XTERRA MISSION GORGE RACE REPORT

Ahhh Mission Gorge, so we meet again…

XTERRA Mission Gorge 2010 was my first XTERRA trail run, so for the 2011 race I felt that had an advantage on all of the first-timers.  The course is gnarly, whether you’re a veteran or a newbie.  The 15k starts off with fire roads, a creek, some rolling hills, and a couple ridiculous climbs jutting upward.  Then, the “trail” morphs into mountain goat terrain so your hoofing it uphill and down, just waiting to lose your footing. Trail shoes are a must! The stair climb is next and I’m not speaking figuratively.  There is basically a stairway, so steep that walking is a must, taking you straight up into the sky! The first time I made the trek to the top, I thought, is this the actual “Stairway to Heaven?” Well, the answer is NO! What goes up, must come down.  The descent is even more agonizing than the climb. It brings you down, fast, hard and spits you out onto a streamside where you're forced to navigate rocks and boulders. Fast foot-work is definitely a key skill here, the portion is a wipeout waiting to happen.  Finally, you head out onto paved road to pick your tempo up, then onto gravel and 400m, 200m, 100m, FINISH!

2010 Results

1.32.35; 8^th in Age Group; 83^rd Overall

2011 Results

1.17.40; 2^nd in Age Group; 27^th Overall

A finish time 15 MINUTES faster than last year!  I’d say that’s a major improvement!  

. . .

When I sat down for a Monday morning 9am meeting, the attention focused to me.

“You look exhausted. Long weekend?”

“Yeah, I celebrated my birthday, ran a 15k trail race on Sunday, and I just got done with 6am swim practice.”

“I thought this stuff was supposed to be good for you?”

I just smiled.