Going into the holidays, it’s hard to stay motivated, especially with travel. A few tips, a Coldwater Mountain trail highlight and some swimming Q&A… oh boy! Grab your Santa socks and your eggnog for a quick vid…
Filed under: Fun Stuff, Mountain Biking, Running, Swimming, SwimRun | Tagged: Coldwater Mountain, Motivation, Mountain Biking, Racing, Running, Swimming, SwimRun, Travel | Comments Off on Keeping Motivated, Coldwater Mountain and Improving Your Swim
So you’re probably sitting around eating Thanksgiving leftovers, or you’re licking your wounds from you’re local Black Friday brawl while fighting for the latest Furby. Either way, you got nothing better to do, so check out the latest update.
Filed under: Fun Stuff, Mountain Biking, SwimRun | Tagged: adventure race, adventure racing, Mountain Biking, Racing, SwimRun | Comments Off on Two-fer Riding, Racing Ride and Seek, SwimRun Thanks
Well, once again, I’ve fallen waaaay behind on my posts, so here goes a recap of XTERRA Whitewater. I’m gonna try and recap some of the previous races for some of those Throwback Thursdays I keep seeing. Some race directors, racers and friends are due their props and I aim to deliver.
Anyhow, since XTERRA Whitewater is in my backyard and the fact that I know the guy who created it, there was no way I was going to miss it. Even though heat hath descended upon us with a vengeance, I was still going to get my butt out there and race. Caleb and I showed up to the race site early (as always), but since I had to stop for ice, gas and a few Twinkies on the way to the race, he beat me to it. He even gloated about it on the interwebs.
So. the GU Crew WAS ready and we were itching to race, matching blue GU shirts and all. We even had a bit of fun waiting for transition to open up
Folks started rolling in and the morning preparation seemed to be Continue reading
Filed under: Race Reports, Racing, Triathlon | Tagged: American Classic, Crank Brothers, ESIGrips, First Endurance, GU Energy, Hawk Racing, Mountain Biking, Racing, Schwalbe Tires, Timex Facotry Team, trail running, Triathlon, US National Whitewater Center, Whitewater Center, XTERRA | Comments Off | Comments Off on Some Like It Hot – XTERRA Whitewater
It’s been a couple of years since I hit the one-cow town of Winder, Georgia to race XTERRA Fort Yargo. With the change in the XTERRA points structure, I figured it’d be another good race to earn some points. Race morning, the temp and weather were perfect for a fun day of racing. There was a slight threat of rain, but not until later that afternoon. As we gathered at the water’s edge, you could see the low-water effects leftover from the park draining the lake for maintenance purposes. The shoreline extended way out and you could see trees that were normally submerged.
Photo: Nozomi Shinoda-Wade
The advertised swim distance was 750 meters, but looking at the buoys, I could tell it was a bit long for 750. This was more than the normal, “Geez that looks a lot farther than 750” reaction that most folks have when looking at their first open water swim after spending the winter in the pool. With at least a half-dozen open water swims under my belt already this year, along with a swimrun race, the usual, post-winter suprise had already been overcome. I could definitely tell it was long. I didn’t give it much thought beyond my first peering out at the buoys. Quickly dismissed, I got in ready to race. After a short briefing, the ~100 person race was underway.
Photo: Alba Barton
I managed, somehow, to stay out of the normal washing machine mess this race. I didn’t feel like having any sort of punch fest this day, and I lucked out and found clean, calm water all the way to the first buoy. The entire pack started out pretty fast but Continue reading
Filed under: Racing, Triathlon | Tagged: American Classic, Crank Brothers, ESIGrips, First Endurance, GU Energy, Hawk Racing, Mountain Biking, Myrtle Beach, Racing, Schwalbe Tires, Timex Facotry Team, trail running, Triathlon, XTERRA | Comments Off on Cheetahs and Gazelles – XTERRA Fort Yargo
By now you may be scrambling to find gifts for your friend or better half. If that person is a runner, triathlete or biker, maybe I can give you a few ideas. To the untrained eye, these may seem a bit cheesy, but trust me, if you want to get them something that they need and will actually use, then think about these. Not only are they practical and show that you’ve put some thought into their love of sport, but may even add a few snickers on Christmas morning. You can find most of these at your local running or other sports-oriented store and maybe even online. I’m a firm believer of supporting local shops, so definitely try them first. (Throughout, I’m referring to your athlete as “him”, but can be very well a “her”).
1. Anything GU – Most athletes are in need of nutrition and can always use more. So stuff a few Stroopwafels, a few gels, a package of chews or maybe a tube (or two) of GU Drink Tabs into their stocking. The electrolyte tablets bring electrolytes to water with minimal calories (only 10) and something I use EVERY ride and on runs when I carry fluids. If you don’t know what a stroopwafel is, check out this video. You can even get creative with the nutrition. On our New Year’s Day run, we break out with Jet Blackberry gel on mini, powdered donuts. Now THAT’s one good jelly donut. www.GUEnergy.com
2. Give them Warmth – If your runner or biker likes training in cold weather, then you cannot go wrong with arm warmers. These gems are great because they can be taken off and stowed easily during those long workouts when you start of in the cold, but the temperature rises as your workout progresses. These are especially a favorite with ultra runners and even bikers. Be picky with your choice and don’t go for just any arm warmer. These arm warmers from Orange Mud are made from bamboo. Why a bamboo arm warmer? From a sustainability perspective it’s a crazy fast growing plant that requires very little water and no pesticides to “grow like a weed”. When you chop down a bamboo plant, it doesn’t need replanting, rather it simply regrows for continual harvest. The plant is also fantastic for erosion control, and also feeding pandas. Yes, pandas. www.orangemud.com
3. Elastic Shoe Laces – If you have a runner or triathlete that you’re buying for, chances are that they may already be using these handy laces that allow them to get into and out of the shoes without untying. Even if they already have them, they can use an extra pair for when they buy another set of shoes. Not only do you relieve yourself from the hassle of tying, but as you run, especially long runs, your feet tend to swell. These beauties will stretch as your feet swell, keeping your shoes comfortable but snug. www.locklaces.com
4. Socks – Yep, you heard right. The same gift we used to dread getting when we were kids is a cool gift now. Well, they’re cool if you get the right socks. As long as they are for riding, then you can’t go wrong. There’s many to choose from out there, but the best ones come from DeFeet, Sock Guy, Sugoi, and Pearl Izumi to name a few. You score extra points (and laughs) if you get some with a cool saying or picture on them. Can’t settle on the funny ones? Go a little more practical with Merino wool socks from Orange Mud (great this time of year) or compression socks which aid in recovery after a long workout. Want to go with a completely American made sock? Then check out Farm to Feet.
5. Get Grippy – If they’re a biker, ESPECIALLY a mountain-biker, then get them a pair of ESI Grips for their handlebars. They’re the most comfortable grips on the planet. So much so, that I ride without gloves (unless it’s cold). They come in a variety of thickness and colors, but I prefer the “Chunky” ones. On most regular handlebar grips, manufacturers put raised logos, tread patterns and all other kinds of crap that just make them damn uncomfortable. That junk belongs on tires, not handlebar grips. The whole idea of putting something on your handlebars is to 1: improve your grip and 2: keep your hands comfortable. Forget other grips that don’t put these two things FIRST. And if they’re hung up on having their “lock-on” grips, never fear, I used to as well. But the only grips that slip are the poorly made ones. ESI’s grips have their priorities straight and theses puppies won’t move once installed. So get them this gift and they’ll love you for it. www.ESIgrips.com
6. Seal it up – For the mountain bikers in the bunch, there’s a good chance your loved-one is riding on tubeless mountain bike tires. If so, this is a great stocking stuffer. If not, this may motivate them to take advantage of swapping to tubeless and experience all the benefits. For you, if you’re not a mountain biker, this will score major points that you happen to know something about tubeless tires and the need to use sealant. This stuff seals up the tires making it possible to hold air without a tube. The best part is it also acts as an automatic seal should they get a puncture on the trail. Don’t settle for that sealant with some guys name on it. Instead, go with the orange stuff made from NASA technology. One 8 ounce bottle is good for a set of tires, but if you go with the 4 ounce bottle, get two. I’d recommend getting the first bottle with the injector. FYI, I’ll be riding a product review on this soon. www.OrangeSeal.com
7. Crankbrothers Multitool – You can’t get more handy or practical than a multitool. Necessary for trail-side or road-side repair of bike foul ups and tends to work better than a MacGyver twig and rock combo. Crankbrothers has many to choose from at different price ranges. My favorite is the mutli-17 tool since it comes with a chain tool. It even comes with a lifetime warranty. www.crankbrothers.com
8. Co2 cartridges – If he’s a biker of any sort, having extra Co2 cartridges handy will ensure he has a way to fix a flat. It may take a little bit of snooping to figure out if he needs the threaded or non-threaded type. Just check his current stash (usually in his seat bag or where he keeps the rest of his stuff). If you can’t figure it out, go with threaded. If it’s the wrong type, he can easily swap it out with the right ones at his favorite shop. Go with either 16oz or 20oz. www.GenuineInnovations.com or your local bike shop.
If you found this list helpful, please vote for me in the #RunUltraBlogger awards (please scroll all the way down to complete the vote).
If you’re in the Charlotte, NC area, be sure to come check out our 10th Annual New Year’s Day Almost Noon Almost 10k Unorganized Group Trail Run
-Marcus
Filed under: Fun Stuff, Product Reviews | Tagged: Biking, gifts, Mountain Biking, Running, RunUltraBlogger, stocking stuffers, Triathalon | Comments Off on Last Minute Stocking Stuffers for Athletes
It was slated to be a hot one and with the torrential downpour the night before, it was also a slick one. Hot. Steamy. Slippery. Take those ingredients and mix it with a hard course and you have yourself one tough-as-nails race.
Showing up race morning, not only had it rained, but the winds had blown everything out of whack. Cones were strewn, transition had taken a beating and pop-up tents were completely missing. The folks at the Whitewater Center had their work cut out for them. They quickly got things squared away and before you knew it, transition was beginning to fill up.
I knew that Caleb and Dwayne would give me a run for my money to get on top of the podium, with Dwayne being favored for the win. My only chance was my intimate knowledge of the trails, knowing just about every root and rock out there. With that said, we saw Continue reading
Filed under: Race Reports, Triathlon | Tagged: American Classic, Crank Brothers, ESIGrips, First Endurance, GU Energy, Mountain Biking, Myrtle Beach, Racing, Schwalbe Tires, Timex Facotry Team, trail running, Triathlon, XTERRA | Comments Off on I’ll Tumble For Ya in the Woods–XTERRA Whitewater
Riding Bikes and Stomping Grapes – ITU Multisport World Championships – Cross Triathlon
“Looking for a race report on speedylizard…” was the text I got from a friend. It was proof, yet again, that I had been slackassing on getting a race report done for the ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships held in Penticton, Canada. It was also a reminder that I have at least one person that reads my blog. Well, I suppose I should throw it out there. Heck, maybe even some of the folks who are racing tomorrow might be looking for something to read… to put them to sleep.
Alba and I got to Penticton, home of over 300 wineries, a day before our housemates, Jen and Phil Horstmann along with Chrissy and Chris Haloris. Want a fun bunch of folks. Nothing like sharing a house with some great XTERRA Family. Of course, our view just absolutely sucked.
Our AirBnB digs just happen to be sitting smack dab in the middle of a vineyard. The owner even provided us with a couple of bottles from the winery that buys his grapes.
Since we were there early, I decided to throw the bike together and get in a full preride of the course. The first 3 or 4 miles of the course was on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, which as the name implies is a rails-to-trail with a gravel surface wide enough for, you guessed it, a train. After that, it turns into steep, technical single-track, which I just loved.
Unfortunately, my day was cut short just when the fun, descending section hit. I fell victim to a flat tire and in classic Marcus fashion, I had forgotten my seat bag. With no way of fixing the flat and needing to get to the Parade of Nations, I found myself running in bike shoes to the trail head which also happen to be several miles away. A quick call to Alba for a rescue pickup and we made the parade with time to spare.
The next day, Alba dropped me off at the top of the climb and I was able to ride the downhill portion with good friends, Deanna McCurdy, Kristen Wade and Al Wade. We had a blast of a time riding down and followed it up with some great apple slushies.
Since we were in Penticton during the eclipse, our landlord, Grady, came over to show us a quick and handy way to view it using a spotting scope. We just pointed it to the sun and let it focus on a piece of paper. Pretty snazy. We also attempted to set a world record to be the only folks within viewing distance of the eclipse to play horseshoes during the event.
Fast forward to race day. The day before we had to check-in our bikes and leave them overnight. Everything with the ITU (International Triathlon Union) is all o-fish-y-al and all. Heck, they even checked my bike for a motor. I joked with them that I really needed one to keep up with the fast boys in my group, but they didn’t seem to find it too funny. Anyhow, I got a great spot assigned to me near the end of the row.
The race consisted of a 1500 meter, point-to-point swim in a horseshoe shape. There were flags and a very straight line scratched in the sand to which we had to toe the line. Calvin Zaryski even got yelled at for having his toe ever so slightly over the line. With a quick blow of the horn we were off. Like clockwork, there were several waves of competitors going off, one right behind the other. In addition to the pros, there was another wave of age-groupers ahead of us. By the time we got to the mid-point of the swim, we were catching the previous wave. Early in the swim, I found a good person swimming slightly faster and I chose to draft, but when we hit the wave of folks ahead of us, it became crowded very quickly causing me to lose him. I came out of the water feeling pretty good and ready to get on the bike.
I had a very quick transition and managed to get out onto the bike without any issues, even passing a few people in the process. After passing a couple of folks on the steep, paved section going up Vancouver avenue, I hit the Kettle Valley Rail (KVR) trail. One of the guys I passed on the way up made his way back in front of me and I hopped on his tail. We stayed together pretty much throughout the climb, conversing and just having a good time.
The technical descending was the most fun part with me doing the “wheeeee” like the little pig on the commercial. I felt smooth and even managed to get a compliment thrown my way as I whizzed past one of the locals in his full face helmet and pads.
Hitting the KVR on the way back, I hooked up with Jeff Neilson. We chatted along the way and decided to fly down the steep paved section side-by-side once we got off of the KVR. My watch recorded 42 miles per hour, which is pretty darn fast on a mountain bike (at least for me). In my speedy downhill section, I completely forgot to get out of my shoes. I had planned a barefoot dismount going into transition but found myself hopping off the bike with one foot out and one foot still in the shoe AND still clipped into the pedal. Needless to say, I almost ended up crashing into one of the fence barriers as I stumbled one legged for a bit before I could get my foot unclipped. I ran into transition with one shoe on and one shoe off. Total rookie move.
After a short jaunt on pavement, we dove into singletrack which was fairly non-technical, but hilly and along the bluffs of the lake.
Once we ascended the bluffs, we were met with a few miles of running on an out-and-back section of the KVR trail. I would have felt a lot better with all, technical single-track, but I made the best of it and tried to maintain a good pace. I saw Calvin on his way in and gave him a high five, along with encouragement of everyone I came across.
Once back onto single-track, we had to descend the bluffs to the lakes edge and run back towards the finish. The beach was only 5-10 feet wide and many sections of it covered with brush and trees. In some places you could go under or over the trees, but in others you were forced to run out into the lake to get around. This was a BLAST and the kind of racing I really, really enjoy.
After dumping back out on the pavement, I ran past one of the female pros and spotted two guys ahead of me. I asked the pro if she thought I could reel them in and she responded with, “Of course you can. Go get em!” I picked up my pace to try and run them down. I lost sight of them as we weaved in and out of the marina, shops and resturants and along the backside of the park. It wasn’t until we turned left at the peach and onto the final stretch that I saw one. I grabbed an American Flag handed by our team coach and tried to run him down. As I sprinted past him, the crowd started cheering, giving away my sneak attack. I should have held off a little longer before attacking, but since I was already pulling up beside him, he had enough time to pick the pace back up. The crowd became louder and the announcer started, “Barton or Girard, who’s it gonna be? Girard or Barton. Barton or Girard? Sprint finish, who will come out on top?” Needless to say, Evan had better legs than me at that point, so he beat me across the finish line. I gave him a big hug and congratulated him on a fine sprint.
I ended up being the top American in my division, coming in at 6th place behind some super fast boys.
All-in-all, I was very impressed with the course that was laid out for us. I’ll be honest, going into it I didn’t have very high hopes. There have been a couple of ITU Cross courses that were nothing more than a road tri on dirt. This course in Penticton ended up being, what I would consider, a good measure of an all-around athlete. It didn’t cater to an athlete that may be really good at one type of course or excels at one particular skill. I think they did a great job!
Upon finishing, we were presented with a Penticton beanie which I LOVE. One of the coolest race gifts ever.
It was also wonderful to have our AirBnB hosts, Grady and Gail come out and cheer us on at the race. They managed to cheer us from several spots on the course and even take some great pictures like this:
The gang headed out for some good eats, but not before I had this (just) dessert, first. Yep, that’s strawberry layered cake on top of a strawberry milkshake. They told me it was zero-calorie and I took their word for it.
My bike just wanted to rest and enjoy the view before being packed up in its case for the trip home.
Race: ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships
Location: Penticton, British Columbia, Canada
Date: August 23, 2017
Distances: 1000m Swim / 20 mile mountain bike / 5 mile trail run
Result: 6th in Division (top American) / 21st Overall
Full Results
Products used: GU Roctane Gel and GU Roctane Drink Mix, American Classic Wide Lightning Wheels, Schwalbe Racing Ralph Tires, ESI Grips, Crank Brothers Candy 11 Pedals, First Endurance Multi-V, Hawk Racing Bottom Bracket, Hawk Racing Pulleys.
Be a warrior!
Marcus
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Filed under: Race Reports, Racing, Travel, Triathlon | Tagged: American Classic, Canada, Crank Brothers, ESIGrips, First Endurance, GU Energy, Hawk Racing, Mountain Biking, Penticton, Racing, Schwalbe Tires, Timex Facotry Team, trail running, Triathlon, XTERRA | Comments Off | 5 Comments »