XTERRA Waco South Central Cup Championship
Was a true butt kicker.
I spent the weekend a way from the Gas Patch so that my lungs were free of sulfur and that I would be able to perform at the highest level possible.
My goal: to qualify for the Xterra Championship and to have FUN!!
I love XTERRA, it’s the best ever race in the whole wide world. Why do I love XTERRA so much?
I love to swim, I love to mountain bike and I was born to run.
I stayed near the Starbuck’s in Bellmead. Woke up at 5 am, out of it, of course. The race was not until 9:30, LATE but I wanted to be there in plenty of time to get a good transition spot. That’s the thing about waiting, you get chopped suey and you may be cramped, and you may not be able to feed yourself the way you want in the bike in/out and run in/out area.
It’s been over a year since I have participated in a Triathlon, thanks to God and the broken jaw and the big reminder, I do this all for fun, and for work. Love what you do!
I knew once my transition area was set, I could just go back and lay down in the car and eat and pee and eat and pee, and eat and pee, so that’s exactly what I did. It’s a funny combination, I know, reality of being over 40 and having children.
I had gotten in the water the day before. I had no idea what to expect for temperatures having been effected by cold water temps in North Texas, I had packed my full, which I was concerned may be a 5 mm( I measured it at 4) and my sleeveless. The water was absolutely delightful.
I got on my bike and rode the hill…
I put on my running shoes and ran over to the stairs.
I’m ready, I think, but I do feel tired.
The river was knee deep in mud. I didn’t mind anything but the grass on the side which looked oh so inviting for a water moccasin. The swim, my first mistake. I started way, WAY, too far back. I know better than that, I didn’t want to start off too fast, but what I did was actually curse myself for having to do the breast stroke over people who weren’t swimming anywhere.
I was very relaxed, I felt good, I came around the buoy and then, there was the buoy that was From the Looking Glass . I didn’t feel any significant current, I am a strong swimmer, remember, I did not say fast swimmer, albeit that is a relative term. It kept getting further and further away. I had my line, I don’t follow anyone anymore. There’s too many people who can’t site and swim triangles all around. I was in line with the buoys the entire time. Siting is one of my good swimming skills.
I was relaxed. I did have the mystery leg cramp, I have never cramped in my entire life, but the last 10 days, I have been having this mystery leg cramp. A lot of my neighbors have mystery leg cramps too, it may or may not be related. It may simply be from the development of strength in my tibialis posterior. Regardless, more than one time I had to dorsi flex and kick, and that kinda sucked.
I came out of the water feeling strong, the volunteers were great helping make sure I didn’t slip, to transition, that was not my fastest, but smooth, and onto the bike.
It took me some time to get warmed up on the bike. I had to concentrate and stay focused. I knew that there would be some back up in some places, as does happen with singletrack that is tight in the trees.
I had a couple of flukes on the bike. Like missing on a hill where I did a cyclocross mount and caused a young lady who was coming up behind me to do a teeter totter. I didn’t like that too much and sorry. I don’t think, I have ever missed before.
The bike as stated in my pre ride was relentless, towards the end I had to roll off some f-bombs, I was getting so tired. No major mistakes, no falls, no loosing control. Just smooth and steady.
The run:
Man, my legs are tired. I can’t get into the groove, my form is off, my cardiovascular system is under working, my legs are over working. One lady passes me, she’s in the ‘older lady’ group, I tried to hold on but that was in the first 5 minutes and I just couldn’t find my pose.
Then, I began to run a little. I had a nice man come up behind me, and I began conversation with him. I asked him if he was my charcoal briquette friend from the parking lot, that’s his secret, eating charcoal briquettes before the run, that’s his secret.
Inside joke. So I began mindlessly chit chatting, asking him about his french accent, blah, blah, blah, and I really wanted him to say, “Ricky Bobby”. He did, and somewhere in all of this I realized…
“What the hell am I doing? Do I want this to be my Leadville I experience, or do I want to qualify for Worlds? I know I want to have fun, but really Nance this is ridiculous!”
So about half way through the run, I began to run.
In the grand scheme of times I lost 5 minutes on the swim. Yes, it was my slowest time EVER on a triathlon swim. I do believe we had a floater, but my inability to place myself cost me the most. Also, the fact that I didn’t feel I wanted to leave everything in the Brazo’s had me doing a cruiser pace. Which is no different than any other Olympic swim I have ever done.
I lost at least 5 minutes on the run because I was too busy having fun before I realized I needed to focus on my other goal, qualifying for Worlds.
I wanted to come in under 3, and I have to weigh in: 3:10 and some change…
I’ve been meditating the last couple of days: Fun…Competition…Fun…Goal times…Fun.
I did accomplish 2 of my goals: I know had I not qualified for Worlds I would be kicking myself in the a$$ for having too much fun…
Then, again, you can’t place a price tag on the experience being a positive one.
The best part about Waco:
Seeing my friends!! They are so awesome!!