Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational

7.6k on the VT xc course. Really beautiful night, lot's of sun, and temperatures around 70's. I got to the race on my mountain bike and started to warm up.

After 30 minutes of warm up I was putting on my road flats, feeling very unsure of where I was at fitness wise. I've only been training for two weeks, the training has been consistent, but I've done just three workouts so I wasn't sure where I'd be.

I started on the far side with all the unattached runners. Right behind the guy who would eventually win the race. VT xc started on the complete opposite side, (the better side) and at the gun ran hard to take the first turn on the inside, by that time I was already at the back of the field, but the pace was pretty easy, I came through the first mile in 5:23, and I felt good. I started to make some moves, and attack as many people as I could and I was able to move up a lot during the second half of the race. Finished 46/94, at 25:53. Here's the results.

.

XC runners seem to race a lot differently than triathletes. Most of the running I watch is ITU triathlon, where guys run in packs, surge, and attack eachother constantly. I don't have any experience in xc running so I emulated the ITU style of running. All the XC guys seemed just run hard and steady the entire time. This probably comes with experience of how to hold a threshold pace in a race, something I want to learn before I race the Ntelos 8k in Richmond.

For those who don't know about ITU check this out. My favorite triathlete Simon Whitfield, taking a win in the states.

Another bad ass race comes compliments of Alistair Brownlee at World Champs this year. An ultimate goal in sport for me would be to line up a Continental Cup/World Cup so it's cool to watch these.

Anyway fun night tonight, season should be good.

Rest Well.

home race

Thanks to Justin Morrison, triathlon club president and mtn bike stud I got to race the VT Home Race this weekend.

Saturday morning I woke up and rode down to the base of Old Farm for the uphill TT. Old Farm is about a mile and a half, and it has a few really steep and technical sections. I hungout in the B field waiting to go off and happy/nervous to be racing.

My effort was ok, and I came in at 8th place in the B's. I know I can climb better I just need to start working out. Ride down the mountain was fun, I pushed a few sections and took some risks. I like it.

That evening was the short track race around the cyclocross course. The B field got on the course as the sun was setting and it made for a really cool race. all the photos are from the short track thanks to Nick Shoemaker, here's his gallery.

I took a really good lesson from the race's that I'll need for some upcoming xc races. Attack the start. I need to be ready to go as hard as I can from the very beginning and try and hold that effort. I wasn't aggressive at the start of the short track race and couldn't make up the time I lost soft pedaling on the first lap.

My next race is an 8k in a couple of weeks. So hyped, get to race with the xc team.

back in the game

back at school. new apartment. the semester is going ok so far, all the classes are good, i can ride to campus in a few minutes, and the the golf course and xc course are within about a mile run.

a few things are new:

Kyle and I are starting a band, for real this time, first practice tomorrow

I've been climbing a good amount, but nothing like this summer, I went to the rock gym in Christiansburg a couple times this week, and did pretty much all the problems I'm capable of, sadly it's nothing like Peak in Richmond and it gets boring. we compensated by making up games, like "Sasquatch" pick a bottom starting hold and a hold near the top of the cave, you have on foot to start and four holds to get to the top hold

it makes people climb like Sasquatch, all big moves, hand foot matching or no matching at all, i probably won't climb at the gym much more though, it just makes me miss Peak

i have a race schedule for the fall, all xc races with an 8k road race at the end of the xc season

Sept. 18 VT Alumni Invite 8k
October 11 Homecoming 5k
October 24 Southeast Regional Champs at JMU 8K
November 6 Hokie Open 6k ( YEAH BABY)
November 14 Suntrust 8k in RVA

all my training is geared toward 5k, and the volume is pretty low cuz of school so I'll see where I turn out in some of the longer races, probably do some cross training for endurance

mtb race this weekend EVERYONE is doing it, seriously