XTERRA CHALLENGES YOU TO RACE AT WHEELER CANYON

XTERRA Wheeler Canyon Xduro Trail Run
Saturday, August 16, 2008 – 10:00am
Snowbasin/Ogden, Utah

As endurance trail runs go, the XTERRA Wheeler Canyon Xduro off-road half-marathon will no doubt go down in the books as one of the toughest around. The race starts at Pineview Reservoir and climbs roughly 1,800 feet to Snowbasin Resort. Mild, steady climbs on dirt, rock, and root-ridden mountain trails give way to more demanding climbs on a combination of sweet single track and rocky double track. The race will start at 10am after all the mountain bikers in the XTERRA Mountain Championship off-road triathlons have hit the trails (yup, the same trails they are mountain biking up – this race runs up).

So if you think you can handle the XTERRA Wheeler Canyon Xduro, visit www.xterratrailrun.com or call 877-751-8880 for registration.

GU FRIDAY IS BACK!!!

Back by popular demand, GU Friday is set for Friday, August 1. Register for any of the 2008 XTERRA races listed below and our good friends and sponsors at GU will mail a free 6-pack of GU Energy Gel straight to your door! The GU giveaway promotion is one-day only – so sign-up on Friday, August 1 to get your free GU!

XTERRA Wheeler Canyon Xduro 21km Trail Run (Ogden, UT) - 8/16/08

XTERRA Trail Running National Championship Xduro 5/10/21km (Bend, OR) - 9/27/08

XTERRA Nevada Trail Runs 5/10km (Incline Village, NV) - 10/4/08

XTERRA Trail Running World Championship Xduro 5/10/21km (Oahu, HI) - 12/7/08

For registration or more information, visit www.xterraplanet.com or call 877-751-8880.

THE ENERGY FILES: GU ATHLETES GRUENFELD AND KELSAY

Lovers of GU energy gel, including our sponsored athletes, have many things in common, but when it comes to their sports of choice, their favorite GU flavors or their strategies for fueling, they don't always see eye-to-eye. It's this type of variety that motivates GU to keep producing the world's top energy gel in enough flavors and formulations to satisfy every athlete's needs and tastes.

GU-sponsored triathlete Cherie Gruenfeld knows all about the need for quick, lasting energy. Her career highlights include a finish at the 1999 Ironman World Championships where she broke the course record for the 55-59 age group and in the process became first woman over 55 to break the 12-hour barrier at the Iron distance. But triathlons aren't her sole focus. This former special education teacher and high tech exec has parlayed her endurance sport success into helping at-risk youths by teaching them triathlon skills that lead to healthier lifestyles.

An insatiable passion for endurance sports, along with the demands of heading a charitable organization could extract a heavy toll from even the fittest of the fit, so that's why Cherie turns to GU for her energy needs when the pressure is on. And her preferred method of carrying GU packets reflects her joy of life and big-smiled approach to athletics: “I’ve always carried GU the same way. I put the packets in my bra top. When I start an Ironman race, I appear be quite voluptuous (but lumpy). As the race progresses, I become less voluptuous, and by the finish line, I’m fairly flat-chested again – but full of energy!”
Living by the words of the popular John Mellencamp song “Hurts So Good,” Cherie's ultimate goal in life is to “leave this life while I’m wearing workout clothes.” Something tells us, based on her drive and competitive spirit, attaining that goal is entirely possible.
Although Will Kelsay, a professional XTERRA off-road triathlete, competes on a different surface than Cherie, his love affair with GU is just as strong.

Will's sense of humor shows through as soon as you ask him about his most memorable training rides: “A couple of buddies and I went for a long ride in search of a Krispy Kreme [donut shop]. After 4 hours, we finally found one, and believe me, donuts have never tasted so good. On another ride, a friend was talking about the new parts he needed for his motorcycle. We just happened to come upon one of the parts he mentioned laying on the side of the road. The only problem was that it was a huge chunk of plastic, so we tied a couple of tubes together and strapped it to his back for the 15-mile ride home.”

Counting sewing and video games as two of his favorite hobbies, Will's racing success tells you that he's no couch potato. And with a world championship in his sights, he's not ready to start tailoring tuxedos just yet. Accurately defining one of GU's most colorful athletes is a challenge, but Will likens his personality to a favorite snack. When asked to pick what flavor of GU he would be, he doesn't hesitate. “Peep flavor,” he says, referring to the iconic springtime candy. “I just can’t get enough of those soft, gooey, sugar birdies. They're just like me – sugary, hyper, with crazy colors, a soft back end, and just a little odd.”

When Will needs to tote a higher tech energy source, he's used some creative ways to pack along the GU. “Once, I wore some long argyle socks on a bike ride and stuffed them with GU because my jersey pockets were already full,” he recalls.

Although Cherie and Will are both incredibly talented athletes, at first glance, it might not seem like they have much in common. But look a bit deeper below the surface, and you'll soon find there's no doubting that they share two things: A love for pushing themselves to the limit and a love of GU, the fuel that gets them to the finish line.

BOUND FOR BEND - Angela La Riva-Dybdahl

Based on her racing resume, it’s hard to believe that Angela is the mother of seven children. Not only is she the 2008 SoCal Trail Run Series Championship for her age group, she is a category 3 road cyclist and a triathlete. In addition to her athletic career, Angela is a fitness model and currently studying to work in law enforcement. Her biggest motivation is her family; her children make her want to aspire to great things. She has only been racing XTERRA for one year, but it’s safe to say she’s hooked. This Lancaster, CA resident is traveling to Bend, Oregon for the XTERRA Trail Running National Championship on September 27 eager to run the area’s spectacular trails and race against other XTERRA enthusiasts. We wish her all the best. Good luck at Nationals Angela!

RACE RECAPS

JACOBI AND PELUSE RUN THEIR WAY TO WINS AT XTERRA RENEGADE TRAIL RUN

At the July 12th XTERRA Renegade Trail Run, Palatine, IL resident Andrew Jacobi, 19, beat 128 runners from 7 states to finish first overall while Sarah Peluse, 14, took the women’s race. Jacobi, who is on the University of Illinois cross-country team, won the 10-kilometer course in 36:51. Peluse may have been the youngest competitor at the race, but the Buffalo Grove High School sophomore proved her skills as she placed first for the women with her time of 43:35. For the complete story CLICK HERE.

Coming up in the XTERRA Chicago Trail Run Series:
XTERRA XTREME Trail Run 12km – August 9, 2008 in Palatine, IL
For registration and more information, visit www.xterratrailrun.com.

TALLEY, KING TAKE TOP HONORS AT XTERRA ANTELOPE ISLAND

Local Utah running phenomenon Corbin Talley, 31, and Stephanie King, 26, took first place in their respective divisions at the XTERRA Antelope Island Trail Run on July 19.
Talley, the head track & field and cross country coach at Davis High School, has a long history of winning just about every road race he enters and is now beginning to conquer the trail racing circuit as well. He won the 12km race in an incredible 48:29 with Kevin Tuck, 52, taking second place more than two minutes later.

In the women’s race, King won with her time of 1:01:59 with Jenna Deelstra coming in a close second at 1:02:17.

Coming up for the 2008 XTERRA Utah Trail Run Series:
XTERRA Wheeler Canyon Xduro 21K – 8/16/08 Ogden/Snowbasin, UT
For registration or more information, visit www.xterratrailrun.com or call 877-751-8880.

LEBO, RAITTER FINISH FIRST AT XTERRA NOTTINGHAM XDURO

At the final race of the 2008 XTERRA Philly Trail Run Season, Scott Lebo, 41, and Sarah Raitter, 35, won their respective divisions at the XTERRA Nottingham Xduro 21km Trail Run on July 20.

Pottstown local Lebo was the first to cross the finish line with his time of 1:29:55 beating runner-up Justin Harris by a mere 6 seconds for the win. Reno, NV resident Raitter topped the women’s category and finishing 9th overall in 1:43:33.

In the 10km event, Stefan Pohl, 44, and Ulla Chualisz, 49, both from Oxford, PA came in first with their times of 49:51 and 58:50 respectively.