Rocky Gap Xterra (Off-Road Triathlon) Race Report

For my July race, I opted to do something a little different and make a return to Rocky Gap State Park for EX2's off-road triathlon. My overall goals for the race including (1) finish, (2) avoid injury, and (3) have fun. I succeeded in all three.

Due to various reasons, I was unable to make it to the race venue the day prior and elected to go up morning of. I had ridden the course before, 2 years ago, and the race was truly meant solely for fun, so no biggie. I knew of no one else participating in the race, other than some familiar names on the race roster. However, I love EX2's races (always fabulous schwag) and was determined to fulfil my fat tire fix.

I was delighted to discover two fellow Team Z'ers, Dave & Kathy Lett, as I set up. Kathy was racing; Dave was cheering. As they're both new to Team Z, I hadn't prior had much opportunity to speak to them, so seeing them there was a pleasant surprise. They introduced me to their friends and fellow racers. And soon it was time to enter the corral to get "counted" and begin the race.

This race is my only experience with Xterra, but the swim is nothing but a typical triathlon swim. I have done two-loop swims in races before, but generally that means a quick run out-run in, lasting just a few seconds. In this one, there's a good 1/4 mile run, over a hill, between the two swim loops. This was my first race swim since my poor experience at Columbia, so I was truly delighted to have a pleasant, relaxed swim, despite the HR skyrocking between swim loops. Ooops.

Naturally, the bike was next. The course is billed as "semi-technical". I think that's based on the overall "average" of the course. It's a two-loop course, about each loop a little under 9 miles. Now, part of it is asphalt, part of it is semi-technical singletrack, and part of it is downright hard. In support of goal #2 (avoid injury), I played it conservatively on the ride. I joked around with Brian McKnight (one of the photographers who always seems to be in just the right location) and fellow racers. On my first attempt up Evitt's Revenge, the race leaders zipped up the hill effortlessly past me. Oh well.

On the second loop, the strangest thing happened to me yet in a race: I lost the soles to both of my mountain bike shoes. Early on in the second loop, I noted that the sole of my right shoe was flopping around. I thought not much of it under I unclipped from my pedals (again in support of goal #2) and the entire thing just peeled off all together. Unsure quite what to do with the thing, I chucked it on the side of the trail. (Generally I try to adhere to the rules and only throw trash in view of aid stations.) Without a cleat, or rather without an entire shoe bottom, I wound up having to pedal with essentially only a sock on my right foot. Not too comfortable with clipless pedals. Oh well, I continued on in support of goal #1 (finish). The situation was not a show stopper.

I continued on, and to my surprise, a mile or two up the trail, my left shoe sole peeled off! Huh? At least this time, the sole stayed clipped into the pedal, so I was able to utilize it as a platform of sorts.

I showed my situation to fellow racers along the course as we chit-chat and joked. A few times I had to drag my bike across the challenging terrain, resulting in my rear tire getting dislodged at one point. As I fixed it, I somehow got my chain all twisted and could not help but laugh and received help thanks to a NV Racing member.

My bike was thrashed by the time I finished the bike leg. My bike could have used a tune-up before; it definitely needs one now.

All right. Time to run. The run leg is 5 miles and it truly is a technical run. It's not a matter of a simple dirt trail in the park. The run requires mental alertness as a misstep can result in bodily harm. (Recall goal #2- avoid injury.) I went along with ease, passing several people (ok, we were all in the back-of-the-pack, but I was glad that I was racing with relative discipline) along the trail. My one complaint about the race: lack of aid stations on the run. The heat of the day was rapidly rising and our first run aid station did not come until over 2 miles into the run. I was absolutely desperate for fluids upon arrival and immediately downed 3 cups of Gatorade. I recalled in my previous race I was able to take a bottle of Gatorade with me, but they were unable to support that request this go-around.

Along the way, I chit-chat with a gentleman who was lamenting that his son had finished the race as he started the run loop. His son is my age (and a fellow Ironman finisher) and I encouraged him (at least I hope I did) as we reached Evitt's Revenge for the third time (twice on the bike, once on the run). I don't forsee getting my dad to do a triathlon with me anytime soon! Let alone an Xterra!

The run loop is essentially over at the end of the Evitt Mountain Homeside Trail, with a climb on all fours. There is then a 1-mile run along the road to the finish.

Kathy finished the race placing 4th in our age group. Congratulations to her. Me? I think 10th out of 12. Oh well. I refer again to my race goals. I succeeded in all three.