Xterra Tahoe City - June 25, 2011
Lake Tahoe is a special place for me and Kasia. We got married there 7 years ago and I also spent a lot of time there when I was growing up. I snowboarded there in the winter and hung out with friends on the lake during the summer. The lake is so big, blue and beautiful. I had done the Xterra Nevada race a couple years ago in Incline Village and always wanted to do the other Xterra in Tahoe City. This was the year. It occurs the same weekend as the San Diego International Triathlon so we had to skip my favorite local race and head up to Tahoe for some off-road fun.
I have said this before, Xterra races are my favorite and Xterra Tahoe City now happens to be one of my two top races of all time. I like the off-road triathlons more than the road tri’s and there is no better place than Lake Tahoe.
The week before, we had to prep to make the drive up the 395 to Tahoe. I decided to rotate the tires on my bike the night before we left and I realized the brake pads on my Specialized Stumpjumper Expert 29er were gone and I had to race over to B&L to get them replaced. Leo, Hubert and Chris from the San Diego store saved me BIG TIME!!! I called over there at 6:15PM, 45 minutes before they closed and they said to come in. They replaced my pads and checked Kasia Stumpjumper brakes right before they closed for the day. Super big thanks to the crew at B&L!! They saved me last minute and I am so grateful. Thanks again B&L.
We took off after work Thursday and made it to Bishop up the 395 at 11PM. The next morning we woke up early and were in Tahoe that afternoon. It was so nice to be in Tahoe and there was still so much snow on the mountains. We checked into a hotel right across the street from Common’s Beach where the race starts and ends. We then got on our bikes and headed out to pre-ride the bike course. The bike course was not marked yet so we decided to go anyway and see if we could figure it out. As we were heading up the fire road, one of the guys with the Big Blue Adventure Team flew by us with a roll of yellow tape on his bars and we figured out they were out marking the course. I noticed the tape on some trees so we followed it not sure if we were on the course or not. Good news.....we were. Later during the ride we ran into the rest of the crew on motorcycles and started to notice the familiar blue bike course arrows. In Xterra blue is for bike and red is for run. This was the case in Tahoe as well.
There was snow still on the course and water flowing in some spots but for the most part the course was awesome. The bike course consisted of a mix of fire roads and single track in the wonderful forests of Tahoe. I was so stoked to be racing again in Tahoe in an Xterra. We met up with my parents who came up from Folsom for dinner and got to bed early after prepping for the morning.
When we woke up it was 34 degrees. BRRRRRRRRR. Frost was on the grass in the transition area. We racked our bikes and headed down to the swim. This is when the fun began. The day before we were told the water temp was 52. I woke up that morning dreading the swim. I knew it would be cold but I had no idea.
I stepped into the water 15 minutes before the start to warm up and got right back out after I felt the pain in my feet. Man was that water cold. I knew I had to do it so I dove in. Instant brain freeze. It was crazy. I made myself start swimming but it was not easy. After 15 minutes I was numb enough for the race and lined up on shore for the start.
There is something awesome about the minute right before a race starts. It is an electric feeling and love the moment before the pain starts as I settle into the madness of racing. My nerves normally start to race the night before and leading up to the race but settle down shortly after the race begins. Everyone that races knows what I am talking about. It will keep me coming back for more till the day I die.
Ready set go and we were off in the cold waters of Tahoe. Got through my first lap feeling the cold of the 52 degree water but by the second loop I was fine and ready to bike. At the deepest part of the swim I could still see the bottom clearly and everyone around me was easy to see as well. I drafted someone for a bit but quickly overcame them and was headed for the flags where we started.
I got out of the water and headed over to T1. It is a long run to the transition area. First along the bike path down near the water then onto a wooden bridge. Then we turn cross the highway and luckily the Highway Patrol was there to stop cars. Into T1 I went. I was still really cold from the swim and it made getting ready for the bike difficult. Kasia had to ask Jamie Whitmore to help her snap her helmet closed because she was so cold. She didn’t even know who was helping her. The winningest Xterra Athlete of all time. So good to see her doing well after her fight with cancer.
The bike heads north out of Tahoe City and immediately climbs for 2 miles or so. It gives everyone a chance to warm up. Nice. The climb was up a fire road but it was loose rocks which makes climbing tougher. It is so nice to be up in the mountains in the morning. I was having such a good time. As I crested the first climb I knew I would be riding through a lot of water and I wasn’t going to try and avoid it. As I started to pick up speed the puddles started to appear and I went straight through them. Water and mud went everywhere. The bike course in Tahoe City is rad. It is not as tough as the race in Incline (Xterra Nevada) but just as fun. There is a mix of single track and fireroads. They had to remove 4 miles of the course due to snow this year. Bummer because the single track was awesome. Check out the video below.
I pretty much rode with two girls the whole time. One was a 17 and the other was 35. I knew this because our ages are on our calves from body marking. They charged and chicked so many dudes. Girls at Xterra are bad ass and bring it. I am so stoked that my wife is one of them. There is just one hard climb you have to do twice since there are two laps up top. So there are three major climbs and a lot of fun rolling terrain. They mark your number after the first loop to make sure you do all the required loops. There was snow on the course and it was fun to ride over. Since it was still early it was hard and the bike tires would just roll right over it.
Before I knew it I was at the top where we began the first climb of the day and I was headed down to start my run. The 35 year old I was riding with all day killed the descent and I got it all on video. She would hit rocks the size of her helmet and they would just fly off the road. There were also drainage ditches you had to navigate at high speed which required me to get off the saddle and absorb the small bumps. So different than road racing and so much more fun.
Into T2 I went and changed into my running shoes. Then straight into two miles of uphill running back up the hill I just descended.
All the weekly runs at Black Mountain, Mt. Soledad and Blacks Beach in San Diego really paid off and I ran the entire way up the hill. At this point I really didn't have anyone around me so it was awesome to be running through the woods all by myself. I took it all in. There was a lot of snow on the run course and I probably ran over 15 snow drifts. We had a lot of snow in the Sierras this year and there was still a lot in the mountains. My Brooks Cascadia shoes rocked and gripped everything. The green shoes looked really good on the snow as well. At the top of the mountain the trail flattened out and my pace increased. Then I started to head down the mountain and I started to fly. I knew it was all downhill from there. The six miles of the run flew by and I was down in Tahoe City crossing the same road I did after the swim. The cops were still there controlling traffic. Thanks CHP.
The finish is on the beach where we started the swim. I crossed the line a little over 3 hours after I started. I almost caught Kasia (she did the short course)which would have made for the best finish. My parents were there and so was Kasia. Thanks mom and dad for the pics.
I was bummed it was over. I had wanted to do this race for years and every year we skip because of the San Diego International. We hung out and enjoyed the BBQ post race along with the Fat Tire Ales they were pouring. I got first place Clydesdale and a cool Big Blue Adventures Mug. What a place to enjoy post race. Lake Tahoe is absolutely amazing in summer. It was a cool place to wind down after the race. Much better than Xterra Nevada in Incline. Commons Beach in Tahoe City is a cool place to chill if you are ever in the area.
We hung out with the parents that evening and sat in the hotel spa before crashing. Woke up early and went for run down the bike path towards Squaw Valley. I was getting bummed I would have to leave for San Diego. I wished I could spend more time in Tahoe. After the run we hopped in the truck and made the 11 hour drive home to sweet San Diego. Every time I come back I realize how much I love it in San Diego.
If anyone out there wants to try an Xterra there is one coming up in August that Kasia and I will be racing. T he race is Snow Valley near Big Bear. It is happening on August 7. If you ever wanted to try an Xterra I highly recommend them. They are still small and grass roots. Let me know if you are interested.
http://www.xterrasnowvalley.com/
Xterra – Live More!!!!!!!
