XTERRA EUROPEAN TOUR

In 2005 I was lucky enough to have experienced the kick off race of the South African Xterra series in Richardsbay, a life/style changing experience. A bit unprepared, on an old, borrowed mountain bike and a bright red costume, the Xterra flame was lit in my heart and mind. I loved the experience so much that I went on to race almost all the local Xterra's ever since.

Today 6 years later, Xterra has taken me to the most wonderful venues, Witklipdam, Gariep Dam, Buffelspoort Dam, Albertfalls, and the well-known Grabouw. But only this year, 2011 have I finally done what I have been working towards and dreaming about for a few years now, to race international Xterra's.Last year I decided that it is time to spread my wings and dig deeper in my (and Dreyer) purse, to find a way to race the European Xterra Series, consisting of 5 races, Italy, France, Czech, Germany and Switzerland. To be eligible for qualify final series points and prize money, you had to race four out of the five races and prize money, and I decided to race Italy, France, Germany and the final Switzerland. Great backing from amazing sponsors, INOV-8, Sailfish, 32 GI, Rudy Project, SIDI, and Hatfield Cycles equipped me with the gear and support I needed to be a ready and competitive as possible.

All of the races were really well organized and tough as nails. I entered in the Pro division and was surprised with a great result at the series opening at Xterra Italy, Sardinia, by running myself into a podium position, finishing 3rd.(thanks to my Inov8 Xtalon 190's) And this got the ball rolling. Very excited and motivated I set my goal at finishing the series at least top 5 in the Pro category.

I again realized that the bike leg was the deciding factor in Xterra racing. It makes you or brakes you. And then being able to run off a really tough bike is an added bonus, if the damage has not been too great, you might run off a few competitors. And that was my game plan. The Pro ladies are amazing mountain bikers, but I am a better swimmer and runner than most and had to work with what I've got. So, swim to get a minute or two ahead, try not to lose too much ground on the bike and damage control on the run.

Xterra France was next up and was a killer. I had a bit of bad luck, denting my rim in the first few km of the race and had a tire that refused to seal again. After 2 C02 bombs and lots of praying I was on the move but the damage was done, I had lost a lot of time and the course was brutal. Rain had turned the course into a slippery messy forest with the long, steep slippery single track climbs and fast descends. The bike course alone took me 2h50 to complete and I was in 6th position, running hard i managed to reel in one Pro and finished 5th.

I had a few weeks to recover and reset from France, racing the local Duathlon series, the Momentum/IFlex Duathlon on and off road races. But my next stop Xterra Germany was once again a great motivational race. There were one or two new faces to the starting line, but I had a great swim, solid bike (also long climbs) and good run to secure a 4th place at the race, which doubled as the European Championships. Really happy with my race and motivated for a great final, I didn't return to South Africa but stayed on with a great family in Switzerland. I trained, ate and slept like a pro. Training on your own in a strange environment is tricky and looking back now I might have done a few things differently. But that said, I had amazing training ground, lots of hills to play in and a beautiful lake to swim in.

The week before the final, I was feeling good and relaxed and ready to race, but race day I was flat and tired and the race was tougher that it should have been. It was an afternoon start, something I still need to get used to and from the moment the gun went I was not feeling great. Struggled to get a rhythm on the swim, struggled to get power and flow on the bike and the run, well let’s say it was the closest I have come to cramping with both legs. I finished in 7th position, not thrilled but keeping in mind that Renate Bucher, the runner up in the series was only in 5th I didn't do too badly. Over all with all the local and international races I had raced, a season that had stretched from October 2010 with the BSG/Energade series, the Sasol Cross tri series, the local Xterra Series, the Teavigo Duathlon Series, and the European Xterra Series, I might have just pushed it a bit far and was getting ready for a break.

I finished 4th overall in the European Xterra Series, and I am really satisfied and couldn’t go have asked for a better start. I gained lots of racing experience, knowledge of what it’s going to take to get to the top, things you can't experience until you go and race internationally.

So hopefully following the footsteps of the great athletes that have gone before me, Michelle Lombardi, Conrad the caveman, and Dan Hugo, I will grow on this experience and go back next year stronger body and mind!

XTERRA SWITZERLAND - FINAL

As the air is getting chillier over Europe and the Swiss mountain tops gets whiter, my European Xterra Season also comes to an end. What started out as "maybe someday in the future" ,a goal of racing in Europe, ended with good results, and great experience gained.

After Xterra Germany, I got the opportunity to stay on in Switzerland for a few weeks with amazing people, the Mulder and Bezencon families inviting me into their homes with absolute hospitality and understanding of an athletes mind and character. So instead of gaining air miles I gained rest, power, life experiences,and great people into my life, all while preparing for the series end in Pragins.

The final of the European Xterra season, was once again held at the beautiful lakeside town of Pragins,Switzerland. An idyllic town with Castles,yacht filled harbours and mansions owned by none other than Micheal Schumacher.

The race was to start at 2pm. An afternoon start is still a very difficult time for me, trying to figure out what and when to eat,sleep,warm up..all a bit messed up with a late start but something i'll have to master soon!!

The water conditions to my opinion was border line wetsuit/non wetsuit but at the end decided on a wetsuit start. I usually enjoy non wetsuit swims a bit more, in an Xterra with mostly non-swimmers and demon bikers I get more benefit from non wetsuit racing, and in this fierce field i need every minute I can get to get a bit further away on the bike. The swim course was a 2 lap 750m loop,with no run-out, the bike a 34km windy,bumpy grassy,flat route with 2-3 bike portage sections in a rock filled stream,and one or two technical sections but mainly grafting over cut bumpy grass.The run route was a bit of everything,long stretches on grass a forest section with a few mud walls to scamper up and fallen trees to climb,jump,roll or fall over!

RACE DAY was a clear, hot 32 degrees. Great, but hard race conditions. To my knowledge everyone suffered out there, some just suffered a bit faster than others:). The gun went off at 2pm as scheduled and the 500+ athletes were off. As usual the pros got a few metres head start but was soon caught up in the mix with guys dunking and fighting just for a few second lead around the first boy. For some reason I didn't feel that great from the start. I lost the feet of the leading girl Marion Lorblanchet and was trying to follow feet of a few guys that seemed to be swimming faster than I but ended up drifting a bit and almost missing the booy. I exited the water in third place, a minute behind Marion. On the bike the real grafting started and I just couldn't get into a good rhythm. I got passed quite early on my Carina Wasl and the Hungarian. At the end of lap one Renate Bucher came up from behind and as I tried to stick to her wheel even for a second, I reminded myself to not panic and even if the elastic is stretching I must just not let it snap!! Dreyer was out on the bike route giving me splits and inspiration, urging me on, it was really great having that support from my hubby! After 1h50 of hard riding I got onto the run and had a 3min gap to 6th place Hungarian,not an ideal place to be in, but with some hard running I knew I could make it,so with Dreyer's shouts of motivation,I tried my best to keep a good cadence and hoped my legs would show up sometime, but they didn't!:( I was just smashed, nothing,nada, just flat with no power and slow speed. So I snaked the run, but still managed to get within a 100m of Hungarian girl. I finished 7th Pro,not thrilled,but not disappointed either. I had a good go at the race and sometimes you suffer and win, sometimes you suffer and lose, all depends on the day.

With all that said, I came out and did what I aimed to do, race hard, gain experience, finish the series. With all my results, 3rd in Xterra Sardinia, 5th in Xterra France, 4th in Xterra Germany and 7th at Xterra Switzerland, i got finished 4th in the Xterra European Series!!!

I learnt a lot and had great support this season, family and friend, sponsors and even a few fans:)

Thank you for all the support of my sponsors INOV-8,REBEL ELITE FITTNESS, 32Gi, HATFIELD CYCLES,COMPRESSPORTSA,SAILFISH, RUDY PROJECT you guys make all this possible!

And a special thank you to the two families who took me into their homes.

Pieter and Liz Mulder,amazing athletes and orienteers, opening their home to me.Thank you Pieter for all your great stories and interesting facts,and of course the great cooking!! Liz thank you for understanding and athletes mind and will,thank you for thinking about my training sessions before I had, you are an inspirational person.

Kati and Jean-Luc, thank you for an amazing week in St-Cergue. Thank you for your hospitality, making Dreyer and myself feel at home from day 1. Jean-Luc well done on your first Xterra FINISH!!!

Now a bit of rest, a bit of fun and a bit of training, then SA season starts!! See you guys out there!!