Xterra SouthEast Championships, Birmingham Alabama
I ran off the bike feeling slightly stiff, my left hip flexor locked up once I hit the trail, It had been bruised from the week prior during my crash. Fortunately I managed to hold off the the bulk of the chasers but Dan Molnar laid down an incredible run to catch me on mile 2 as we hit the trail. I had nothing in my running capabilities to chase him down.
17th May
14th Overall
2nd Overall Amateur
1st in Cat.
2h33:44
3min some change behind Dan Molnar
Training is like a recipe that consists of the right blended ingredients, ultimately it delivers a tasty meal, no doubt, or in racing terms a great performance! Such was the nature of the weeks prior to this race.. I made a promise to myself, I would not race over the four week training block building into this event, which would allow for correct training applied at the right times. I believe it played a major part in my race day success. I learnt a big lesson last year when I raced almost every weekend and arrived at the big races empty, fatigued and depleted. The weeks prior to this event certainly could have gone smoother though. With a crash in each week of training I felt the niggles during the race. When I look back over my training log, there are some big areas requiring some polish.
I had a respectable swim staying toward the front of the pack and around the first buoy in second place. A week prior to the race I had a training accident and my anterior Delt on my left shoulder felt slightly weakened from the impact which left me with a slight tear. I had it strapped for the race but it never felt 100% smooth in the water. I felt like a slithering snake in water with an uneven pull.
I have been on the Giant Anthem Advanced SL 27.5 now since the end of last year, the bike is absolutely terrific in single track. Cornering in and out of the trees and quick acceleration. I could talk all day about the ride. Unparalleled. It gave me the fastest amateur bike split on the day. That accompanied with the best tire sealant on the market allows for some aggressive tire pressures. Orange Seal Cycling provide me with quality products from Sealant, chain lube and bike polish.
Cadence Cyclery in Dallas Texas have been my long term sponsor supplying me with Giant bikes for road and off road use.
I ran off the bike feeling slightly stiff, my left hip flexor locked up once I hit the trail, It had been bruised from the week prior during my crash. Fortunately I managed to hold off the the bulk of the chasers but Dan Molnar laid down an incredible run to catch me on mile 2 as we hit the trail. I had nothing in my running capabilities to chase him down.
Some more lessons learnt but the the hardest part is knowing I can still managed this process better. There are rules in this game and those govern the performance on the day. Its how you obey them during training and the build process that allow for a crispy clear performance.
Even though ill be racing for Team USA in Germany this August I still remember my roots. Xterra supporting a South African flag at the finish shoot.
Podium and my stamp to race in Maui this October. Im also happy to announce I will be receiving my Pro Card in the coming month.
Xterra Family
Thank you to my supporting sponsors
Elite Performance Chiropractor
