XTERRA Trail Run National Championship (21km)

 

After the award ceremony, we made our way back down from Snow Basin and arrived back to our Airbnb around 3pm on Saturday afternoon. I was pretty exhausted from all the walking and spectating during Karel's race. I also had a very odd niggle in my right knee (probably from the spontaneous running to get from one location to the next while cheering for Karel). I spent the rest of the afternoon in bed relaxing (and eating/hydrating) and around 7pm, I was ready for bed. I didn't have any nerves for the race so I found myself sleeping pretty good. 

I woke up to the alarm at 6:30am and had my typical pre-race meal of a cup of instant Nescafe Gold coffee, water and a cinnamon raisin bagel, peanut butter and strawberry jelly. I did some foam rolling and mobility work and then went for a short jog around our complex. My knee felt better which was a good thing. It was nice not feeling rushed for the race. We arrived at 7:45am and it felt like I had forever until I raced. We hung out in the Snow Basin lobby for a while (downstairs) and then I did some more warming up before making my way to the start line around 8:45am. Karel was on his mountain bike so that he could spectate at various places on the course. He was really sore from his race so he had absolutely no interest in running the next day. Mountain biking while spectating was hard enough. 

Although I had registered for this race a week before we left for IM 70.3 World Championship in St. George, I had no idea how I would recover. Within the 7 days from race to race, I tried my best to keep myself moving. Sunday was a 2-hour leisurely hike in Snow Canyon, Monday was a 1:48 bike/17 min run, Tuesday we swam (3300) before leaving for Ogden and then I did a short run when we arrived (22 minutes). On Wednesday I ran the big loop of my run course (some of Karel's bike course) for 80 minutes (8 miles) and on Thursday I did a morning swim w/ Karel (4000 yards) and an afternoon 2 hour ride around the reservoir and then up to (and down) Snow Basin. On Friday I ran the other part of my run course (57 minutes) and on Saturday I spectated Karel at his race. In total I did 18.4 miles of running between the two races. It wasn't until Thursday that I felt like my legs were finally starting to become less sore (the run on Wed) kinda helped. By Saturday, I felt recovered from the race - only to smash my legs once again.

With this being my 2nd ever trail race (and first at altitude), I knew it was going to be a challenge. I had no goals for the race and I knew the competition would be fierce with this being the trail run national championship. This race was all about me having fun, challenging myself and being in nature - all things I like to do when training/racing. I just had no idea how hard it would really be. 

Quick Recap: In total, the race was 12.8 miles and it took me 2 hours and 10 minutes to complete (10:11 min/mile). I was 2nd in my age group (35-39). The race started at 6600 feet and went up to 7400 feet. In total, I covered ~2800 feet of elevation gain. For reference, the half marathon in the 70.3 at the World Championship in St. George had ~1500 feet elevation gain. I've never had to walk so much in a half marathon as my legs were just not able to run up the steep hills. My calves were screaming at me going up and my quads were yelling back on the way down. And the altitude was so tough! This all made for a memorable and challenging race! 

We started the race with 2 "parade" laps around the parking lot for 0.9 miles. I am not one for sprinting when I start running so I was already being passed by a lot of runners. I thought that I would be able to make up some ground on the climbs and while I was able to pass some of the runners back, it eventually came down to who could walk the fastest up the climbs. 

The 21K had two distinct sections. The first section was on some of Karel's run course. Since we were at a ski resort, we climbed up the mountain for 1.5 miles on rocks and gravel. It just kept going and going. I finally got to the downhill section (2.34 miles) but my lack of trail running skills made it tough to pick up a lot of ground. I also wanted to be courteous to those behind me so I often pulled over to the side when runners were behind me so that they could pass. Everyone was really nice, supportive and encouraging. Even when I passed another runner (which didn't happen a lot) he/she would say "great job." The 3.9 mile off-road section took me 38:55 (or 10:00 min/mile average). And I thought I was walking a lot but that wasn't until I got to the next section where I was making all types of deals with myself to try to run (but my body just wanted to walk).

Nearing Karel's bike course (up to Sardine Peak), my legs were already so sore and tired. I had two flasks with me of Orange Skratch (1 scoop each flask) and I also brought a sleeve of Ginger Chews (Clif). There was one aid station before the climb up to Sardine Peak and I regret not topping off my bottles with water as I felt myself rationing my fluids for this loop. 

Next came a 1100-foot, 2.84 mile climb that took me 35 minutes (12:30 min/mile). I tried to run as much as I could but walking seemed to be the theme. I would tell myself - just run for 30 steps or run the downhill (for 10 steps) just to see if I could do it. But I was pretty tired and the altitude made it hard to push (and recover). Thankfully, my endurance and resiliency helped me keep going but it was a challenge to get to the top. I saw Karel near the top and it was great to see him. He knew how hard it would be to run this trail (as he just biked it during his race). 

Once I finally got to the top, I had 3.29 miles of downhill (1260 feet elevation loss) to enjoy (8:48 min/mile, 29 minutes). Although I had gravity on my side, it was a lot of work to stay mentally engaged for almost 30 minutes of downhill running on rocks, dirt, roots, and switchbacks. But it was fun. I never worried about my pace but instead, I just used my watch to check off the miles. 

With only 1 mile left to go, I stopped at the aid station to top off my flask with water (I finished my flasks of Skratch and had two chews) and I got some cheers from Karel as he biked back to the finish line. The last 1.8 miles felt like they took forever and even with the finish line so close, I still had to walk some of the hills as I made my way to the finish. I didn't have many athletes around me in the last 4-5 miles so while it was a lonely run, it was also very therapeutic as I was alone with my own thoughts. Anytime I found myself with a negative, ego-destructive thought, I immediately replaced it with something positive - often relating it to how lucky I am to be healthy and in nature, doing something that I enjoy with my body. This run experience was very humbling with so many fast trail runners (most of which live/train at altitude). 

When I got to the finish line, I was elated that this adventure was complete. Two challenging events in 7 days. Our Utah race-cation was finally complete! 

Here's some pics from the run course (taken during my training run - thankful I had an opportunity to enjoy the views before the race! The timing of this race was perfect as the leaves were just starting to change color):

Pics/Videos from Karel 

RESULTS

2021 Xterra USA Championship Race Recap (Karel)

 

A few weeks ago we heard from Xterra that the triathlon would be turned into a duathlon (2.5-mile trail run/19-mile MTB/5.5-mile trail run). Although Karel was a little bummed that he was not participating in the swim-bike-run format, one needs a flexible mindset when approaching an off-road race. With this being his second ever off-road triathlon (and first triathlon at altitude), he was looking forward to the unknown challenge and welcomed whatever the day would bring. No race is ever the same with Xterra and that makes each race exciting.

After pre-riding the bike and run course on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, he knew it was going to be an incredibly tough day of racing. Excited for the adventure ahead and the opportunity to be competitive, Karel didn't have any nerves going into the race as he views Xterra racing as "playtime" on his bike and loves the chill vibe on race day. 

We arrived to the race venue at Snow Basin around 7:30am and it was a cold start to the morning in the low 50's. The race started at 9am with the professional wave and then a few minutes later, Karel's wave went off to start the first run. Immediately with an uphill start to the race, he was breathing hard right from the start. The climb continued for a mile and Karel averaged 9:03 min/mile. The next 1.6 miles were mostly downhill and he averaged ~6:11 min/mile. But with the altitude (race started at ~6400 feet) Karel never had a chance to lower his heart rate, even on the downhill. Over the entire 2.66 miles, he covered ~600 feet elevation, which included running on gravel and over rocks. 

Once he got into the transition, he was near the front of his age group. His transition was a bit slow so that is an area he will continue to work on. He put on his hydration pack and shoes and then he was off to ride. 

The 18.1 mile mountain bike ride was primarily off-road with just a very short section on the paved road. Over the 18 miles, the course was broken into two main sections. The first went up to Sardine Peak and then a loop by Wheeler Creek. The bike course had ~2900 feet of elevation gain and it took him 1:39 to complete (average speed 10.9mph). The nearly 4 mile climb to start the bike took almost 28 minutes. But once he got at the top, it became very rocky and technical with a lot of switch backs. The course continued on and with a little more climbing and descending, Karel had to stay mentally engaged to navigate on this technical course. He had one minor fall where his wheel slipped but nothing serious. There were several crashes which is normal at these Xterra races. It was really inspiring to see all different levels of athletes out on the course. I walked 1.5 miles out on the course to see Karel on the bike course and then walked back to the venue and headed up the hill to see him on the run.

After the bike, it was back up the hill again to start the 5.5 mile run. Karel was able to run for most of the first climb but eventually started walking (for ~75 seconds) as he was not gaining much ground running (and expending too much energy with the altitude and fatigue). The second run was longer but just a bit more elevation (~700 feet). After the first 1 mile climb, he had a bit of a downhill - although it was not really downhill and very rocky. Karel even had a slight fall on one of the rocky sections (he was thankful he had on his cycling gloves). Around 1.75 miles in, it was time for an even longer climbing section of 1.87 miles. This section took him just under 17 minutes (8:56 min/mile). Finally the descend for 1.65 miles (6:49 min/mile). It started to get really warm out so Karel was thankful he had his flask of Skratch with him for the run (in his kit pocket) and that he had his camelback with NBS Carbo-hydration for the bike. He got thirsty on the first run but there were only aid stations on the 2nd run. I was able to tell Karel his results as I was tracking him throughout the race and although he wasn't going to take first, he was in a strong fight for top 10 overall amateur (and 2nd in his age group). It took him 43:50 (8:11 min/mile) to complete the run and he had a nice sprint to finish the day (this time isn't exact as Karel didn't start his watch until he was up the climb so it didn't capture all of the 5.5 miles).

The total distance isn't correct. 

RESULTS HERE.

Between the altitude, course, terrain and competition, Karel was pretty beat up after the race (and even on Sunday while spectating me during my 21-k trial run). He was mentally and physically exhausted from the event, especially after just racing the 70.3 in St. George a week prior. But he had so much fun and just loves the atmosphere at these races. Plus, we met several new friends! 

Here's a video I put together of his race. Enjoy! 

The adventure continues - hello from Ogden, Utah!

I was in rough shape the day after the IM 70.3 World Championship. I was empty and oh-so-sore. It felt like I had just done an Ironman! Karel was sore but not as exhausted as I was. 

After a somewhat ok night of sleep, we took our time in the morning and did a little work on the computer. By late morning, we made our way to Snow Canyon for a scenic hike. Karel brought his mountain bike to spin his legs while Ashley, Zach and I walked around for ~2 hours. We met up with our athlete Gin and her mom so it was a fun time exploring the trails. Although there wasn't much for Karel to mountain bike on (only one trail which wasn't too technical), he said it was the perfect way to loosen out after the race. In the evening, Alvi, Karel and I went to our community pool to splash around. Karel swam ~1500 yards, I did a few laps (no swim cap, truly a splash) and then spent a little time relaxing my sore muscles in the hot tub. 

On Monday, I was still sore and exhausted but I knew I needed to start moving my body to help expedite the recovery. Since Karel had dropped off his tri bike with Tri Bike Transport after the race, he only had his mountain bike left at the house. Karel went out for a ~90-minute mountain bike ride on the trails behind where we were staying and I went out on my tri bike for an almost 2 hour sightseeing journey on two wheels. I mostly stayed on the bike course and headed from Washington to the Red Hills Parkway but took a few detours to check out the big houses higher up off the course. I finished the ride feeling so much better than when I started and decided to shake out the legs with an easy ~22 min jog around our Airbnb complex. My quads were still super sore and tender but with each step I found myself loosening out a bit. On Tuesday, our check-out of the Airbnb day, we went for a morning swim at the pool (3300 yards) which felt good to be non weight bearing and move through the water. I actually started to feel a little better during the swim than when I started - always a good sign that recovery is going well. 

After we checked out of our rental place and exchanged our rental truck for an SUV, we made our way 4.5 hours north to Ogden, Utah. The next adventure of our Utah trip!

Soon after Karel participated in his first Xterra off-road triathlon event back in May (and before breaking his hand), he registered for the Xterra USA Championship in Ogden/Snow Basin, Utah. With the event happening a week after the IM 70.3 World Championship, it was the perfect excuse to extend our stay in Utah by another week. Of course, logistically, this required me to be super creative with our travel arrangements - two one-way flights, two rental cars, two Airbnbs and a lot of other research to ensure a smooth and stress-free race-cation. Luckily, so far, it's all working out. 

And here we are in Huntsville, Utah near Ogden and Snow Basin. Altitude just around 5,000 feet. We are staying by Pineview Reservoir in a cute ski-resort type villa community. We didn't find out until a few weeks ago that the Xterra swim portion of the triathlon was cancelled due to bacteria in the lake but I decided to keep our rental as the location is still central to Snow Basin Ski Resort - where the duathlon will take place (2.5-mile trail run/19-mile MTB/5.5-mile trail run). 

After unloading our car and catching up on a few emails, we each went for a short jog to stretch out the legs. We ended up jogging around the nearby campsite which had a beautiful view of the Reservoir. We then made a late-evening drive to the local grocery store for a few more grocery items. After dinner, we were ready to get a good night of sleep and sleep in. 

Well so much for sleeping in. I guess we were both excited to start the day just before 7am. And it was Karel's 45th birthday!! After working on the computer for a few hours, we drove up to Snow Basin (~8 mile drive, ~6300 feet altitude) to check out the trails. It was a cool morning in the upper 50's but it warmed up nicely throughout the day. There was no cost to access the trails at Snow Basin and the Xterra crew had already started marking the course with blue arrows for the bike course. Karel biked almost the entire course (just short by a mile) and it took him ~2 hours to cover the 19 miles. The course either goes up or down and there are many technical sections with rocks and tight switch backs.

While Karel was riding the course, I ran the first part of his bike course which is also the big loop (and 2nd part) of the 21K Xterra Trail Race that I will be participating in on Sunday. My legs are still sore and I can really feel them when I walk upstairs but oddly, when I run I feel ok - certainly I am not able to run hard or fast but I can quickly put one foot in front of the other and call it running ;) I really enjoy trail running as I feel it suits my style of running and I just love being in nature. Like the bike course, I went up and up to almost 7300 feet (starting at 6300) and then made my way back down the other side (although the highest peak is 9300 feet so there may be more to climb there!). A hiker told me there were moose ahead off the trail but sadly I didn't see any. Karel was also on the lookout as he heard the same thing. I walked a few sections that were super steep so that I wouldn't overstress my calves. I had a lot of fun and just took my time when there was a scenic view to enjoy. I ran for 80 minutes and covered 8-miles of the course. I waited for Karel to finish and then he went for a short run just to check out the mile that he didn't see on the bike. This course is going to be crazy difficult but also absolutely stunning. We are both excited for our adventures this weekend!

Today (Thursday) we started out our morning somewhat early by driving to Ogden High School for a morning swim. The high school pool was so nice and for only $3, it was the perfect way to start our day. Karel swam 3000 yards and I swam 4000 yards. We aren't feeling any effects at altitude and overall, I'd say we are feeling relatively healthy after Worlds. We then made a necessary stop at Kneaders bakery for a fresh baguette and a delish cinnamon-roll type bread. 

The scenery is just beautiful around this area and I couldn't wait to get on my bike in the afternoon. I ventured out alone and rode around the reservoir (~15 miles) which was incredibly scenic with the fall colors on the leaves of the trees and the rocks on the mountains. And so much farm life - something I was really missing in St. George. There was even a nice paved path to ride on on the far side of the lake. I then challenged myself by riding 7 miles up to Snow Basin. While the climb wasn't technical or overly difficult, it was more of the descend that kinda scared me as it was a fast, steep, straight descend for over 4 miles. And I was also worried about the wind. But I did it and I am proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone. Karel left to drive to Snow Basin for his mountain bike ride on the trail around the same time as me and ironically, we both arrived home at the very same time! I rode 30 miles in just under 2 hours (~15 mph) and covered ~2300 feet of elevation gain. 

We are really looking forward to the weekend! Here are some pics of the past few days in Ogden, Utah.....

Karel heading out to check out the Xterra bike course.

At the top! 

My view from the trail. That parking lot waaaay in the distance is where we started.

Technical section at the top. 

More rocks at the top.

Beautiful valley on the run course.

Karel finishing his short run after the bike.

Happy 45th Karel (Wednesday). Thank you Claire for the Birthday cupcakes. Never too much chocolate for Karel. 

Ogden High School swimming pool. Great aquatic complex!

Kneaders Bakery. YUM!

Views in Ogden (we are staying in Huntsville, about 20-min away). 

Exploring around the reservoir in Huntsville.

Biking up to Snow Basin. Up and Up for 7-miles. 

Thanks for following along! 
If you'd like to track Karel at the Xterra race on Saturday:

 💥  Photos and videos on the Xterra Facebook page.
 💥 Link to live results: HERE. 
 💥 Final Results from all races will be loaded HERE.

Travel Day to St. George, Utah

 

Our travel day started early as we woke up at 4:10am and left for the Greenville airport at 4:45am. It was incredibly hard to say good-bye to our furry feline crew (Campy is with my mom) but we know they will be in great loving hands while we are away. 

The check-in process was pretty smooth and we were at our gate around 5:50am for our 6:35am flight to Atlanta. 

A bit of a back story on our trip....

Booking this trip was a bit of a logistical puzzle as we are not just traveling to St. George for the IM 70.3 World Championship but we are also spending time in Salt Lake City, Utah (Ogden - Snow Basin) the week after because Karel will be participating in the Xterra USA Championship. After working through all different types of flying scenarios/options, the most affordable (and stress-free) option was to book two one-way tickets on Delta. Our first trip was GSP to ATL to Salt Lake City to St. George. Then on the way home, we go Salt Lake City to ATL to GSP. 

I also had to book two different rental cars (one for while we are in St. George and one to pick up in St. George and to return in Salt Lake City). I also booked two Airbnb's. Karel used Tri Bike Transport for his tri bike (dropped off in Charlotte the week before we left) so that he doesn't have to bring two bikes with him for the entire trip. Instead, he flew with his mountain bike. 

I do enjoy booking our trips and all the logistics that come with our race-cations but this trip is sure to be the most logistically difficult trip I've ever had to book....but it'll all be worth it! Because I booked a one-way to St. George, the price difference for First Class vs. Economy was not that much so I treated us to a bit of an upgrade.....and wow, it was a treat to be able to lay down in our pods for our 3.5 hour trip. We were soaking up every minute of it - we didn't even care that we sat on the tarmac for over 30 minutes waiting to lift off. We both watched one movie and Karel started a second movie while I took a needed nap. 

We arrived in Salt Lake City and waited about an hour to board our last flight. There were some delays for our tiny aircraft to take off but after waiting almost an hour, we finally left Salt Lake City and in less than an hour we arrived in St. George. 

Overall, everything went smoothly and most importantly, all of our luggage arrived in St. George - including our bikes! This is my third time traveling to St. George for a triathlon (4th for Karel) but we usually fly into Las Vegas. Although the 2-hour drive from Vegas to St. George is incredibly beautiful (well the last hour), the flight from Salt Lake City to St. George was spectacular. 

When we arrived to St. George, we had a short walk to the luggage and rental car area. I was expecting some issues with our rental car as all of the cars are sold out in St. George (and very expensive). I reserved a minivan but we ended up with a truck. Oh well, at least we had something for us, our luggage and our house mates Joe, Ashley and Zach. 

It was nearing 4pm when we left the airport and we decided to make a stop at the grocery store (Harmon's) in route to our Airbnb in Washington, Utah. Harmon's is a bit expensive (kinda like Whole Foods) but they have a wide variety of items - and it was the closest grocery on our way to the Airbnb. We loaded up on essentials and then made the rest of the drive to our Airbnb. 

I specifically selected our Airbnb at Sienna Hills in Washington, Utah for a few reasons. First off, because it was central to both the race venue downtown and Sand Hallow State Park (Swim/T1/Bike start) and easy to get on and off the interstate. We can also safely bike from our place to the bike course (we are right on the bike course). There are also several running paths/trails for us to run on from our community. Lastly, and most importantly, the community has a lap pool. I figured with 4000 athletes in town for the race, swimming pools would be crowded and I wanted a place to swim without any hassle. Our athlete Kaley met us at our place (she stayed with us just one night until her Airbnb was ready on Tuesday) and we were anxious to get in the water (we both looooove to swim). 

After a long day of traveling, it was nearing 6:30pm when we got to the pool (which was 8:30pm EST). Exhausted and tired, it felt so good to be weightless and to move some blood. The water was warm but the salt water provided a relaxing feeling as we swam for ~1600 yards. Karel did his own thing and Kaley and I did a few different sets - kinda making stuff up as we went along. It felt a bit like swimming at altitude at first as we were both pretty tired but the swim felt good and it was nice to move the body. 

After the swim we ate a bit more, Karel assembled the bikes and then nearing 9:30pm local time (11:30pm EST) it was time for bed. Unfortunately, our Airbnb Air Conditioner broke and we didn't realize it while we were out swimming so we had a very uncomfortable night of sleep as it was ~80 degrees in our Airbnb. Thankfully, the AC is now fixed and we can cool off from the 90+ degree desert heat outside. 

Overall I am feeling much better after struggling with Covid sickness from the 1st-3rd. It's been almost 2 weeks since I first experienced my worst symptoms and my coughing has mostly gone away (just a little to clear my throat), my sinuses are much better and my taste/smell is slowly coming back. I'm still tired but that could also be due to taper and everything else going on right now. Thankfully, I feel like my health is in a good place that I can race on Saturday and give it me best effort on what will be an extremely challenging course.