After Oceania’s and a decision to hold off on heading to Europe this year wanting to have a year to get stronger and more money behind us to completely invest in ourselves for the 2013 World cup season it was time to get cracking on the training for Xterra and event we are both very fond of but definitely out of practice in, with neither of us competing in triathlon, running, or swimming since we went to the 2008 Xterra World Champs... (Turns out that is a long time and we felt it).
Our coach gave us clear instructions following Oceania’s on training to Xterra.. have a break, train as you want, when you want but make the sessions short and hard. It was ideal having this less formal training as it is hard to believe how much has happened over the past 5 weeks although not much ended up being Xterra training. With many great family occasions, including a wedding and a birthday party but also some hard times with the passing of Katie’s Granddad. We did however manage to get in some Xterra training, 12 swims, 14 runs, 6 bikes a rolled ankle (Katie) and a blown out patella tendon (Carl).... hmmmmm READY??
Ready or not we raced the reports are below!
Carls Race
I love everything about Xterra I want to win this event one day I wanted to attempt that this year that failed fast as I thought it up, with work then over training (RUNNING, i hate running).
I had been at physio all week for my knee it is the worst knee injury i have had but i was told ''it cant get any worse but it will hurt a bit'' so i rolled up for the start, I was amped to get the swim under way and get a beating the risk of drowning gave me some much needed adrenalin after 30seconds of get the beating of my life the water cleared around me I was out of there, I just tried to keep my pace on and I some how came out of the water in 8th I was stoked but in the transition I could not get out of my wetsuit I ended up ripping it off literally, gutted because now I have to pay for it.
Off onto the bike instantly my knee started to hurt, I started to sulk about it and think off the consequences and the rehab it would take. After the slog to the top of the forest and the cursing and sulking stopped I had still gained a few spots and decided to push on I was off the bike in 6th pretty slow time but still in there.
On to the run only 3 mins down on the leader SEE YA. I just was out for my jog try and hold as much people off as I could my knee didn't hurt as much on the run as the bike so I was happy but still in the hurt box and pushing on as I got on to the last 5.5km lap and people started to come past fast 9 km was my biggest run and I was feeling the lack of running
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| Pretty much sums it up a |
Katie’s Race
WELL! I was pretty nervous having been for 2 lake swims the week leading in trying out my rental wetsuit which I was planning to buy but ended up feeling as though I couldn’t move or breathe and scared the wetsuit was just too tight even though they are meant to be tight this was pretty unbearable. I raced it anyway although after a few hundred metres I couldn’t stand it anymore and decided I would unzip it... YEP while swimming this was one of those calls where I would either sink or swim literally I wasn’t sure if it would full up with water and drown me or free me up to swim. I am not too bad at swimming and it worked in my favour and I was able to swim freestyle for the last 600 and make up some time from the first 400 where I was swimming medially... Back stroke, breaststroke, treading water and some freestyle. I came out of the water not last!! YAY!
After a slow transition I was out to the bike. It wasn’t that clear on the trails after not having a super speedy swim but it seamed I was in no rush and just followed the lines of people... Annika then came smoking pass railing passed all the riders in front she actually helped get me in the mode of passing people for awhile, I have never been aggressive in this type of situation. My bike was not as fast nor as easy as I excepted but biking has been the least trained over the last weeks as I spent time training the body to tolerate my two weaker disciplines.
Another SLOW transition latter including doing up shoe laces I was onto the run. Slowest Pro time on the run but I made it to the finish still smiling.. but only because Carl had just called me a horse, if you saw me running there is no need for an explanation but it does explain my rolled ankle during training I have no style!
So DONE, still alive.. and enjoyed it but would like a bit more conditioning next time to go in more confident to the water and be able to pick up the running pace. Next year... I hope waiting to see the World cup mountain bike calendar.
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO>>> I MADE THE CUT, they had enough time to film me though
Also Carls cusin's and aunty and uncle were in the action. Brad Jones won the MTB yea boy. And my 1st Cusin's Joel and Regan both carved up the 11km run 3rd and 4th overall at 13 and 10 years old in 49 and 50 mins little shits beat me I did 53 mins at the end of my mission. And my aunty Ros and uncle Rys didn't get lost on the mountain bike this year :)
Cheers
Carl and Katie
