Pre-riding the XTERRA Miami with fellow XTERRA Athlete, Rich Costello: http://journals.aol.com/longtrailahead/Longtrailahead/
Before we set out for the ride, a woman asked us if we were racing the XTERRA race and she wanted to know if she should take her shoes off before the water crossings during the run portion of the race. (there was a long pause: and I could see Rich's mind say: "You should take this one, Sue Anne"). I advised her to take her glasses off, hat off, and be ready to lose those shoes, if she took them off. This is not your hop the rock water crossing lady! You are taking the plunge, not once but twice! (last year I lost my sun glasses to the crocs there) As we walked away, I thought to myself... she is obvious a road, ironman, mental game playing triathlete... and this is her first XTERRA..... now I know the feeling when a person (with any faith) gets a high when they convert a Christian... "we got one!" Baptism by Fire! (Wind, and Earth).
So Rich and I set off on our bikes .... I had to show him the water crossings.
I took Rich through the course from what I remembered from last year's shorter race (but this year they doubled the length of the course). The swim portion was beautiful in a Miami inlet (just hope there are no bull sharks swimming around). Next we set out onto the tropical bike trails consisting of blue & black diamond courses...yes, the course is marked like a ski slope; green: novice, blue: intermediate, and black: highly advanced but we were sweating amongst the bamboo instead of freezing our butts off on a ski lift! We also biked a portion of the run course, but some of the run course we couldn't bike through b/c of the above- the- head water crossings...You could feel the anticipation from Rich as we went through the course bit by bit... We both agreed on "This is truly an XTERRA race". Its well worth the trip. Its one of the best spring breaks from the Philly area. And what better way to test your off-season training than to throw yourself into a tropical climate of mid 80s, a 74 degree inlet salty swim, 19 mile super-technical mountain bike trails, and a gnarly heart pumping 10K trail run with a few cool off swims across crocodile waters! Bring it!
Race day: I need more work on my bike split. If I could maneuver my bike on the trails like I maneuver on the runs I would have a whole different race. But instead I have alot of bruises, scrapes, and scars to add to my XTERRA collection. I came in 4th female overall...not what I set out to accomplish, but close enough (for now). The race director did a great job of marking the course and he had traveling EMS personnel (who help Tx my gnarly bike wounds with antibiotic cream at one of my stops) this year. Kudos to Gomez in 2008.
I am on the board with 75pts for the start of my 2008 season. I vacationed well in the Keys for a week with my friemly (friends who are practically my family), practiced my mountain bike technicals for 3 days in one of the best trails in the country with a famous XTERRA athlete, and flew home on a private jet just in time to attend the Phillies home opener.
Have you ever felt so Blessed with a Good, Healthy, and Active Life? Have you ever been surrounded by people who feel the same? Thats XTERRA...
So, What are YOU waiting For?
Another XTERRA Miami racer's report: http://www.xterraplanet.com/news/dsp_content.cfm?id=2121
