Go time!!!

Well, it is finally time to do what I came here to do!!
I had a great time on my practise ride, and although it is super non-technical, I think it will be a fun ride!
I was attempting some wave diving for the swim start yesterday....my timing was mostly off and I usually ended up belly-flopping in to the waves....will be more patient this morning!
The run---well the run I just always view as a run, it will be hard, but it just a matter of keeping the legs moving and finishing the final leg of the race.
Thanks everyone for your cheering!!
Thanks Shawn for making me come to this race!
I am glad that I decided to stick it out in the Pro Cat for this race....I think...we will see what I say about that after race...but it was worth it just for the cool interview and Photo shoot....and pink cap!
Thanks guys!!!
xoxo

Maui!

Maui is quite the place!!
I love the constant sound of the waves crashing against the rocks and shore down below. It is so loud, you would think it would keep you up at night, but it is actually calming to fall asleep with.

I will try to get out for my first pre-ride of the bike course today....after we go snorkelling at Molokini and Turtle Town :o) Avery is a snorkelling champ!! I love watching her floating and swimming and pointing at things under water!!

I hear the bike course, although non-technical will be a sufferfest....with relentless climbs, that as soon as you climb up them, just shoot you back down to start all over again, and with the wind and heat....I am still not sure how I will manage my hydration for this race!

I am just enjoying having this time with my family and watching the kids delight in the new experiences, that it hasnt really sunk in yet that I am racing a World Championships in 4 days, although sitting here listening to the waves crash, I am getting more and more nervous about the swim....
I did a short swim in a bay that we were snorkelling in the other day and it was OK.....although I felt like I wasnt even moving out there!!
Pretty soon it will be time to focus on why I am actually here :o) I think for now it is best not to worry about it, as I will realize that this is a entirely different kind of racing...but usually I can do whatever I set my mind to...and I am very good at suffering!!

7 laps----almost 100km in 6:20 hrs.
It was so hard!! It was so fun to race on my favorite trails in the World!!
Thanks Favorite and Cranbrook's new WildHorse cycling club for putting on this
awesome SIX in the STIX race!!!
OFF WE GO TO MAUI!!!!
Yikes!!

Whistler Nationals...

Wow, a little behind in the blogging!
Here is a quick report from the Nationals...where I had some high hopes for myself!
I started with a great swim, completing the 1500m in 25:30, which is slower than most Pro's was my fastest 1500 lake swim and got me out of T1 in 5th position.
Running in for Lap #2
One of many bridges on the bike course....I was passed by the rest of the Pro field on the bike course...the bike which has been fastest discipline has proved to be my weakest this season??
Still feeling good on the Billy Goat run....finishing 11 seconds behind 6th place. My run time was pretty decent, I was happy how strong I felt on the run.
The End! Finished 7th female Pro (out of 7...I should mention) 7th female overall.
Now that I have this blog done I can get on with more recent stuff!

attitude check....

Ok....a few minor breakdowns yesterday after my pre-ride...some tears....some wanting to drop categories.....it wasn't good.
I felt pretty good the first half, but lost it during the second the second half. I was not riding well.
I hope I have more focus out there this morning, especially on all the bridges!!!
Anyways...here I go, just focus and ride strong...

Fernie fun!!

Shawn on Swine Flu---isn't Fernie Glorious---Photo credit ---Phil :o)


The Little Woodland Artists...
Heading up the Ski Out Road at the top of Gorby ---heading up to Verboten Wald.
Shawn heading into Old Goats trail-Fernie BCWhat an amazing time we had in Fernie this past weekend!! There 9 families from Cranbrook camping at the Mount Fernie Provincial Campground, 9 families meant there were lots of kids, lots of riding and lots of fun!!
Most people may not know this about me....but when I get to a place like Fernie....a place with amazing, endless and easily accessible riding....I just want to RIDE!! I want to do 3 or 4 rides a day...and if I don't get to do this....well, let's say I can get a little antsy, maybe even a little grumpy. It proves to be difficult to be surrounded by this glorious riding and not just ride it all!!

The cool thing about this weekend, was that since I had started tapering for Whistler....and was actually just exhausted, I listened to my body this weekend and let it rest!
That being said, of course I did get in some amazing rides :o) Friday night headed up, with the girls and did the bike course for an upcoming race called Tears and Gears---13.5km of awesomeness with great single track climbs and a taste of many of the trails up above Coal Creek...
Had an amazing time on Project 9 (one of my favorite climbs I have done) and the down was good too :o)
Sunday we headed up, right out of our campground to Sherwoody-Old Goats (another super sweet st climb) --MegaHertz, which brings you into Ski hill boundary and down Verboten Wald.
I must say, I love ski hills more in the summer then winter!
There was always someone to ride with, always fun kids to hang with....and surrounded by amazing friends....awesome.
I felt like I spent the majority of the weekend just chilling, lots of playing with the kids, and totally relaxed and happy with the amount of riding I did!!!
And I slept until 10am every morning!! That never happens, it was awesome!!
Now I am feeling better, feeling ready for Whistler---kids are at Nana's and Grandpas's....I just had a massage----and maybe a nap before I start packing!
Legs are feeling good----so much better than a week ago.
I just want to have a good race this weekend----I want to feel good and fast---- that's all!

Canmore XTERRA race report.

Overall female finishers Danelle Kabush, myself and Kelly Geisheimer
Rob----had an close encounter with a fun section call the Coal Chutes!
Finally, a little to say about the highly anticipated Canmore XTERRA last weekend!!
I have been looking forward to this race, as I don't actually compete in very many XTERRA events!
2 years ago, I won the inaugural Canmore XTERRA, and last year came in close second to Danelle Kabush. The second place finish last year got me pretty stoked, as Danelle is an amazing XTERRA athlete, having placed second at Worlds in the past!
She was 3 months post baby last year!! Crazy, she is amazing!
I went to the race without kids and husband this year, leaving them with some good alone time, and traveling with a friend, Rob who was doing the race as well.
With just me (and the race) to think about, I was pretty relaxed and feeling good about the race.
THE SWIM!! 1000m
Yeah me!! Finally had a decent swim! 2 minutes faster than last year, which in a 1000m swim is a good improvement.....actually was hoping for one minute faster, but I will take it!!
It felt like a pretty crazy swim out there!! I guess with a bit faster swim, puts me in a different race, there are actually other swimmers around me, I am not alone at the back anymore, it was awesome!! People in front and on both sides the entire swim!!
The Mountain Bike 22km
A faster swim also makes for a different race on the bike, not as many riders to pass, and more back and forth with the guys, it was super fun as well, and I felt like I had a great ride out there!
The descents went smooth (well as smooth as they get on my Orbea ht) felt good on the climbs as well!
I was able to catch all the girls before the end of Lap 1 (with Kelly Geisheimer being the last one, she has a super strong ride, and has an incredibly fast swim)
I finished Lap 2 without catching Danelle......and not knowing where she was, but knowing I would never catch her on the run!!! She is super fast!! I was just hoping that I wasn't too far back....boy was I wrong....
The Trail Run - 8km
Lap 1 of run felt good, I was testing my ankle a bit, hoping it would hold up, and it did, so I tried to push is a bit more, The first half of Lap 2 felt better, but felt myself slowing down after that :o(
I was just running hard, hoping nobody else would catch me at this point!
I was very happy to reach the finish line in second.
My Uncle Ken had come to watch, nice to have someone there watching! I asked how far back I was......the look on his face said it all :o)
He guessed around 10 mins....ugh!! Awful, imagine my disappointment, when I found out it was actually 15 minutes!!
I finished in 2:35
10 minutes faster than last year....the course was a bit drier, but happy with an improvement for sure!
2 weeks until XTERRA Nationals in Whistler, I was contemplating switching Cats, but will stay where I am, I am not the fastest out there, not as fast as I wanted to be this year....but I am hoping for a good strong race there!
Thought about not going to Maui for Worlds, but since that has been my goal for the entire past year, seems kind of like quitting to do that, and with a couple good months still to train, and hopefully get my mountain bike to where I think it should be, I will be doing it!!