix of open and tight, smooth and rougher trails.
Once on the bike, (with Craig Evan here) I pushed the “Launch control” button, but nothing happened. More like “Cruise control”. I crawled past people I usually blow by. Had to swerve wildly to avoid a roadie crashing spectacularly through the first mud puddle. It was funny, I wanted to laugh, but something was feeling eerily off.
Long story short, I kept pushing and slowly passing people, but the further I went, the heavier I felt. I moved into 2nd and Roger Serrano climbed on my wheel. I couldnt shake him. A week ago I rode about 5minutes into him on a climbing course. (Roger loves climbing) The real single track started at 20km, but by then I had reached the proverbial cross roads.
Reality started clawing at my blinders. “Dont think, just do” wasnt working so well anymore. I had to face the facts: I have a cold, I feel terrible, I’m only halfway through this race and its going to get exponentially harder from here on. Remember Cameron Jones. Friend, pier and pro triathlete who died from a heart attack while racing in South Africa in ’96. Cameron was sick the week before and tragically raced against doctors orders.
By pushing more, I’m about to ruin my health. Its a long, 13km run. Speaking of running, there is the calf issue. Running on the beach earlier, it felt like it was going to tear.
Its not worth risking the rest of the season. I pulled the plug. Rolled to T2. Picked up my shoes and started riding down the road.
“Dont think.”
“Learn what you can, and forget the rest.”
I manage to not think for a while. But no amount of hard headedness will make the dull ache inside go away.
Princess Hotstuff pulls up alongside with the car. We hug for a long time. Always supportive. Understanding. Love conquers everything. She has been through cruel sporting highs and lows herself: “Live to leave a legacy”
Where is the flow?!
Why is 2014 such a nightmare?
– Dont pick travel schedules where you dont get to bed till 1am?
– Dont fly fish in the rain?
– Did someone wipe a snotty hand on an elevator button?
– Why now? Why me? Why here? What is wrong with 2014?! Its not like I’ve not been in race winning shape since January. I traveled to the other side of the world for this race. This event is perfect- I failed to rise to the occasion because of my health- just like XTERRA Grabouw.
$10 000 is a huge paycheck when you’re used to $1800 for winning. I dont have another 10 years’ racing to get this right.
In the meantime, you have to eat the elephant one bite at a time. In search of internet, we got a glimpse of the Australian love for lawn bowls
And the tools required to measure close calls….
We had a day or 2 or 3 in Sydney. Cant remember- was getting more and more sick because of the race. In hindsight- it was almost inevitable for Liezel to not get sick as well. Only now – 4weeks later- is she getting over it.
Stayed with friends in Balmain- my moms host family from 2000 Games- was good to bring back memories of the Olympics, (and their subsequent visit to Africa) – our farm and my dad. He was a tourist attraction all by himself.
Stunning city. View from the zoo.
Last time I saw this view of the Opera House was when I took the ferry to the start of my Olympic event…
“Get better soon food” at Circular Quay.
Even got to see a ballet at the Opera House.
and more Aussie car art.
Headed for Los Angeles- 11,813km away.
1) get healthy
2) get my injury sorted with my guru #Mojo
3) get my mojo back
4) bring the house down at XTERRA Brazil
“Good athletes dont become bad athletes overnight”
It really has something of everything. Scenic single track with loose rocks, pine forest, a deep river crossing, a big climb and a huge climb, and some beach sections where you get to pick your own line.
2013 XTERRA USA Championship from XTERRA TV on Vimeo.
In the build up to USA Champs, Boulder received 20 inches (510mm) of rain in about 5 days- the annual rainfall usually expected in a year. Once the rain subsided the incredible devastation of the flooding became clear. We dont have a TV, so I only realized the scale of the damage once I ventured outside to try train. In the middle of nowhere, this car was swept off the road- the yellow “do not cross” tape stuck in the wiper telling part of the story…
In order to get some riding done, I crossed quite a few yellow barriers myself and “carefully” rode on the white line to avoid pot holes.
Flight over Salt Lake City was also watery
Liezel and Gary Mandy spent a lot of time and effort designing race kit, making sure the right logos are in the right places and the right sizes. And of course, once in Ogden- lots of time at the printers. (Boulder businesses were closed) Stoked with the comfortable and light Castelli RossoCorsa kit with its hydrophobic INSTADRY SPEED FABRIC.
“I’m so awesome, they gave me number 1 AND 2.” At XTERRA your current Series ranking determines your number plate. After 11 “go’s” at the USA Series titles- and 10 Series wins, (Silvain Dodet, FRA won in 2004) this years series was a nix for me. If you dont know the story- I crashed in Vegas- cut my hand, continued to race and train with the injury, which caused much worse (and harder to fix) compensation injuries. Which made me DNF in ‘Bama and DNS in ‘Richmond and put me out of the series. So I was free to travel and train leisurely for XTERRA Brazil, Italy and Cross Tri Worlds.
I jumped the gun a bit and deployed the Kona themed Hoka One One Bondi Speed shoes for this race. Other than the 29er feel over the rocks and great cushioning on the mine shaft down hill, I was hoping the colours (representing Kona Lava and tribal design) would match the fall colours of these beautiful mountain slopes around Snow Basin Ski resort. But unlike the spectacular past few years, the trees had not yet turned colours much.
I’m not going to go into it too much, but I slightly overcooked my last big training day a week out. Then 2 days of packing up an entire house and moving it to storage down in a basement didnt do much for certain muscle groups, general recovery and troop morale. Thus lots of rest, hardly any training, body work by Todd from Interative Healing in Boulder and eventually some light fly fishing was prescribed by coach Ian.
When Ian’s new recruit and fellow XTERROR Anthony Snoble heard about the “fly fishing scheduled into training” he yelled (New York style): “DUDE! I’m BROKEN from Ironman, and I dont get “fly fishing”!! What do I have to do to get “fly fishing” written into my training programme?!”
In Western Cape’s (South Africa) gin clear streams, Brown trout* is a rarity, but here in the Ogden Creek, below the swim course, they are a dime a dozen. Ok, maybe a dime a dollar on the Caddis fly, but once I put the Parachute Adams on, they were a dime a dozen… Considering its ankle deep water running next to a busy road and through some neigbourhoods, there are some good sized fish in there.
*No fish were hurt in the making of this blog. Also, thanks to our gracious home stay Guy Letendre for the use of his gear. And Colleen for her car. And their first born’s bedroom. And their bike tools. And the fridge and the kitchen. PS- Sorry about the damage to the contents of the M&Ms jar…
Homestay Colleen found other transport- just down the road. Also big thanks to Eric from Specialized who gave my bike some TLC.
Race day:
After a week spent mostly in bed or massage table, I was quite uncertain what was going to come out.
The swim was looong. One of the bouys floated away, and I was holding it together nicely for the 1500m, but the other 700m didnt go so great and I lost about 90″ to the leaders. I swam 29.34 instead of the usual 19.34 -ish. Full results here.
After a few tentative minutes on the opening climb up Wheeler Canyon, I found my legs and started putting the power down nicely. I recently switched to the more oval (16% oval) QXL Qrings. (Non round chainrings) And found quite a few Watts gained compared to the “old” 10% oval Qrings. This is also part of the reason I didnt get to ride the ridiculously cool new 2014 Specialized World Cup Epic 29er I test rode in April. However, there is an XX1 style Qring in the works called QX1- which should be ready to go on my 2014 Specialized Epic for XTERRA Worlds.
Thanks to Nils Nilsen for the stunning pix as per usual.
By the time we hit the 1st of 2 puny little down hill sections on this beast of a climbers course- I was up to 2nd place. Chasing Leonardo Chacon– a respected ITU and Olympic athlete, and now an XTERRA cross over from Costa Rica. Leon has a smart coach, he sleeps on a volcano at 2000m, trains on a volcano at 1500m, got 4th at XTERRA Worlds last year, won XTERRA Mexico this year, he has been riding his MTB specifically for this and most importantly- Leon weighs 65kg. (143lbs) Now I’m 20kg heavier. I know- its all muscle, and more muscle makes more speed. Right?
Without getting all mathematical about it, no matter how much you’ve trained or how fit you are, assuming everyone is equally fit- power to weight ratio is what its all about on a course like this. To draw a parallel to cycling: You dont see Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara (both 180lbs/82kg guys) contesting Mt Ventoux or L’Alpe d’Heuz? And I’d love to see Nairo Quintana (57kg) bounce around on the cobbles of Flanders. SA cycling legend Willie Engelbrecht calls it “horses for courses.” But I think he was referring to the garage full of dirt bikes he kept- after his sterling cycling career.
This course is a point to point bike- lake to Ski resort- which gains 3400ft, but only loses 1500 ft. So there is about 1900ft gained but not lost. Not a fair course to have USA Champs on year after year for 9 years, but it is what it is and I have to make the best of it.
On the little 3min23 downhill halfway through the course, I cut Leon’s lead from 1.20 to about 30″. But after that it was all climbing again- up to 8000some feet. Leon kept the gap to the top of the climb- he is a Specialized rider too, so no equipment advantage for me there.
For the Strava fans, here the Strava file for the down hill during practice- wonder how much faster my race time was.
I passed Leon just after the summit, and on the final drop to the finish- a weird, fast but mostly non technical yet dangerously leafy tunnel to the finish, I made a minute. (Video is in the making.)
Brewing behind me was the perfect storm: The 3 hit T2 at the same time: Leon was joined by ex pro mountain biker and fellow tiny guy Ruben Ruzafa, (also Specialized) and mountain man, smart trainer, leader of USA Series and lover of altitude and mountains- Josiah Middaugh.
I had a minute lead, but these guys chopped it down by the summit of the 1st of 2 big climbs. With another big climb looming, and my ass dragging, I had no answer as the 2 little and one medium guys took off. The 700ft gained on 8k of the run is lost all at once in 2k. With no one to chase and no one chasing, I shuffled down, saving the quads for Worlds training starting in Kona yesterday.
Josiah and Leon had a spectacular tussle down to the last mile, when Leon dropped the hammer and won by 55 seconds. I know Josiah’s prep was far from good- I’ll let him tell (or not tell) you more about it. Ruben who was 2nd to me at ITU Cross Tri Worlds, was 3rd, about 30″ behind Josiah. XTERRA Worlds is going to be action packed!
Bradley Weiss had breakthough performance for 7th- Dan was 5th- so 3 Saffers in the top 10.
Not overly stoked with 4th, I decided to get my own trophy in the creek on the way home.
The next day we were on our way to Kona. Princess Hotstuff formulted complex formulae to find the cheapset flights. They include factors like cost of flight, luggage fees, bike fees, time spent travelling, bonus mileage programmes, and pervious bad experiences. American, US Air and Cathay Pacific are voted off the island for ridiculous bike fees. The cheapest way to Kona was with Alaskan Air (which included the cost of the hotel) and had us spend 22 hrs in Seattle. It broke up the travel nicely and we got to see parts of this amazing city.
We took the light rail to the fabled City Church on 1st Street, and was inspired yet again by pastor Judah Smith. Look out for the webcast dated 22 Sept called “Still havent found what I’m looking for” on TheCity.org. Afterwards we strolled over to the Space Needle- and even though the weather looks nice when the picture was taken here in Seattle Alaska, you may as well keep the umbrella out for the next rain or cold wind. We were wearing our entire winter wardrobes and later the evening used the umbrella as a wind shield…
Warm me uppers in the Space Needle.
Other than the weird and wonderful- When is Cape Town getting and amphibious bus tour? Think about it-no traffic, no okes selling cell phone chargers at the robots, no hi jackers and no speeding cameras…
we also visited the Pikes Place market and totally mind blowing Chihuly Glass museum.
Day 1 in Kona: XTERRA Worlds training camp is ON! Bring on title #5…