XTERRA Torn Shirt Race Report

By Todd Scott, XTERRA Rep

BRIGHTON, MICHIGAN – Nearly 200 triathletes from across the North Central Region came to Michigan for one of the largest races in the XTERRA America Tour.  Still, it was the local Ann Arbor athletes’ day to shine.

Under warm sunny skies, the first wave began the half-mile swim around Bishop Lake.  Starting in the second wave, Brighton’s own Marybeth Hall swam through the pack and set the bar for the fastest swim split of the day, nearly a minute quicker than the fastest male competitor.

But the bike portion belonged to Jim James from Ann Arbor.  Jim absolutely flew through the singletrack while Ohio’s Brandon Jessop and fellow Ann Arborite Arcadio Ramirez tried to minimize their losses.  And among the women, Marne Smiley (from Ann Arbor of course!) posted the fastest bike split despite feeling under the weather.

No matter how much time one puts in the bank during this race, it always comes down to the run.  The 6-mile Torn Shirt run is hilly and ever-challenging – one of the toughest on the XTERRA circuit.  If you dehydrate on the bike, you cramp on this run.  This run is tough even if you don’t swim or bike beforehand!

Yaro Middaugh from East Jordan topped the field with a 42 ½ minute run split, but no one was fast enough to catch James or Smiley.   James finished atop the podium with in 2:02:48 with Jessop and Middaugh rounding out the top three. 

In the women’s division, Smiley crossed the line in 2:32:22 with Lori Whitmore and Lisa Chaps in second and third, respectively.

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