XTERRA USA Champs race report, Ogden Utah. Rather late than never

All pictures by Nils Nilsen

My dad is right- one can count a humans’ age like a tree- by the number of rings it has.  My dad says he is at the age where you can count the rings around his knees. One can count the number of USA XTERRA Titles I have won by the number of rings I have when smiling and squinting into the sun… (its 7, if you cant bother to count)

Seriously, check out why my dad will kick your dads ass HERE.

Checking the shock pressure on my Specialized S works Epic race morning. (yes, still 26″ wheels- watch this space 29er fans…) Too many good riders (and almost ALL bad riders) are scared of fiddling with their suspension. I dont fiddle often, but this course is unique and warranted fiddling in the week leading up. (Race morning is just to check the pressures are right.- it was really cold- which can affect suspension performance and settings)

Thats me (3rd green cap from the right) puffing my cheeks at the hurt Craig Evans (to my right) was about to put on us.

The swim was at 4800ft. From there we climbed up to the Snowbasin Ski Lodge at 6800ft, and then we really started climbing. (to 8000ft I think) Before a small downhill to T2 at Snowbasin Lodge. Thats a lot of climbing and only a little amount of fun downhilling. If we liked nothing but pain and suffering, we’d do Ironman…

It was a swim. Like most swims. Except for Richmond, of course. I was beat by 3 guys and a chick, but 2km in on the bike it was just the open road, er mountain, and I.

I worked the Bike Course From Hell to near perfection for my abilities and form at the time.

Because this climb is so bumpy and rocky, I set my FSR suspension very soft and backed the Brain inertia valve off to almost fully open. (About 4 clicks from fully firm for my weight) For security reasons I ran the 630g Specialized GRID tires in the Fast Track tread pattern. (at 23 and 26 psi)  These tires are bomb proof and the reason I went with them on this climbing course is the fact that this race was the final of the USA Series, and a flat tire would have lost me a large prize purse. 2nd in the series only gets half of the winner…

Nico Lebrun who was 2nd in the USA Series, made up the 1min30 he lost in the swim by the time we reached the top of the climb at 7800ft. He threw a few intervals but couldnt shake me, but I was on the ropes, ducking and diving the lightweights’ punches. I readied myself for a sprint for the single track, but Nico, like all pro XTERRORS, was the gentleman (after trying to kill me on the climbs!) and waved me through to the short, pedally, rocky single track. I made a minute and headed into the run determined to hold him off…

But I had purple lips right from the first monster climb on the run. The unique sign of an oxygen starved Caveman. (a phenomena not witnessed often)

I’m test running a new, firmer mid sole on the Avia AVI Stoltz trail racing shoe. This is the rockiest run course on the circuit, which I kept in mind when designing the initial shoe. The new, firmer mid sole feels great- it will come “stock” on the 2010 AVI Stoltz- no aftermarket parts necessary.

Nico caught me on a steep climb about 3km from the finish, with more climbing to go. I reeled him back slowly on the flats, but he climbs like a mountain goat, and on the last steep climb, he gave the knock out punch and won by 50″.

I did what I could on this, the Anti Conrad course. I won my 7th XTERRA USA title despite a difficult season, but the training towards Maui is going great.

Did I mention I have a new coach? 2 weeks new at the time of the race. Ian Rodger from Cape Town is the Sport Scientist who tested me to 512 W Peak Power in selection for the 2000 Sydney Olympics. When he saw the numbers he said: “Whith THAT power you should either do the Kilo on the track in Sydney, or go race the Japanese Keirin circuit.” (where they bet on track riders like horses.) Anyway, training is unique and fun and things are going great. We have a whole bag full of last minute plans (like 180mm cranks) to help me win Maui.

Thanks a lot to Carol from Balega and Bobby and the Salt Lake City Specialized crew from coming out to support the race.