Training and racing out of Collingwood Ontario, this physiotherapist was the only age grouper present at the ITU Cross Championships in Spain in May, where she placed fourth in the 30 to 34 age group.

Inspired by a feature article on Christine Jeffrey and excited to learn that triathlon exists off road, Button entered the Canadian Xterra Championships in Whistler last September. Despite the technical bike course and grueling 12 km run, she qualified to represent Canada at the World Xterra Championship in Maui by placing third in her age group. According to Button, Maui was a “sufferfest,” adding that lava rock can be unforgiving on the skin. The experience was unforgettable, but she still wants to go back.

“Xterra racing connects more with nature and is about learning new skills. I much rather play in the trails than on concrete. You just need to get out there and try it.” Katie plans on racing the two Xterra duathlons at Hardwood Ski and Bike, the Eastern Xterra Championships in Quebec then onto Whistler again to complete for another chance at racing against the Worlds best in Maui. Her advice to triathletes is to join a local mountain bike group and get off road!

In multiple states and many trails, my riding buddies have taught me how to descend (thanks Uncle Tom!), roll over logs (thanks Scud), chase wild pigs down the trail (Marcy), climb hills (Mike), push a little harder in a race (Leslie, Jill & Hannah), and most of all enjoy all the adventures on the trail. Through long weekend runs (Amy) and post-ride bricks (Posi-Chiro team), swims to the Mokes, and all the workouts in between, my training groups have made me a better athlete (and I hope I’ve helped them as well).

Riding, and training alone is great some of the time, but I wouldn’t have nearly as much fun if I didn’t have my training buddies. So thank you everyone. And if you’re training alone, go finds some people to ride with—we do this because its fun, because we’d rather be on the trails than anywhere else—and without a witness, no one will believe that you climbed that mountain, made it over that log or rock pile, or saw that amazing view.

Coming into 2011, I was pretty excited about the way my training and racing had progressed over the last few seasons. A solid winter strength program and some quality time in the saddle had me feeling really fit early on. But after a nasty stomach bug hit right before my first race of the season in Waco and then some hellish work travel that took me half way around the world, I was starting to get a little worried about the next month’s racing schedule. Three races in four weekends and there was no telling where I’d be in terms of fitness.

First up Pelham and the Southeast Regional Championships…one that I really, really wanted to win…was still struggling with a minor foot ailment courtesy of some pesky root or rock or gremlin that snagged me in Waco in the midst of a massively dehydrated suffer shuffle run split, but otherwise was feeling okay…race day was perfect, dry and hot. A couple of last minute scratches to the start list certainly helped me out, but I was super stoked to pull into the lead position halfway through the bike leg. After a couple of minor mechanicals that cost me a couple minutes, I ended up riding Casey Fannin’s wheel through a lot of the twisty singletrack on the back half of the course. Being his home course, it’s great to watch him rip through that stuff and made for a really fun ride… The run course change was a great addition I think. It’s still a tough run no doubt, but taking a couple of those crushing hills out and adding in some fast trails at the end sets it up for a great finish. Was able to coast it home for an overall amateur win!

The next week was a bit of recovery and then off to Bermuda for a work trip turned bike camp…got to spend 5 days getting crushed on the roads of Bermuda by the local roadies led by their fearless leader and all around good guy Greg Hopkins, owner of Winner’s Edge Bike Shop. These guys can really lay it down when the want to. This was great for my fitness and also allowed me to rest my foot a bit more.

Got back home and had a couple of days to gear up for Xterra Tsali, a small local(ish) race just over the border in North Carolina on some really fun and fast fast singeltrack. This was more of a sprint race, with an 800m swim in a cool lake, followed by a 5 mile run, and then finishing on a screaming fast 10 mile bike loop. Was out of the water and on the trails in first, followed by a few guys that were right on my heels. First race where we hit the run on the second leg, and I very nearly blew myself up trying to lose the guys behind me. By mile 3 I had put almost 2 minutes on them and just kept adding until I got to the bike and had finished the 5 miles in under 29 minutes. Must have been the Avi Bolts…Got to ride wide open with no one in sight and really enjoy those trails on the bike leg, but as it was only 10 miles, the wild ride was over in a mere 46 minutes. Got some interesting swag: raspberry sparkling malt beverage, a 26” tube for my 29er and a T-shirt for a local bike shop that didn’t even mention xterra…oh well, it’s not about the prizes, but the racing and camaraderie.

Final stop on the month’s tour was Richmond, 12-year home to the East Regional Championship…this is really a great race. Right in the heart of downtown Richmond and incredible fan support all the way through, complete with costumes and cow bells. Went with two changes for this race, no socks, and no gloves…sock decision was a good one, the Avi Bolts pretty much felt like socks and had no issues with blisters at all…no gloves, not so much…but we’ll get back to that. Swim start is always interesting, trying to jockey for space on the concrete pillar and figure out where to launch from. Watching Mel and a few other pros move way upstream and use the current to their advantage, I made a last minute move up there to follow. Had a decent swim and came out in 5th place. and about a minute back I managed to pick off the other 4 guys on lap one and was riding in first again. All was well, and then the humidity took hold and the hands got a bit slick. Twice in a row on a pass, I managed to let the hands slip and go endo into the woods…last time catching a pretty big lump on my back and an arm full of briars…second lap was kind of a fiasco, having to go through so many other sport racers and the back end of the championship pack…but then off on the run holding first and feeling really good. Hydration was spot on and I was able to run a hard pace, but not having to chase let me doll out the effort in control. Crossed the line with another overall amateur title and only 15 seconds away from the cheese…!

Hitting multiple races in a short stretch really makes you realize what a great group the Xterra community is. It is infectious for sure and makes all the rest of life’s issues seem less significant for a little while. Got to spend some quality time with my coach Mel and met some new MelRad teammates, as well as catching up with good friends on the tour….big props also to Audie Smith and Greg Swersky, 50 somethings and fellow Knoxvillians that made the rounds with me to the races and always finish with a smile…. always good to have drinking company on the drive home!

Now for the humble pie I spoke of….July 4th was to be spent with family in Breckenridge CO. Got married there in 2003 and was really excited to be back for my daughter’s first birthday and to take on the Firecracker 50, a 54 mile mtn bike race that climbs and descends over 10,000ft each…and the lowest elevation on the course was 9600 ft…yikes. You know you are in Colorado when women, on single speeds, pass you up on the climbs and aren’t even out of breath. Seriously, there are more elite athletes there than most of the southern states combined. A really great race to be a part of out there and always good to get it handed to you once in a while to remember there is always a lot to work on.

Next up is my first ever mtn bike stage race in the unforgiving mountains of Pisgah National Forest at the end of September….probably worth a blog whether I finish the race or go up in flames, so stay tuned. This was to be a short blog, so keep the wheels turning and for now…focker out.

Our adventure started with a 1:15am departure on race morning. Yes, you read that right. Trying to leave for Tahoe on a Friday night from the Bay Area is not nice and a waste of motel money so we opted to sleep in our own bed and leave early. Fun, not really, but it happens.

We arrived and took a short nap. That felt really good. Got registered, racked up the bikes and time to get the Profile Design Gold cell wetsuit on! The walk to the beach is fairly long so you can’t mess around much gabbing with other racers.

SWIM: The water temp was a balmy 51 degrees….oh, not another cold water swim for me. All season it’s been like this. I opted to do a dry land warm up instead. I get cold too fast so this works for me. The race starts and yes, the initial cold was unbearable. Think about putting your body into a tub of ice cubes/water.  The pain hurts until you get numb. The best part was not getting hit by anyone and enjoying swimming in a lake where you actually see bottom! So cool….in so many ways.  We did a 2 loop swim with a beach run. I got out and headed up to our nice long  jog to T-1. At least it warms you up.

BIKE: The bike immediately starts with a cruel climb on the road. It’s tough getting on your gloves at this time. I finally did. There were some nice slushy wet areas/puddles along the way. The course has it’s rocky sections too and I was happy about handling them pretty well this year. Also a 2 lap course so you get to do everything again! Heading back to T-2 is hard because it still involves a fair amount of climbing….and you thought you were done. HA! Nice to get covered with mud spots all over your face and uniform! You gotta love mountain biking!

RUN: The worst part of the race is the RUN! Why, you ask? Well, it’s basically all up hill, rocky, and covered with snow banks to run over. That was pretty cool and I’m glad my Avia Stoltz shoes handled the terrain so well.  You then get to run back mostly downhill and get that quad crushing pounding  to really add to the challenging misery. Alas, there are a few more hills to deal with once you get back to the road.

Crossing the street with the aid of some nice policemen and down the short stairs (I had to deal with a lady walking her bike down it this year). Run some more and cross the finish line!

POST RACE: Another great thing about this race is the BBQ you get. I opted for the chicken/apple sausage instead of a burger. It was yummy as I was so ravenous after the race. Gee, cold weathre and racing in altitude got anything to do with it? The joy of racing is the pigging out afterwards.

I got 2nd place in my age group and received a nice beer glass for it. Dave enjoyed his day with a 13th place finish too. Tough race but worth it! We took some time to chill, enjoy the great weather and scenery before heading home. Rigor mortis did set in so we made many mandatory stops to try and stretch out the legs. It didn’t work too well but we tried!

Xterra Real race is always a challenge because Folsom lake is ALWAYS freezing! I think the temp hovered around 49degrees this year. It’s more of a mental preparation when it comes to cold swims than anything else. I heard so many people psyche themselves out before the race started because of the cold water swim. I’m a pretty small person with little fat so getting into extreme cold water is not comfortable at all.  I literally turn into a popsicle. It’s so miserable but part of Xterra racing. I just don’t think about it and focus on swimming well and just do what I normally do. I came out of the swim frigid and getting out of my wetsuit and shoes in T-1 was pretty slow. Numb fingers, frozen lips….hmmmmm. The bike went well. Not much mud as usual. I felt pretty strong on the climbs. I was happy to get on the run to thaw out even more. The hill repeats I did helped me pace up the hill even better this year.

I ended up with a first place in my age group. It’s nice to start out the season with a win and points. It was great to have Mel racing there too. TBF always does a fantastic job with this race. Thanks all. I’ll continue this journey with Xterra West Championships……

Veterans Keri Grosse, Fred Smith IV, Meiling Yee, Tim Holland, and Jo Markham will carry the team of nine riders with newcomers John Belair, Lance Thatcher, Whitney Houck, and Canadian Katie Button rounding out the now international squad. Last year Meiling was Regional Champion and Tim, Fred, and Jo all achieved podium finishes in their age groups at the XTERRA World Championships this past October and hope to repeat again this year. Check out the rider profiles at www.melrad.com/team.

The goal of the MelRad Racing team is to foster development within middle distance triathlon including XTERRA and 70.3 racing. The athletes on the team have goals ranging from World Championship wins, Regional titles, future pro status, to general fitness and competitiveness. Together the athletes send a powerful message to “push your potential.”

The team will be supported by Melanie and her sponsors including Avia (www.avia.com), Nathan (www.nathansports.com), Profile Design (www.profile-design.com/), Powerbar (www.powerbar.com), Sundog Eyewear (www.sundogeyewear.com/index.php), USANA (www.usana.com), Justin’s Nut Butter (www.justinsnutbutter.com/), Squirt (www.squirtlube.com/), Genuine Innovations (www.genuineinnovations.com/), Cycleops (www.cycleops.com/), Titec (www.profile-design.com/titec/), and ESI Grips (www.extremesteering.com/).

Follow the team at www.melrad.com, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/melradracing, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/melradracing for fun stories and information during the season.

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For information contact Melanie McQuaid through www.racergirl.com

When mentioning to co-workers, friends and relatives that I qualified for XTERRA Worlds and will be out of town next week, many of them come up with some kooky questions.  Yeah, you get the usual questions.  How far do you race?  Will you be swimming in the ocean?  Are you worried about sharks?  Of course, they’re usually answered with something just as kooky in return, such as:  As far as my legs will take me.  No, we’ll be swimming in a cenote.  No, because I will be wearing chainmail.  We love joking around like that.

But when fellow XTERRA triathletes or trail runners hear about racing in Maui, the most common question I get is: What shoes will you be wearing?  My answer: I’m not sure yet.

You see, back at the beginning of the year, I managed to get my hand on two different pairs of shoes, both from Avia.  At first glance, these two pairs of shoes have very distinct, different usages.

The first pair is a pair of Avia Avi-Stoltz trail shoes.  If a great road shoe and a great trail shoe were to have children, they might just be twins to the Avi-Stoltz.  Included in the team of designers was two time Olympian and three time Xterra World Champion Conrad Stoltz (hence the shoe name).  I’ve raced in all kinds of trail shoes.  Most of my complaints have been around the fact that most trail shoes are unusually bulky which equates to being unusually heavy.  I like a rugged shoe and all, but they don’t need to be as heavy as combat boots.  I had enough of those when I was in the Air Force.

The Avi-Stoltz are as light as road-running shoes.  They have a very light, airy upper that drains as well as it ventilates.  The toe box has decent protection up front and the heel (as well as the tongue) features long, rubbery finger grabs making it easy to slip on in transition, even with wet hands.  Couple them with a pair of black, Nathan Velocity Laces and you’re all set to race.

The sole features serrated edges for great grip on a variety of terrain.  I’ve raced in them on numerous trails in numerous races including XTERRA triathlons and XTERRA trail runs.  Below you will see (from left to right), XTERRA Panther Creek, XTERRA Francis Beatty Trail Run, and XTERRA Canada Nationals.  These are but a few of the races I’ve ran in them.  Combine that with the COUNTLESS hours I’ve been wearing them in training and you have a pair of shoes that just about ready to be retired.

Click here for more info about the Avia Avi-Stoltz

The other pair of shoes that I have had the pleasure to wear while training and racing is a pair of Avia Av-Bolt II.  At 8.5 ounces, this is one of the lightest shoes I’ve used to date.  These shoes were made for triathlons.  Whether it’s the speed laces or easy to grab heel and tongue (same features as the Avi-Stoltz), you’re sure to be quicker in these shoes. 

Since I don’t race a whole ton of road events, I wasn’t sure how much use I would get out of them.  One such race was the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5k in Charlotte, NC where I came in 6th overall out of about 1500.  These shoes definitely allowed me to run better, faster & stronger.

However, after some poking and prodding by Coach Mel, I have been talked into trying the Avi-Bolt II shoes out trail running.  I know they’re made for the road (I used that excuse with her), but they are just as fast on the trail.  Granted, if you are going to be in some really gnarly trails, mud or anything that requires some extra grip, these may not be the ones to choose (instead, go with the Avi-Stoltz).  Read Mel’s post about Nationals and you’ll see what I mean.  However, if you’re mountain bike will have tires specific to the course, why wouldn’t you choose shoes in the same manner?  Aren’t shoes the tires for your feet?

Click here for more info about the Avia Avi-Bolt II

Through numerous hours and miles of training on the trail lately, I have been running in both the Avi-Stoltz and the Avi-Bolt II shoes.  It really depends on the terrain and the conditions.  I can say that both of these shoes rock!

So which one will I choose to run the XTERRA Worlds course in Maui?

To be continued…

Be a Warrior!

Marcus

My race bike this year has been a Specialized Stumpjumper Expert Carbon 29er, and it has been sweet!

Prior to this, I haven’t owned a hardtail since 2002, so I was skeptical going in.  On top of that, I have been fairly outspoken against carbon fiber for mountain bikes (just ask a few of my riding buddies).  As a final straw, I had spent very little time on 29ers and I was not really sold on the concept.  I can’t say that this bike has completely changed my perspective about any of these topics, but I can say that this bike is definitely fast, light, and it rolls extremely well… making it one hell of a good race bike!

Racing in the mountain region tends to involve lots of climbing.  Two of the biggest races on my calendar each year are the XTERRA Mountain Championship in Beaver Creek, Colorado, and the XTERRA National Championship in Ogden, Utah.  Anyone that has raced in these places knows that both courses share the same general formula… swim in a lake down in a valley, ride your bike straight uphill for 20 miles to the base of the ski area, then run up and down the ski hills.  Because both bike courses are basically hill climbs, I figured that minimal weight was the number one priority in a race bike.  Some of the other local race courses would definitely be more fun with full suspension, but none of them are impossible on a hardtail.  There are lots of rocks around here though, so the bigger wheels of a 29er seemed like a good idea to help keep the flow going.

So, I finally settled on the Specialized Stumpjumper Expert Carbon 29er because it was extremely light, not astronomically expensive, and it looks pretty cool.  Also, with a few choice parts swaps, I knew I cold make it lighter, possibly even lighter than the far more expensive S-Works model.  What you see here is the bike as I raced it at the XTERRA National Championship in Ogden, dirt and all.  With these tires, it weighs 20.8 lbs.  That includes everything you see in the pictures, including not-so-light-but-durable XTR pedals, 3×10 drivetrain, and 4″ of plush Fox travel.  Other parts highlights include:

• Stan’s ZTR Race wheels and Raven rear tire
• Race Face Next SL crankset
• SRAM XX rear derailleur, cassette, and brakes
• Edge Composites straight carbon handlebar
• Specialized S-Works Fast Trak LK front tire and Phenom SL saddle
• Thomson Masterpiece seatpost
• Titec carbon bottle cage
• ESI “Racer’s Edge” silicon grips

Yup, that's a 3x10 drivetrain. I'm not a tractor and 2x10 XX wasn't going to give me a low enough gear for the ultra-steep climbing in Colorado.

This just might be the perfect XTERRA race bike.

Just a quick post giving two thumbs up to a product from Nathan I have come to love this year. After almost every mountain bike race or Xterra I am covered in a layer of dirt.  I’m not sure if it is something in my sunscreen or the salt in my sweat but I often look around me and realize not everyone looks as gross as I do. Prior to this year I would make myself presentable after a race with a quick wipe or two with a baby wipe, which seemed to work well, until I tried the Power Shower by Nathan. They are strong wipes that can really withstand scrubbing gross grime off, they don’t leave a sticky residue on the skin and best of all I don’t smell like a baby’s freshly wiped butt afterwards.  If you haven’t indulged in a Power Shower check them out:

www.nathansports.com/our-products/accessories/body-care

XTERRA USA swim start

PRE RACE: I consider myself a positive person 80 percent of the time but as I approached the XTERRA USA Championships, the season finale of the XTERRA USA Pro Series I’d had this feeling like I’d worked all year and wasn’t going to get paid. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t and can’t compete in triathlon for the money —  but chances were I’d miss out on a much-needed payday.

I was injured and unable to run for almost six weeks leading up to the race, sitting fourth in US series points behind the international cast of Shonny Vanlandingham (US), Melanie McQuaid (Canada), and Renata Bucher (Switzerland). I needed to perform well to hold onto my spot in the series.

I wanted nothing more than to have a good race for the championships, especially considering the race was in my backyard.

Being a local for nationals also gave me a ‘cheering squad’ at the race I didn’t want to let down. Friends, old roommates, old teammates, neighbors and their family, family, boyfriend and dog to name a few.

GAME PLAN: I decided I wouldn’t try to run at all until I got off my bike in T-2. At least being injured took the pressure off a bit, I had a legit excuse not to have a good race…but at a cost. This meant I didn’t have to save anything for the run — in case I couldn’t.

The start

SWIM: Air temps were in the 30s when we woke race morning which always makes me question what I’m doing. Luckily the water wasn’t AS cold.

Two laps in Pineview reservoir, mass start of 300 racers. Looking into the sun for much of the race had me swimming off course. Swimming on my own the first lap left my arms tired and I took a break behind some feet for the second lap. At this point I’d figured out I was swimming behind teammate Sara Tarkington and Tracy Thelen. Running to transition was tough, perhaps not a good sign.

THE BIKE: I headed out on my Specialized S-Works Era on the road and then on the trails to Snowbasin. I was feeling strong and catching racers. It’s a steady climb with a few breaks up to the base of Snowbasin. Then the climbing gets much harder up the ski slopes. Making this a little less painful are those cheering on the sidelines. It always lifts my spirits when people know your name.

“Who’s that crazy girl yelling?” I thought as I passed by the Snowbasin Lodge.

It was my college roommate/teammate Kari Skinner. Kari and I were on the ski team together at the University of Nevada. It made me realize skiers have a different level of cheering and it was good to hear at a triathlon.

I got a few splits there were some other pro women not far ahead.

The top section was tough and somewhat lonely making it hard to stay focused and push the pace. We headed out on a loose, dusty, rocky climb up the ski resort before descending back to T2. I was glad to be wearing my Nathan Hydration Vest as it was hard to take my hands off the bars.

I got some awesome skier-sourced cheerers again coming into T2 — this time the voice of Katie Ronsee, another Alaskan Nordic skier who’s been training in PC with Team Canada (among others) and took a break to come to the race.

THE RUN: After a not-so-stellar T2 trying to find my Avi Stoltz amongst the pro bikes I headed out on the run. Amazed I could actually run with marginal pain brought a smile to my face.

Maybe it’s just the uphill…

Past my amazing cheering crew, I started to pass a few age-group guys. After a steep climb, we headed onto rocky singletrack. My legs felt surprisingly fresh as I tried to remember how to run. It was almost as if my legs were moving on their own as I tip toed around. I opted for a more sturdy pair of Avi Stoltz as I figured I may need the added stability to trail shoes.

Another pro woman, Suzy Snyder was not far ahead, and soon I could see her down the trail.

Besides wanting to keep my 4th place in the series I also hoped to be of the top four Americans so I had the option of going to the ITU Cross World Championships in Spain next April.

Honestly, I was really happy and appreciative to just be running. Not that it made it any easier.

I soon moved up to 8th place. There are a couple of steep hills before a long descent to the finish. Ronsee figured out how to catch me there and pushed me even faster still.

My strength in running has usually been on the descents, so I didn’t hold back, and still didn’t have the pain I anticipated.

Heard more cheers and a couple of barks from my beloved border collie Kip before crossing the line. It was my highest finish to date at the US Championships and I knocked four minutes off my time from last year. I also secured my 4th place finish by a mere two points — a huge improvement from 8th in 2009.

XTERRA USA Pro Series Podium

It was a huge relief to finish the series on a high note and not have my injury impact the overall results. Unfortunately, I’m by no means healed and have many more PT and ART sessions before Maui.

…

NOW THE FUN PART: For me, the real highlight of the weekend was the showing off my backyard trails with post-race ride on the Crest Trail in Park City through fall colors.

Crest Trail Park City

Big thanks to my sponsor Melrad Racing, supporters and friends and family who made this race happen! Next up is my season finale the XTERRA World Championships in Maui Sunday, Oct. 24.