Xterra South Africa 2010

Grabouw, 20 February 2010
1st
2h22′ish

Midway through the bike course I glanced down at my legs, goose flesh shriveled pistons willed on by heart and mind, heat treated to total dehydrated. As was everything else. I still could not get a sweat droplet onto my sunnies, my Enduren was nearly all out. “Kid, you’re going to blow”. Was all I could think. Had I over cooked it? I couldnt think.

Arriving into Grabouw yesterday was manic in the most positive sense. Dylan had driven me over, as he had two years (we were still listening to Faithless’ Insomnia) - we hadnt spoken much. Stopping road side for a slash meant 1 - Hydration was working and 2 - some 20 vehicles loaded with bikes laid into the hooter. Exodus to Grabouw en mass. Really brilliant to see and be a part of that feel - that momentum of outdoor lifestyle choice.

750 athletes enjoyed the Xterra Lite, which was getting into running as I arrived. They’d maxed out the transition with many having no choice but to ready their transition stash like a picnic on the cricket oval. It was noticible, the amount of youth in the Lite, so awesome.

Big shout out to Oaklands High School, for making the trip from Knysna. Hope you guys got home safely. I believe the size of the Lite is a show of new interest, and hope they’ll evolve to the full next year.

Arriving in all this was some buzz. Seems no matter how early I plan to arrive - and perhaps staying in the aircon till later yesterday was better than warmup - it always gets a little frenzied. Warmup routine, racking, tracing my race number (had forgotten my 2XU race belt), staying hydrated, dodging ques at the toilet… But made it down to swim start semi orderly.

One lap 1500m wetsuit legal swim in the most serene water. So stunning, the mountains and sky from water level. After a solid start effort, I settled in, 4th feet maybe. Felt great, comfortable, and to plan, till I noticed my feet had let go of his feet: Kent Horner, my marker for the day, had pulled a few metres with a team swimmer. I responded immediately but damage done. And again, had to swim the majority of the swim on my own. Little disappointed, as I’d really been intent on sticking. That aside, fair swim, stroke felt good, and my second outing in the V:1 2XU confirmed my suspicion’s: Legal cheating in a medium is more my fit.

Spectators lined the entire swim exit to transition pathway - like a corridor of pumping support. Kent had 37 seconds lead onto the bike. 37seconds means:

I get to watch him for a while, being the chaser and not the chased.

And psychologically toughen the challenge by passing. Passing is horrible.

I biked up alongside Kent on a small hike-a-bike section, one trying to out walk the other. For all our speedy training, there we were, one foot infront of the other at snails pace. I managed to mount a meter before, and pushed down with all I had sitting on the front edge of my saddle. The gradient was ride-able but still hurtful, into a sandy left, and onto the fire road withouth glancing back. The heat was sweltering. I kept pressure, trying to stay smooth with a high cadence. I wanted but couldnt get out of the saddle. Only later did I look back, on a switch back, to check the damages. I had 200m. Thats all I needed.

After a bike setup with Jeroen Swart at Sport Science Institute 10 days ago, I’ve been getting comfi with an entirely new position. Its power. I could not recommend his expertise more. Especially my climbing feels to be more comfortable and in control. I’d been out to Grabouw 5 times in the past two weeks. But the course is like a cameleon, ever changing. The rock that wasnt there, the branch that had been moved. I picked my way down loose terrain, slid out on pine needles for a light crash, kept sipping Enduren, and felt like I was on.

But then it stopped, the power sensation.

Had I over cooked it? How could I be on empty so soon?

I throttle back. I needed my coffee fix in the morning, but its a diuretic? Maybe I shouldnt have. Before I can dictate this flow of thoughts, I’ve lost focus and energy and a few precious seconds. My mouth was dry, my skin was dry.

I stopped at the drinks station, unclipped, and knocked back three cups of water. Never before have I stopped on the bike at an aid station. It was time well spent. Together with easing off from from full tilt, I got to the final climb before the rock garden holding it together as best I could. My old man was out in the sun, with precious information. 3′ he said. I needed to hear that. Partly as a boost and partly as security for taking less risks through the sketchy single track.

I loved the rock garden in pre-riding. So testing. So perfect for my full suspension Epic. Now it was tricky getting my hazey mind to control my hands. Like a ragdoll.

From here it was a a quick push to transition. A quick push to more water, to more Enduren. Its strange, feeling so on the edge, so close to shutdown, but only pushing at 80%.

Shuffled to the first water point, and got a 4′50 bike end split there, as well as 6 water saches. Between them, and the swim in the stream crossing, I got my core temp down, and blood flowing more to muscles than skin for cooling. I’d thankfully got friendly with this climb last weekend, and felt like I knew exactly what needed to be done. Aid station to aid station.

Having seen Chad Gordon numerous times in Grabouw over the past weeks for chiro treatment - I’d jogged on the beach finish a handful of times in the past month. This time it was not alone, not without arrows, not without my sister there going crazy, or a crowd on the far side, or a chopper keeping pace.

I wanted this one. I needed this one.

My sense of relief was like a wave you didnt know was building. Grateful. To have talent and opportunity from my father in Heaven. Grateful to have family and friends present, to have new coach beaming, to have Specialized’s Global Marketing Manager present for my first outing in his Specialized kit design. Grateful to be on the board, to finish after last years mechanical. Grateful to end the chapter and start the next block.

Seems it stretched out to 7min by the finish, to Kent Horner. He’s a class act, and suffered in the heat. Would have been a closer race had conditions been normal. Third was Nico Pfitzenmaier, a German now residing in the Cape. Mari Rabie won the ladies race without hesitation - amazing effort. Michelle Lombardi 2nd, and Hanli Booyens 3rd.

This morning my stomach hurts more than my limbs. Had a feast last night. Off to catch up and plan with coach in a moment, maybe after another Zambian coffee, and late afternoon I’m joining a kids duathlon in Grabouw.

If you were in the 70% that survived and finished the full:

What a champion. Congrats to you.

[Some more images here on triathlonteam.org]

Categories: News

Tags: Mari Rabie, Race Report, Triathlon, Xterra, Xterra Grabouw, Xterra South Africa

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