PROFESSIONAL TRIATHLETE
XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
What a race!! I knew I was in great shape, probably the fittest I have been in a really long time, but I had no idea what to expect when I arrived in Maui for the World Championships. I have heard so many stories about how difficult and unpredictable the course could be on top of the hot, humid conditions in Hawaii that I was a bit apprehensive about the whole thing. Not to mention it was my first year racing Xterra and we weren't allowed to pre-ride the bike course. I arrived in Maui Wednesday after a long but thankfully uneventful flight and headed straight to bed. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday where pretty mellow with just some short swim, bikes, and runs just to stay sharp, but mostly I tried to stay out of the sun and heat. The pre-race meeting gave me my only glimpse of what to expect race day with a slide presentation and commentary by 'Kahuna Dave'. I have to admit 'the plunge' didn't look very scary from the slides and a good friend of mine and former Xterra World Champ Jimmy Ricitello reassured me saying that I would love the course, it was perfectly suited for my strengths.
Race morning came and we loaded the whole gang into the minivan and headed to the race site. I was staying with fellow Xterra triathletes Branden Rakita, Ryan De Cook, Erin Kummer and her friend Tom. We had perfected the art of getting all of us and our bikes into the van the previous couple of days so everything went smoothly. I like getting to the race with plenty of time to be relaxed setting up transition and warming up, so the gang indulged me and we got there with lots of time to spare. It was starting to get warm, but didn't look like it was going to be a complete melt-down of a day. I got in my usually warm-up of a fairly long spin on the bike, then a short run and swim, everything feeling pretty good though the nerves were definitely kicking in.
The race was a run-in beach start and I decided to start a bit to the left of the main crowds to avoid some of the washing machine effect a mass start tends to have. I got off to a great start and had clean water right away. I met up with the leaders coming in from the right side just before the first turn buoy and tucked in for a great draft. This had to be one of the easiest swims I have ever done. Brent McMahon was setting a fast pace on the front and everyone in the lead pack seemed content to follow along and not try to beat each other up. I got out of the swim 2nd female, right behind Linda Gallo, and quickly got through transition and out onto the bike. The first section of the bike was on the road, just long enough to get into my shoes and get my gloves on before the climbing started. Then up, up, up we went. Julie Dibens flew by me up the first climb and I was a little distress at how quickly she caught me and equally how quickly she rode away from me. Not much I could do about it so I settled into my pace and got to work. The course was definitely tough, rocky and the downhills with all the loose lava certainly made you keep your concentration. After Julie came by me so quickly I wasn't sure what to expect from the other girls, so I was excited when it was over an hour into the bike that Danelle Kabush caught me, with Shonny V. and Renata Bucher hot on her heels. I jumped on their wheels for the haul up Ned's climb and the sharp right hand turn that signaled the start of the plunge. I decided to play it safe and take the downhill well under control. Carina Wasle caught me right at the bottom but then instantly cramped up and struggled for the rest of the bike. With the end of the bike near and a spot on the podium still mine (top five on the podium in Xterra) I was starting to feel pretty good about myself when Jenny Smith came flying by me. I did my best to stay with her and actually did some of my best riding of the race, simply following her line and not worrying so much about avoiding everything.
I got into transition and could see Jenny right in front of me as I headed out on the run. I caught her up the first climb and was excited to see I was gaining on Renata right in front of her. I pass Renata just before the top of the climb and headed down Cactus Alley. I have never enjoyed running downhill especially on really rocky trails and my back decided it really didn't like it about halfway down. Renata passed me back again and put just enough gap on me that I couldn't shut it back down. The rest of the run I spent agonizingly looking at Renata and Shonny just in front of me but unable to do anything about it. The run along Makena beach and through the spooky forest took all my energy just to get through without falling on my face and in the end I finished within a minute of Shonny who held off Renata by just a couple of seconds. No matter, 5th place and on the podium!!! It has been a long time since I have finished off a season on a great race and what a great feeling it is. The day wrapped up with tacos at Maui Tacos, ymm, and the infamous Halloween costume party. Next up, two days on the beach and a nice off-season break.
See you next year.CJ
Full Race Results
Race morning came and we loaded the whole gang into the minivan and headed to the race site. I was staying with fellow Xterra triathletes Branden Rakita, Ryan De Cook, Erin Kummer and her friend Tom. We had perfected the art of getting all of us and our bikes into the van the previous couple of days so everything went smoothly. I like getting to the race with plenty of time to be relaxed setting up transition and warming up, so the gang indulged me and we got there with lots of time to spare. It was starting to get warm, but didn't look like it was going to be a complete melt-down of a day. I got in my usually warm-up of a fairly long spin on the bike, then a short run and swim, everything feeling pretty good though the nerves were definitely kicking in.
The race was a run-in beach start and I decided to start a bit to the left of the main crowds to avoid some of the washing machine effect a mass start tends to have. I got off to a great start and had clean water right away. I met up with the leaders coming in from the right side just before the first turn buoy and tucked in for a great draft. This had to be one of the easiest swims I have ever done. Brent McMahon was setting a fast pace on the front and everyone in the lead pack seemed content to follow along and not try to beat each other up. I got out of the swim 2nd female, right behind Linda Gallo, and quickly got through transition and out onto the bike. The first section of the bike was on the road, just long enough to get into my shoes and get my gloves on before the climbing started. Then up, up, up we went. Julie Dibens flew by me up the first climb and I was a little distress at how quickly she caught me and equally how quickly she rode away from me. Not much I could do about it so I settled into my pace and got to work. The course was definitely tough, rocky and the downhills with all the loose lava certainly made you keep your concentration. After Julie came by me so quickly I wasn't sure what to expect from the other girls, so I was excited when it was over an hour into the bike that Danelle Kabush caught me, with Shonny V. and Renata Bucher hot on her heels. I jumped on their wheels for the haul up Ned's climb and the sharp right hand turn that signaled the start of the plunge. I decided to play it safe and take the downhill well under control. Carina Wasle caught me right at the bottom but then instantly cramped up and struggled for the rest of the bike. With the end of the bike near and a spot on the podium still mine (top five on the podium in Xterra) I was starting to feel pretty good about myself when Jenny Smith came flying by me. I did my best to stay with her and actually did some of my best riding of the race, simply following her line and not worrying so much about avoiding everything.
I got into transition and could see Jenny right in front of me as I headed out on the run. I caught her up the first climb and was excited to see I was gaining on Renata right in front of her. I pass Renata just before the top of the climb and headed down Cactus Alley. I have never enjoyed running downhill especially on really rocky trails and my back decided it really didn't like it about halfway down. Renata passed me back again and put just enough gap on me that I couldn't shut it back down. The rest of the run I spent agonizingly looking at Renata and Shonny just in front of me but unable to do anything about it. The run along Makena beach and through the spooky forest took all my energy just to get through without falling on my face and in the end I finished within a minute of Shonny who held off Renata by just a couple of seconds. No matter, 5th place and on the podium!!! It has been a long time since I have finished off a season on a great race and what a great feeling it is. The day wrapped up with tacos at Maui Tacos, ymm, and the infamous Halloween costume party. Next up, two days on the beach and a nice off-season break.
See you next year.CJ
Full Race Results
PODIUM LEFT TO RIGHT: DANELLE KABUSH, JULIE DIBENS, SHONNY V, CHRISTINE JEFFREY
CHRISTINE
JEFFREY
CHRISTINE
JEFFREY
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|