kwirth
07-30-2009, 10:10 AM
I've never done a race report before, but I've had several conversations w/ people that want to try an Xterra, so I wanted to give a quick report on this race.
Goods:
Cool venue, Bozeman was an easy drive w/ a quick camp in West Yellowstone - cool town, great food and beer. Plenty of camping right around the race venue.
Two-lap swim, this was my first and while it does hurt to come out of the water, your legs feel like jelly, it gives you time to reset yourself, realize you didn't lose a ton of time in the mass start mania and try to improve your second lap.
Bike course was really fun, muddy, plenty of places to crash, easy to pre-ride b/c there's a lollipop loop you do twice, so you can pre-ride the course without doing the whole thing - always a plus in a mountain bike course. Very, very doable for a intermediate rider, there were several beginners in the race and everyone seemed like they were having fun.
The best part of Xterra is the focus you have to keep in the bike leg, you can't ever be thinking about the run until you have your helment off - this was proven to me as I forgot to take my last GU on the bike while riding a flat fire road to T2 b/c mentally I was moving on (see the Bads.)
Run - good if you are quick, think Pacific Crest covered with roots, rocks and logs. (see the Bads if you are me.)
Bads - really only the challange of nutrition, it's hard to know in an Xterra how much the bike will drain you and what you'll need on the run. There was an aid station inbetween the two 5K laps, but it's really too late by then. I learned how imp't it is to have enough calories.
Overall, great race, put on by super nice people. There were 6 of us total from Boise. Beer glasses to the age group winners - come on, how cool is that. I would do this race again for sure. I was very happy w/ bike split, but am still struggling to keep my run time competitive. I did win my age group and finished 6th, so I was happy to bring home a beer glass :)
Adam rocked it out in second, Jamie Yankek from Sandpoint won, he's a great guy that used to live in Boise.
Hope to see some of the club at the Wild Ride Xterra in McCall!
Kellie
Goods:
Cool venue, Bozeman was an easy drive w/ a quick camp in West Yellowstone - cool town, great food and beer. Plenty of camping right around the race venue.
Two-lap swim, this was my first and while it does hurt to come out of the water, your legs feel like jelly, it gives you time to reset yourself, realize you didn't lose a ton of time in the mass start mania and try to improve your second lap.
Bike course was really fun, muddy, plenty of places to crash, easy to pre-ride b/c there's a lollipop loop you do twice, so you can pre-ride the course without doing the whole thing - always a plus in a mountain bike course. Very, very doable for a intermediate rider, there were several beginners in the race and everyone seemed like they were having fun.
The best part of Xterra is the focus you have to keep in the bike leg, you can't ever be thinking about the run until you have your helment off - this was proven to me as I forgot to take my last GU on the bike while riding a flat fire road to T2 b/c mentally I was moving on (see the Bads.)
Run - good if you are quick, think Pacific Crest covered with roots, rocks and logs. (see the Bads if you are me.)
Bads - really only the challange of nutrition, it's hard to know in an Xterra how much the bike will drain you and what you'll need on the run. There was an aid station inbetween the two 5K laps, but it's really too late by then. I learned how imp't it is to have enough calories.
Overall, great race, put on by super nice people. There were 6 of us total from Boise. Beer glasses to the age group winners - come on, how cool is that. I would do this race again for sure. I was very happy w/ bike split, but am still struggling to keep my run time competitive. I did win my age group and finished 6th, so I was happy to bring home a beer glass :)
Adam rocked it out in second, Jamie Yankek from Sandpoint won, he's a great guy that used to live in Boise.
Hope to see some of the club at the Wild Ride Xterra in McCall!
Kellie