National Championships
Lake Tahoe, Nevada
September 30, 2007
Xterra Vashon Island, Xterra Mountain Championships, Xterra Wild Ride… Now Xterra USA. Earning enough points to not only qualify for Nationals but acquire the rank of Regional Champion in my age group, it was time. Cramming all as much gear and food in the back of
my car as I could, I departed for Lake Tahoe. Stocked up with enough Red Bull and beef jerky to feed an army, an 11 hour audio book (The Golden Compass) and the power of Text Messaging, I had everything I needed to make the 700 mile journey.
After splitting the drive up between two days, I arrived at the lake Friday afternoon to cold temperatures and high winds. Earlier that morning the winds and swells in the lake had capsized a boat.
The next morning I awoke to snow covered paths and freezing temperatures. Watching the Sport race (Xterra Nevada) held that day and how cold it was, I quickly scrambled to obtain a full wetsuit (as I had only brought a sleeveless) and some extra warm weather attire.
That night was the pre-race banquet, The Night of Champions, where awards and recognition were given out to athletes and staff. For example: Mr. Xterra, Xterra Ambassadors, top Points Series winners and the regional champions. It was an entertaining evening with speakers, videos and awards. I received the coveted 2007 Regional Champion bike jersey and a moment to show it off on stage (along with 100 or so others).
The night before the race, the temperatures, once again, dipped below freezing. Race morning was very chilly, although there was now snow this time, the skies were clear and the forecast called for warmer temperatures. Things were looking good.
As the start of the race crept up so did my nervousness. Being one of the first to arrive at the Hyatt Regency Beach, things were calm and quiet. One by one athletes started filling the beach until it was packed with hundreds of participants and spectators resembling a bowl of red and green gum balls with their brightly colored swim caps contrasting their black wetsuits.
After the national anthem and a quick warm up it was time to line the beach and prepare for the mass swim start. A lowed explosion of the canon and we were off. The first leg was a two loop, 1.5-kilometer swim in Lake Tahoe. There must have been a cold stream flowing into the lake nearby as temperatures near the beach were very cold but about 75 yards out the temps warmed up significantly and turned out to be very comfortable. After the first loop, athletes had to get out of the lake and run 50 yards or so long the beach before getting back into the lake for our last loop.
Triathlons usually consist of a swim, bike and run (in that order) and 2 transitions: one for the bike and one for the run. But today, it was more like a swim-run-bike-run with three transitions because the “run up” to the first official transition was a 1/2 mile journey passed some businesses, down a walk path, across the street, through a parking lot and finally to the bike racks. Most everyone left a pair of running shoes at the beach for this purpose which was, unofficially, my first transition with the 2nd and 3rd at the bike racks.
By the time I made it to the “swim/run to bike” transition my fingers and toes were cold making it very difficult to put on socks, shoes, gloves, arm warmers, etc... After spending minutes “suiting up” for the bike leg, I was off and, except for my toes, exceptionally warm.
The bike leg was a grueling 32-kilometer loop. Starting at 6200-feet above sea level, the first section of the bike course was a 1,600-foot climb up the sandy Tunnel Creek Road to the famous Flume Trail, a 4.5-mile section of single track known for its exposed crossings of sheer rock faces and incredible views of Lake Tahoe. The second leg of the bike course was the famous aspen lined route near Marlette Lake. It's a leg-burning climb to nearly 9,000-feet above sea level.
The return trip was a fast decent down twisty single track to Tunnel Creek Road and finally returning to the bike-to-run transition that seemed to last only minutes as average speeds were in the tear wrenching thirties.
The run was smooth, flat and, theoretically, fast. It was a 2 loop, 10-kilometer, single track rollercoaster. Twisting left and turning right and gradual ups and downs, the course kept you on your toes… literally. Quite a difference from the steep, uneven, rocky course in Utah a month and a half ago that nearly brought me to my knees. No, this course was different. Footing wasn’t an issue here, no, it was balance. Ducking under fallen trees and running along them length wise. One wrong move and it would be a 15-foot plunge into a creek below.
Starting the run, temperatures were now well into the 60s but my feet didn’t seem to care as they hadn’t warmed up from the swim. First, running felt like running on stumps because I had no feeling in my toes. Then, as they started to thaw the pins and needles feeling came and finally, the pain set in, like pliers crushing my toes. Luckily this didn’t last very long and neither did my energy. The altitude from the bike course must have affected me because the only thing I wanted to do was lie down and take a nap. It took everything I had to stay up right and keep moving. Every mile or so I was forced to walk to regain strength. This pretty much went on until I reached the finish line. I finished 9th/35 in my age group and 60th/353 overall.
A quick awards presentation/BBQ and dinner with my folks it was time for bed. Monday would come quickly and I had a long journey home the next day.
After a quick breakfast the next morning at the Hyatt, I hit the road. Finishing up my audio book, several text messages to keep me company and another 700 miles later, I was back home quickly in bed.
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