The other day a race popped up on the XTERRA race calendar for 2017 that may look familiar to some, called XTERRA Charlottesville, but the race on the 2017 calendar is NOT the race you may know from years past. For those that know it and may have had an opportunity to race it would recall it’s technical bike and run course, strewn with rock gardens, creek crossings and steep, heart pounding climbs. However, that’s not the race coming up in 2017. The only thing in common between the two is the name.
XTERRA Charlottesville 2017 will be at a completely new venue: The Miller School of Albermarle.
Back in November of last year, I was in contact with Kate Lucas and as part of the conversation, I mentioned traveling for work to places like Virgina Tech and Richmond. She mentioned that there was interest in having an XTERRA at the Miller School. One thing led to another and next thing I know I’m pulling up in front of the school for a pre-ride. She explained that when I got there, I’d know it because I’d swear I was at Hogwarts. She wasn’t kidding.
This place looked like something straight out of a wizards movie, but instead, it’s one of the nations top-ranked boarding schools. I hooked up with Andy Guptill, Team Director and Head Coach of the Endurance Team and he gave me a quick overview of the trails and sent me on my way.
Not long after entering the trailhead I still felt like I was in some movie and riding through the spooky forest, but on fast flowy trails. I had a blast and the whole time I was thinking that this would make a great XTERRA course.
After my pre ride of the trails, I met back up with Andy Guptill and he gave me a tour of the school bike shop while Continue reading
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