World Championship, the aftermath

Tsunami, Bike, run?!?!

It all started last night, siren blaring, evacuation order.  Their is a potential Tsunami heading towards Hawaii.  I'm thinking really? Is this Saipan 2011 back all over.  Sirens are blaring and evacuation order given, luckily my good friends the Moore were in high grounds and "rescued" us and my buddy Roy and his family. As I woke up this morning I wondered, are we on?  Is this going to turn into a duathlon?  Email comes through from the race, we are on unless told otherwise y the ocean safety.  I'm thinking, well I already swam in one Tsunami, might a well make it two!  7:30, time to roll down to transition for set up, than body marking, chip pick up and sunscreen application from the good people at Planet Sun, great stuff by the way.  Than it's off to the beach for a warm up.  The waves are there but nothing too crazy, boy was I going to be wrong.  After the Hawaiian blessing it's time to get down to business.  As the Canon goes off for the male wave start, there is some pretty good waves coming onto shore, after diving under and heading towards the first buoy, I'm thinking it's not getting any better. We are getting pounded, can't really sight as the waves never stops. The swim course is a M this year and after a short run on the beach it is back out for the second lap.  I exit he water in a decent time considering the washing machine. Quick transition and it is off to the bike.  The 18.8 miles course this year has a bit more single tracks and as usual lots of climbing, 3000 feet of it.  Problem is when you're an average swimmer is that you have to pass the good swimmer who are not so good rider, add single tracks and you get the picture.  We were lucky, we had some clouds and even a light rain at time which really helps.  I finished the bike section slower than last year but considering, still not too bad.  After the second transition it's off to the run, with another 1200 feet of climbing over  9.5 km or so, after the first 10 min I can feel my hamstrings wanting to cramp, luckily I have some salt tablet, seems to do the trick.  I decide to hike the big hills instead of running them, this tip came from Conrad " the caveman" Stoltz, 4 times world champion, he probably knows what he's talking about!  I would finish the run faster this year by 3 minutes but would be about 6 min slower overall than last year.  I placed middle of the pack in my age group and slightly better overall.  As for Roy, despite some mechanical issue on the bike and the fact that he was racing on a stress fracture and couldn't run I thought he did awesome.  Al, Allison and GL also finished the race.

I surely missed my Girlfriend Stephanie at the finished.  I also wish my sister and brother in law had been able to be there again, they had such a good time last year.  For once, my mom was cheering me on, you see she never had a chance to see me race, living at opposite end of the country, it was too difficult.  Regardless she would always enquire about what she called " my exercises"  knowing that her son was travelling and racing.  I haven't told many people, if any, but I dedicated this racing season to my mother,  I like to keep things private.  Every time I suffered training or racing, I was thinking about the fact that my mom had been doing Chemo therapy every week for 9 months, I figure that she was much more in pain than I was.  My mom lost her battle to Cancer on January 29 of this year, I figure the least I could do was to honor her memory this year each time I race.  I think she had a smile on her face today as she got to see her son crossing the finish line for the first time and finally seeing what kind of "exercise" I was doing.

I wish I could have done better, I think it's human nature to always strive to better performance.  I'm glad the season is over, with 9 Xterra races this year spanning over 4 Continents and one 70.3, lots of travelling and a year that has seen its share of challenges, it is time to relax for a while.  Fear not, a new season will begin soon enough and I will be back at it.  I hope you have enjoyed this journey and who knows where this will lead.  Stay tuned for more off season updates, gear 2.0 and soon enough the race plans for 2013.  Until then, push the limits, try something new and as Xterra motto say it so well " Live More"  Happy trails!

Carpe Diem

Pre Race Jitters, T- 17 hours an counting

As I am getting ready for my second run at the Xterra World Championship, the pre race jitters are slowly creeping in, 8 Xterra races, in 6 different country and a couple continents later, it's all or nothing.  This morning was the traditional pre race workout, light bike, light run, light swim.  Much needed hair cut courtesy of Paul Mitchell, money raised goes to athletes with special needs, which is awesome.  After lunch is back at the condo to get my things ready so that when I get back from the pre race dinner, I will be ready to go to bed.  There were big surf out today from time to time at the beach, as always I hope for calmer waters but I can't control it so will see what happens.  All I know is that at 9:00 am sharp, the canon will go off, the chopper will be above and over 700 of the best off roads athletes in the world will start their journey's to the finish.  This year will be slightly different than last, my sister and brother in law will be cheering from afar instead of being right at the finish line.  My wonderful girlfriend also will be cheering from home, which will be different than the last 3 races where she greeted me at the finish.  Good friends will be there, Michelle and Patrick to name a few.  I know some one else will be cheering as well but for now we will leave that one for tomorrow's blog. Let's not forget my good buddy Roy's first appearance at the world's as well as Allison.  All the people lining up tomorrow will definitely embrace Xterra's moto: Live More!  I was ready a article posted by a friend and quite like the motivational line that says " If you want to take the island, burn the boats"  will see if I can apply this tomorrow.  Stay tuned for the post race analysis tomorrow after the race, until then, Happy Trails!

Carpe Diem

Gear 2.0: Hydration

Hydration is the key in warm weather.  It has been hot all week in Maui and unless the trade winds rolls in on Sunday, we could easily see temperature in the mid 30's.  I don't claim to have all the answer but since I have been in the endurance sports game for the last 12 years, I have learn a few things.  Here's what I do when I race in hot weather.  First all my fluid intake is in an electrolyte form.  I like to use GU brew blueberry/pomegranate in one of my bike bottles bottles, it has double the sodium.  I also like using hammer nutrition products, I usually make a calorie bottle with Heed and Perpetum.  I find my stomach process the energy better when it's in a liquid form.  On a hot race day I will easily for through 4 bottles and will exchange on the fly at the aid station.  I also use Hammer Gels, Raspberry is my favourite flavour.  On the run I will use some gel for energy and will drink at every aid station.   For this race they offer Gatorade, since it doesn't bother me that's what I will drink.  The key is to find that you will like and that do the trick.  In hot conditions I also like to use salt tablets. Now there are many brands and they are not all created equals again you have to find something you like.  I personally use either hammer Endurolytes or salt sticks.  Remember there are may factors that can't be control on race day, if you take care of your hydration, it will be one less think to worry about and you will have a successful race.  Happy Trails!

Carpe Diem

Another day in Paradise

Maui is such a beautiful place.  Slowly but surely all the athlete are converging to the Kapalua for the race.  I did another ocean swim yesterday and ran part of the run.  I am also fighting a cold, really a cold in the tropics??!!  Today I went a rode part of the course for an hour, sadly we found out that a cool single track section had to be taken out, erosion control, the state won't allow it.  What else do I do when I'm done training?  I have lunch and rest, and funny enough I try to stay out of the sun for a bit.  The sun can be quite harsh and warm especially at the peak of the day.  Tomorrow is a rest day, probably a nice breakfast with friends and maybe a bit of beach time.  I have the occasion to see tones of people that I have met this year at different races, from the Guam crew to Pro Ben Allen and Jacqui Slack.  Also not to forget C2, Mike and so on.  It's nice to catch up and see so many deserving people racing.  Stay tuned for a hot weather gear 2.0 tomorrow.  Until then, happy trails!

Carpe Diem

Brand Champion Maui edition

Aloha, last stop on the Xterra circuit, the world championship.  As I arrived yesterday, I remembered the feeling from last year: Pineapples, the ocean, the heat.  After a light run yesterday with my buddy Roy in order to shake the 26 hours of traveling from over sea, I was off to bed early.  In store this morning, another light swim and ride the bike course.  The usual suspect were there, my friend Al, Alison.  GL would meet us for  the ride and so as Roy.  At the ocean, DT Flemming beach is stunning, but is it good that there are signs saying strong current??  After a light swim it was time to face the mounting heat and go see the new course, as they did some modification from last year.  The first part was similar with the single track and then it was off to climbing and more climbing and more climbing.  The heat rose to 37 degree and it was hot on the course.  It was also nice to see Pro Shonny Valandingham out on the bike course.  Shonny was sidelined last year due to an injury.  The new sections were fun and not too tricky but make no mistake, this is a climbers course and if you add  the heat, you have to make sure you hydrate or you won't survive.  More training awaits tomorrow, swimming and some running than its registration time.
Happy trails!

Carpe Diem

Brand Champion China edition

Well I'm currently in China and it's about a week and a half from the world championship! I'm here to teach but it's hard to be training.  No bike, little  access to a pool, so all I  can do is mostly run. M have been able to go to the Westin and pay to use their 25 m pool and gym.  The opportunity to come to China was too big to pass and made me thinking, perhaps this year the world won't be so much about the result,must the journey that took me there in the first place. My hope that the many hours of training and the 8 Xterra races I have one this year will pay off.  The weather is very warm here so at least I will be acclamatised to the heat when I arrived to Maui.  Internet is spotty and access is not easy so I will start my updates when I land in Maui on Monday and will do my usual scouting report.  For now I wish you all the best on any of your endeavor.  Remember about the journey!  Happy trails!

Carpe Diem