Mike's X-Terra Mexico Report

Hey all, thought i'd send out a report now that my race season has finally commenced. If you're wondering what happened to the Vineman this year, well a couple crash injuries have been keeping me sidelined...
starting with a bruised kidney and badly cracked ribs( i know this after having them 6 times before ) in late April which confined me to no swimming or running for a full month. This foiled my plans for the 6 race USA series as 3 of the races were in May through mid June.
So onto the inaugural XTerra Mexico this past weekend in Puerto Vallarta. Unfortunately however, I had another odd crash and sliced my knee wide open on the chainring only 5 days before time to leave for Mexico.
( see attached pic )
Fortunately i still made the trip, along with 21 stitches. No way i was missing out on a trip to PV.
With some quality tv time coocooned in the hotel room ( ie not what you want to be doing at a highly rated all-inclusive resort ) the gash healed surprisingly well and i pulled the stitches out 4 days before the race, just in time to allow me to preview the course before raceday.
Heading out to pre-ride it was readily apparent this venue is a perfect prep for Maui World's. The swim is in the warm and wavy Pacific, and the bike and run courses are laced with lava rock, steep popper hills, and copious silty dust and sand. Most importantly the stifling humidity and daily highs of 35 C had even the Hawaiian visitors complaining.
Attending this event were proven XTerra ace Francisco Serrano( 2nd at milwaukee and 5th at USA champs last year), along with 7 time mexican ITU champ Javier Rosas and American Ryan Ignatz.
When the race started I fought through the shorebreak and found myself on the tail of the 6 person lead pack. wonderful! i eventually drifted off - no surprise b/c the swimming mileage has suffered badly of late - but to my delight i came out only 45 seconds off the lead.
Once on the bike i moved up to 2nd quickly and worked on catching Serrano over the abrupt and lava rock-laced poppers. My Rocky Mtn Element dually was perf on this course. At the halfway point on the beach i could see Serrano was near and soon caught him on the following uphill section. we worked together for the last part of the ride to hold off a 3 person chase pack w/ Rosas and ignatz. Highlights included blasting through the cobblestone streets of a fishing village, weaving through a herd of cows, and pacelining off a terrified horse for 1 km at 35-40 kph on the wide open dirt roads. By T2 it was down to me and Serrano w/ the rest well back. My lack of recent run mileage forced me to stop for socks and Serrano gapped me. The first part of the run is technical w/ a beach section followed by rugged jungle trails w/ numerous logs and steep hills. It was here while chasing hard my shin and knee raked over a barb wire fence and sliced open(same knee, different spot
though) whoops. turns out i was the only one who managed to do that. but this time no stitches needed... yeehaw! The gap stretched to ~45 sec by 1 mile to go until i lost another minute going off course approaching the resort...Doh! heat stroke must have been setting in. no problem though, b/c 3rd place Rosas was well back. The final approach to the line routed us along the water's edge which was bordered by bluffs. with high tide setting in this course was a challenge to the end, navigating over the rocks with thigh deep waves surging in. crossing the line in 2nd position i was thinking what a great event this was...
what xterra is all about. The trip to Vallarta was a highlight travelling experience w/ a fine race course and venue at the Palladium Resort with friendly people. Carlos, Enrique, and the crew pulled it out for a first time venue here.
Now I'm back in Victoria and with summer arrived and cuts healing fast I'm rejuvenated and ready to train... finally!!
Thanks to my sponsors Rocky Mountain bikes, FSA, FOX shox, Mizuno Footwear, crankbros, Vega Nutritional Supplements, Kenda tires, Frontrunners... the best in the business!
VineROC