XTERRA

first time racer

2011-12-06T04:16:21 -10.00

i'm doing my first trail race in feb. and i'm just wondering what the hydration system during races are like?? are they like road races where you got volunteers holding cups or is it more of a stop and refill your handhelds?? just been wodnering about this to figure out and plan/ train for feb. mission gorge 15k

Training Plans

2010-07-31T14:54:43 -10.00

There are a few plans out there...some can be found on Training Peaks (Cody Waite, Lynda Wallenfells (sp) et. al.).
Depending on the course of the upcoming race I'll either ride 4X/week; run 3X/week; swim 2x/week or keep the swim frequency the same and run 4X and ride 3X.

Four rides: One: MTB ride with intervals (one interval might be 15s/30s/15s/10min as 15s neuromuscular power/30s anaerobic/15s neuromuscular and then 10 minutes at FTP and depending on the length of the workout I'd do 2-3 of those).

2nd: MTB ride: longish with lots of technical trails (you probably don't need to improve your MTB handling skills like I do).

3rd: Road ride: FTP intervals as 2-3X 12-15minutes or the more insane 2X 20minutes.

4th: Hour MTB ride with some climbing followed by a 30 minute trail run with some race pace intervals.

1st run: Longish with technical climbing/descending

2nd run: above as the brick.

3rd run: Road run with some tempo intervals.

1st swim: Open water with some race pace surges.

2nd swim: In the pool focusing on drills/form. I'll do a little of everything; 100's, 200's, pulling, longer sets, etc. McQuaid does 300's as 100 all out and then settling into a race pace for the second two hundred...she says this helps simulate race starts.

I'm slowly coming back from injury and this has been effective so far.
I do some plyometrics in the off/pre season.
A swim analysis with a qualified coach with video might be a decent investment too.

Conrad Stoltz has published some training tips and workouts on his webpage or blog...can't remember which and Melanie McQuaid has some articles floating around too.

Good luck.

Training Plans

2010-07-26T13:44:52 -10.00

Hey all,

I am a cat 2 XC mtb looking to get into some xterra races next year. I plan on doing about 3 or 4, as well as my regional (mid-atlantic) mtb season. My question is about training schedules. Do any of you follow a basic oly length tri plan? Or are your training plans xterra specific?

I have found a few xterra training plans online that are anywhere from 6-16 weeks in length.

I have open water swimming experience from being a beach life guard, but still plan on taking a few leassons in the off season. I am not a great runner, but I can run 5 miles pretty easily. On top of my usual riding - I plan on doing 2 easy runs and swim sessions per week up from the end of Sept until Jan, and then I would like to follow a tri specific routine with a laid out schedule.

If anyone could give me some feedback on what you do, that would be awesome.

Thanks!

Medals for the trail runs?

2010-04-29T19:13:37 -10.00

Hi there! I have set a goal to run a half marathon on every island that offers one. I want to run races that have medals for all the finishers. For those of you who have raced the xterra in the past, can you please let me know if finishers received medals. Thanks!

Beginners Help

2009-12-18T08:30:04 -10.00

I will be doing my first Xterra on the 30th Jan 2010... I am a very experienced mountain biker with some running history. I did my first bike-run brick on Wednesday and felt fine until the trial went up... then my legs got all wobbly and I had to walk quite a bit. The mtb portion of my training was 2 hours of quite hectic trails (32km) and the run was 4km (not sure what that is in miles)...how many brick-sessions should I do between now and end Jan? Plus I am away on vacation for 10 days on a tropical island until 4th Jan..so I will only be able to swim and run....the distances for the XTerra are; 1500m swim, 28km mtb (620m of climbing) and 12km run...

anyone training/racing in the Denver area

2009-06-29T02:04:39 -10.00

Hi,

My name is Alex Rank, I am a 31 yr. old male, I am planning on doing the 8/1/09 Xterra up in Indian Hills and I was wondering if anyone wants to train with me since I am new to this.

My email is alexrank@hotmail.com, you can either communicate with me via email or facebook, thanks.

TRisuits are they worth it???????

2009-06-23T18:59:50 -10.00

Depends on your body type. I am tall and need a size small top. Unfortunately, small tri tops are way too short for me. I do not want the top to keep riding up on me, so a suit keeps my lower back from getting sunburned and my belly from sticking out. Going to the bathroom is not a problem because I can unzip it and pull it down fast (done it in a race before). For the ladies, this trick will not work if you get a suit with a built in sports bra, because they are a pain to wiggle in and out of and once you've wiggled out, you are basically naked. I cut the sports bra out of mine. Problem solved.

TRisuits are they worth it???????

2009-05-12T17:06:47 -10.00

dirtybagg.

I am in that same situation with trying to find a good balance. Last year, I dropped $70 on some Pearl Izumi tri shorts that had paper thin pads. They work great when I am road biking but my rear hurt really bad after doing the Buffalo Creek Xterra.

I am going to try a new chamois from my new sponsor. If it works, I will let you know.

first triathlon

2009-03-15T20:46:31 -10.00

I have never done a triathlon before, but am in decent shape(just over 21 min 5k, regular crossfitter, former athlete and marine). I see in a few weeks there is one coming up in Miami, I am thinking of doing the olympic, the run and swim won't be a problem, but I have only been mtb for about a month, and do not have great technical ability, while I know I could road bike 20 miles easy, how much should I expect to get my butt kicked by the mtb portion.
Also what should I bring( I heard extra tube , pump and wrench, surely they don't mean a full size pump, and what do you carry it in?, what do most people wear to the event, guys that is, ??)
Thank you in advance for all your help

Beginners Help

2009-03-06T11:42:52 -10.00

Trails vary from race to race, region to region. For instance, in Colorado, you'll be doing a lot of climbing, lungbusting, thigh burning, with the corresponding rush of a great downhill. I've been to one Texas XTERRA, and found it very technical, lots of root hopping, limestone negotiating...nothing that really exhausts you physically, more mental with the balance, etc., gotta stay alert and don't screw up. XTERRA Four Corners is fairly flat, but extremely fast, with lots of twists and short hills, on which you've got to keep your momentum up to blast through there. An awesome ride. They all have their individual quirks, which makes it a blast. The downhill at Tahoe was the longest sustained flat out rush I've ever been on. What a kick in the tail!