XTERRA Mine over Matter

Need to get a little caught up, so a few race reports will be coming over the next couple days, first up XTERRA Mine Over Matter in Milton, Ontario (that is Canada for those geographically challenged)

Race Details:

Bike: Pro Cycling Epic with SRAM XX1 156Q SRM Crank

     Antiflat Protection: 90ml of Effetto Mariposa Caffelatex, 22.5psi Front, 26psi Rear, 2.2 Fast Trak 

     Helmet: Rudy Project Windmax Helmet

     Glasses: Rudy Project Tralyx 

Run: Colorado Running Company X-Talon 212

     Glasses: Rudy Project Noyz

Race Nutrition: +First Endurance Triathlon Nutrition Plan

     Pre-Race: 24oz Bottle of 1 Single serve packet of EFS Pro mix of Lemon and Cumber Flavors

                      3 Capsules of PreRace

     Bike: 1 - 24oz bottle with 1.5 packets of EFS Pro Lemon in each,

               2 servings of Mountain Huckleberry EFS Liquid Shot

     Run: 1 servings of Mountain Huckleberry EFS Liquid Shot and on course hydration.

     Post Race: 1 Serving of Cappuccino Ultragen

XTERRA Mine over Matter

This is very late but want to still get the word out about XTERRA Mine over Matter. It is a bit different as it is a very fast race with a slightly shorter swim like Richmond as well, but the bike is shorter as well the roots and rocks and powdery dirt in dry conditions were very much like Richmond.  Then you have the full length run to top things off.  Keep in mind for anyone who should venture up there in the future they do not follow the XTERRA rules that the US series races are run under.  In Canada they more closely follow the ITU rulebook.  Keep this in mind in the event of a non-wetsuit swim as swimskin/speedsuits are not allowed unless you are willing to wear it for the entirety of the race, this may affect your choice of race kit!  I was wishing that this was more public announced and decided upon well in advance of the race instead of the Wednesday before when many of us had travelled to Milton.  I mention this because it did affect me, but thanks to Karsten Madsen and it being his hometown race he was gracious enough to loan me an old one piece suit that is quicker in the swim than my two-piece kit.

The swim is in a quarry pond and was a 1 loop, 1000m affair and it was fast and furious, I knew Karsten was going to be gunning to take the win as there was some added pressure being his home course and his family and friends were out in force supporting him.  He took it out fast and an old racing buddy Sean Bechtel and followed on his feet.   Sean let a gap open up and I never had a chance to close it down and just tried to keep the damage to a minimum.  I did until it seemed like the last stretch when all of a sudden the gap went from what I was holding to 10 sec jumped to over 20 when I got on the bike.

Karsten knows these trails better than anyone and so I knew going in that I needed to do 1 of two things, either get on the trails ahead of Karsten and hold him off as long as possible or be right with him and try to hold on as long as possible.  The gap he created in the swim didn’t let either of these things happen and I was left to do my best to not loose to much time and try to maintain second.  I felt like I was riding pretty well but about ¾ of the way through Sean who is a local boy as well caught me and I used him to help guide me through the rest of the bike.

SRM.de PC8 Course Profile from XTERRA Mine Over Matter

We came off together and headed out on the run.  I was happy to quickly assume 2nd and felt good running but knew that I had to keep the pressure on; not to catch Karsten as he had built a lead that would only be lost with an epic meltdown, but to hold off Chris Ganter.  I felt good and was steadily rolling through the run but he ran me down at about 7k.  I pushed to stay with him as best as I could and was holding strong only just a bit back from him, until things flattened out a bit more on a lap around the lake and he opened things up a bit and I finished off the day in 3rd Not to bad of a day, some small mistake were made but overall it was another solid race.

Top 5 Women - 5 Debby, 3 Maia, 1 Suzie, 2 Joanna, 4 Katharine
Top 5 Men, 5 Sean, 3 Me, 1 Karsten, 2 Chris, 4 Alex