Xterra trail run at San Tan Mountain Regional Park Race Report

I was actually able to get a good nights sleep, the night before. In my head I just kept my thoughts calm and acted like I was just going into another long training run in the morning. 

I arrived early, as I still needed to pick up my packet/number/shirt etc. 

It was cold outside for me, so I dressed in a long sleeved shirt and warm up pants. I also had a coat on while walking around and stretching. 

While walking around I started drinking my pre-workout supplement about a half-hour before the start. 

I knew the weather was suppose to stay cooler, but I wanted to make sure I didn't over dress. So I opted for just my Arctic Cool shirt and my running shorts. I stashed two energy bars and two gels in my Orange Mud hydra-quiver along with a water bottle with some electrolytes in it. 

I planned on using what I was carrying for emergency purposes, and using the water and other nutrition from the four aid stations they were going to have on the course. 

The race started on time. It took me about two miles to warm up and get in a groove. There was one incline during the portion of the trail, and I kept running a pretty good pace up it. 

The next part I would encounter on the trail, was the part I got lost on during a training run, two weeks prior. The course was marked really well with ground markers on stakes and tied in the branches of trees. This portion of the trail is mainly in a desert wash. This made for tough running, like in sand along a beach. There was a four mile stretch of this, at times, thick sand. 

Climbing up out of the wash, I knew the trail was going to be more single track and hard packed trail. 

I was feeling good and was monitoring my heart rate, to not go out to fast and blow up. 

My upper legs were feeling tired from the motion of having to pick them up so high from the sandy wash area. 

The rest of the trail after coming out of the wash, I knew what to expect elevation-wise. When to rest up and walk if needed and when the down hill run could help me gain some time. On the backside of Dynamite trail, I know is a good 1.5 mile downhill before heading up the Goldmine trail. The saddle at Goldmine trail hits at about mile 12.5 and a good downhill from there to the finish line. 

I ended up fast walking up Goldmine trail. I was happy after getting to the top, knowing I was within two miles from the finish. 

I beat my person goal by almost 20 minutes to finish the 14 mile trail run. 

I plan on taking some time off, but know where I need to begin to get faster and improve myself overall for my cycling, mountain biking and running in 2019. 

I've totally switched

Leading up to this last mountain bike race, I swapped out to a set of new tires. In doing so, I also needed to add a tubeless sealant. I placed four ounces of Slime Tubeless Ready (STR) sealant in each tire. Beforehand, I shook the bottles up well. 

Of course I’m up for trying the newly released Slime Tubeless Ready (STR) sealant. They sent me a four ounce bottle to try out.  They claim it is suppose to stay liquid longer than others on the market. It’s work a try. They recommend between two and four ounces per mountain bike tire and one and a half to two ounces per road tire. 

I am now using a combination of Stan’s and Orange Seal.  This Slime sample will be interesting to test against the other two. 

Another key advantage with (STR) Sealant is that it’s able to withstand a wide range of temperatures and environmental variations. Whether cold winter temperatures or baking hot asphalt, the sealant remains unaffected. The (STR) Sealant is CO2 compatible. Other sealants can dry out or degrade when subjected to the cold temperatures created by CO2 cartridges, but the synthetic latex blend has an ultra-low freezing point of 3°F/-16° C so it won’t freeze or dry up when you’re making a roadside repair or setting a tire bead, lets face it we all don’t own air compressors,  with a CO2 cartridge.

With other sealants, I had to go back every five or six days and add more air to the tires, but so far, not with the Slime Tubeless Ready (STR) sealant. I am impressed. If you are looking for a tubeless sealant, I am a believer in Slime. 

#SwitchToSlime 

Four Years Later

What took so long?  That's a great question, and I guess I really have no answers for. 

I've kept active, road cycling and mountain biking, with some running. 

Four years after having my left knee's MCL repaired. Recovery and rehab took about a month or two. I have done a few short sprint triathlons over the past four years, but nothing really run focused. November 11, 2018, I will run the longest distance (14 miles) since that simple surgery. I have peaked in training at 10.5 miles. Sure, I could say there wasn't time to train or I was busy with other endeavors, and that would be correct. I have always had a love/hate with running. 

Who's happier in this image? My mom or me as I came out of anesthesia from the surgery. 

(Note: I was still a little out of it as you might notice I put my shirt on backwards) 

One note the doctor told me as I marked with a sharpie marker, which knee they were operating on, that he would have be back running, and this weekend it is. 

Images of the surgery the doctor took inside. 

I am excited. I have a few mental goals and time goals I am shooting for. The weather, now that it is fall and cooling off, will be perfect. 

Showdown at Usery Race Recap 2018

(Spoiler alert, we took first place in the corporate team category)

We compiled a great team of six riders, each doing a 10 mile lap/loop as fast as can be. The eight hour race that starts at 10am and each team or individual rides for the next eight hours. 

I first did this race back in 2016 as on a male duo team. We took turns riding a lap then resting. I learned a lot that year, mentally and physically. 

In 2017 team up with three friends and competed as a male quad team. Not that I am the fastest runner, but that year I ended up doing the Le Mans start. A run to your bike, 1/4 mile up an incline, grab the bike and go. Being a middle of the pack runner, I got caught up in a lot of traffic on the mostly single track course. 

This year, 2018 was different. We had a corporate team, sponsored by Xtreme Backyards, consisting of six riders. We had our fastest person, who also happens to be in super great shape, very active in playing hockey and is also 16 years old. 

He came off the trail, running the 1/4 mile Le Mans start totally out in front by margin. Not only did it get us out in front on the first lap, it helped up later on in the race not having to deal with the congestion on the trail. 

The ten mile loop course was beat up pretty in the late summer. Monsoon rains changed the trail and created a bunch of areas that go through washes to be filled with sand. 

The high temperature Saturday got to be 86 degrees, so I made sure to pack along my RinseKit. We used it to hose down the rider in the transition area before heading out on the course. We also meet up with the rider at the four mile mark and sprayed them down to keep their body temperature down. Mainly spraying their chest as they approached a corner and their back as they rode away. 

Our team did great. We watched the clock knowing when our rider left the start line and when to expect them back in the transition area. 

We accomplished 11, 10 mile laps/loops during the eight hour race. Because we started our last lap before the eight hours expired, we were able to finish and count that last lap. 

The team worked hard to prepare and do all they could out on the course.

We took first place in the corporate team category.  A big thank you goes to our sponsor, Xtreme Backyards and everyone else to helped us leading up to race day and race day itself.  

Mountain bike race prep!

I'm ready.  Felt the best I have all year on and off the bike. Swapped out tires for a fresh set of rubber for the trails. Looking to have a great race, as part of a corporate team this year. Six riders, each riding their fastest 10 mile loop in Usery Mountain Regional Park.  I was hoping and will get back to the more in depth lead up to the race. 

Then I turn around and need to get ready for my 14 mile trail run next weekend. 

Training for the trail run went a little crazy last weekend, running 10.5 miles on the actual race course. Got lost on mile 4 to 6 due to the trail not being marked. This weekend they are marking the course prepping for race day, so I hope they mark it well. 

Coming down to the wire for training

Getting my last few weeks of training in for both a mountain bike race the first weekend and a trail running race the next.

I've decided to run the full trail course, the 14 miles tomorrow.  I know what most of the course looks like and feels like. I've ridden most of the course on my mountain bike, one time or another, except for the steep parts, which I have run in training numerous times. I will update this blog, early next week, after running the entire course. 

I am excited to not really put down a fast time, but complete the course and pin point where I will be needing water and nutrition. The day of the race, there will be aid stations out there, so I am not concerned about that, as I only plan to use the water from there on race day. 

Next week is the mountain bike race. I am pretty prepared. I just need to make some final adjustments to the bike and switch out a tubeless front tire for a newer one with better tread. 

Being I am camping out there the night before and night after the race, I need to start packing some clothes, tent, sleeping bag and food. 

A quick run down on the RinseKit+ (plus)

First off, left me explain the features and what the RinseKit+ is all about. 

Its a two gallon, hot or cold water, take anywhere to rinse off or shower with. It works off the pressure when adding from a garden hose bib. All attachments are included to get the two gallon tank filled. You can fill it with hot or cold water. The hot water fill has it’s own kitchen sink, or sink attachment. 

It has a spray head with numerous spray patterns that can be easily switched by spinning they dial. It has a six foot hose, that conveniently is stored inside the almost cooler like case. 

I was not impressed with the spray time or pressure on filling it with the hose bib. 

I got the added accessory of the manual hand pump, that comes with a collapsable funnel. This allows me to fill it while out and about and add pressure to it then. I just bring along gallon jugs of drinking water to fill it with. 

Over all, I love the idea and can use it to “rinse off” wherever. Out at the lake, to rinse your body down after swimming or kayaking, removing the lake water. Rinsing off our kayaks before putting them back on the truck. If there was a beach around with sand, this would work perfect to remove the sand from your feet before getting back in the car. 

I use it to rinse off my mountain bike, quickly after a muddy ride, before strapping my bike to my truck for the drive home. 

I love to use the “mist” setting on the spray head to cool off after a mountain bike ride, or cooling my kids off while playing sports. 

The portability of the RinseKit+ makes it able to take anywhere. 
It's a great way to have a portable flowing water source to wash up or rinse off with. It's small and doesn't take up to much room with traveling or packing up for a day trip.