Writing this very tired and weary from Saipan airport. Not looking forward to 48 hours travelling home.
It's been a great trip, we've made many new friends and caught up with old friends too. Thanks to Tyce and Angie Mister and Joshua and Mamiko Berger for putting us up in home stays and making us feel so welcome. Thanks also to two of the best hotels in the Pacific, the Hyatt in Guam and the PIC in Saipan for housing both us and the races.
Tagaman road triathlon consists of a 2000m swim, 60km bike and 15km run. I've got to admit, that after winning both Guam and Saipan Xterra's it was hard to totally motivate myself for this event. Fatigue was catching up from all the racing and travelling, and 4 days scuba diving doing our PADI course didn't help!
However the prize for doing the 'double' of fastest combined time in Xterra Saipan and Tagaman is return flights to here for next year and 7 nights accomodation for 2 at the PIC including a gold card for all meals and also another $500 cash. So it was essential to defend the 12 minute lead I had over Australias Andrew Noble and win this challenge.
In the swim I lost about 4 minutes on the leaders and exiting the perfect Pacific waters for the last time I set about getting this time back. I managed to catch Andy Noble at about 1/2 distance but I was still 2 minutes behind the flying Japanese competitor Masauki Matsumaru. I worked so hard in the searing heat, but only inched closer to Masa. I had the quickest bike split, but was still 2.5 minutes down as we entered Transition 2. After a terrible transition losing my shoes I set about chasing Masa on the run. After about 6 km, he was well in my sights and I was only a minute down. With another 9km of running to go I thought I had the better of Masa. Andrew was not closing on me and I knew i had the 'double' crown, barring any major problems.
However I didn't manage to get any closer, Masa ran the last half superbly and I faded slightly. With a mile to go, the gap was still one minute and I resigned myself to 2nd place and jogged home.
It was a great end to the Saipan sports festival and I urge any Brits wanting to do the races to join us there in 2010.
My main goals on returning to the UK are the 2nd round of the Mountain bike National points series, and then Xterra Italy in 5 weeks time. Let's hope the season continues as it's started.
Saturday, 25 April 2009
Saturday, 18 April 2009
Xterra Saipan 1st.
It was a mixed British result at Saipan after our great race in Guam.
I had possibly the best race of my Xterra career, winning my 3rd international Xterra race and 2nd Global tour race (Guam didn't have Global tour status). World champ Julie Dibens crashed heavily on the bike and sustained some nasty injuries but nothing broken we hope and started the run in pain but with a slight lead over Renata Bucher from Switzerland, unfortunately Renata got in front on the run and Julie was left to salvage 2nd place. Jim McConnel had another consistent race with 6th place despite nursing an injury and against a quality pro field.
I managed to exit the water in 11th place and set about chasing down the guys ahead in the blazing Saipan heat. It took almost 1/2 a lap to catch last years winner and ex world duathlon champ Andrew Noble from Australia and he announced the Mike Vine (the current US champion) was leading just ahead, with this spuring me on I managed to catch and pass Mike, and worked on building as much of a lead as possible before the run, where I knew Mike would be hunting me down.
I left transition 2 with a 3 minute advantage and ran as hard as I've run, even with a mile to the finish when I knew I had it in the bag, I still pushed harder, knowing every second counts for the Saipan sports festival double competition which takes the combined times for Xterra and next weeks Tagaman race, I wanted as much of a cushion as I could get. I was amazed to only lose 5 seconds to Mike on the run in the end and win by close on 3 minutes.
With Mike now deciding to go back to the States and prepare for the first US race in Vegas, and 3rd place Sacha Wiggenfield of Germany returning to Europe it now leaves me with a 12 minute lead over Andrew Noble for the double competition. The prize for the fastest combined time is a free flight to the event next year from anywhere in the world, 7 night accomodation and food at the Pacific Islands club where we've been staying and also an additional $500US.
Watch this space for next weeks instalment of the Pacific tour 2009.
Big thanks to all sponsors as ever, Cannondale bike was faultless, Schwalbe tyres have had no punctures or crashes all trip, Maximuscle kept me hydrated, Sundog eyewear blocked the rays, big thanks to everyone else too.
I had possibly the best race of my Xterra career, winning my 3rd international Xterra race and 2nd Global tour race (Guam didn't have Global tour status). World champ Julie Dibens crashed heavily on the bike and sustained some nasty injuries but nothing broken we hope and started the run in pain but with a slight lead over Renata Bucher from Switzerland, unfortunately Renata got in front on the run and Julie was left to salvage 2nd place. Jim McConnel had another consistent race with 6th place despite nursing an injury and against a quality pro field.
I managed to exit the water in 11th place and set about chasing down the guys ahead in the blazing Saipan heat. It took almost 1/2 a lap to catch last years winner and ex world duathlon champ Andrew Noble from Australia and he announced the Mike Vine (the current US champion) was leading just ahead, with this spuring me on I managed to catch and pass Mike, and worked on building as much of a lead as possible before the run, where I knew Mike would be hunting me down.
I left transition 2 with a 3 minute advantage and ran as hard as I've run, even with a mile to the finish when I knew I had it in the bag, I still pushed harder, knowing every second counts for the Saipan sports festival double competition which takes the combined times for Xterra and next weeks Tagaman race, I wanted as much of a cushion as I could get. I was amazed to only lose 5 seconds to Mike on the run in the end and win by close on 3 minutes.
With Mike now deciding to go back to the States and prepare for the first US race in Vegas, and 3rd place Sacha Wiggenfield of Germany returning to Europe it now leaves me with a 12 minute lead over Andrew Noble for the double competition. The prize for the fastest combined time is a free flight to the event next year from anywhere in the world, 7 night accomodation and food at the Pacific Islands club where we've been staying and also an additional $500US.
Watch this space for next weeks instalment of the Pacific tour 2009.
Big thanks to all sponsors as ever, Cannondale bike was faultless, Schwalbe tyres have had no punctures or crashes all trip, Maximuscle kept me hydrated, Sundog eyewear blocked the rays, big thanks to everyone else too.
Friday, 3 April 2009
Xterra Guam 1st!
Today was the first race of our Pacific racing tour, Xterra Guam.
After an eventful week, where my bike never made it further than Dubai before getting delayed, let alone the other 3 flights!
Good job it was in it's new Bikeboxalan hardcase and arrived eventually unscathed.
Still suffering with Jetlag due to arriving on Weds and a 9 hour time difference, I was not sure quite how I'd perform on the day.
Luckily it went totally to plan. I even managed to get on two times Xterra world champion, Julie Dibens heels in the swim for 100m which helped me break clear of the pack behind. Prefering to draft and conserve energy, I eased up and swum in the lead pack, with Julie blazing away on her own ahead.
A swift transition and I left T1 with fellow pro's Michael Le Roux from Australia and Takahiro Ogasawara from Japan, hitting the 3 1/2 mile road climb I went on the offensive and left the other 2 guys. Knowing that Jim McConnel from the UK would soon be chasing us down and not wanting to be near the whippet on the run I worked hard to get a decent lead.
Julie mean while was on a mission and it took me 20 minutes to catch her and pass her. Infact she was still in 2nd place as we entered T2, and Jim had moved up to 3rd place with all 3 Brits in the top 3.
On to the run and I knew as long as I didn't do anything stupid I should have the race in the bag. I successfully negotiated the slippery run down the waterfall sections and then while concentrating too hard on my line along the rocky stream, I missed a course arrow taking me left up the bank. I realised this 30 seconds later and quickly retraced my steps in a panic.
Luckily no one got by and I ran home the victor, Jim chased down Julie and finished 2nd, and Julie rounded out the British top 3 and won the womens race convincingly from Renata Bucher of Switzerland. Michael Le Roux of Australia rounded off the mens podium.
Tomorrow we are off to Saipan for 2 weeks training and then Xterra Saipan, which features top Xterra pros Mike Vine (who won the US champs in '08 and has won Xterra Saipan before) and Andrew Noble (Ex world Duathlon champion and winner of last years Xterra Saipan) amongst other competitors. Then Jim and I are racing Tagaman road triathlon in Guam, while Julie is returning to the US for St Anthony's Olympic distance non drafting race.
After an eventful week, where my bike never made it further than Dubai before getting delayed, let alone the other 3 flights!
Good job it was in it's new Bikeboxalan hardcase and arrived eventually unscathed.
Still suffering with Jetlag due to arriving on Weds and a 9 hour time difference, I was not sure quite how I'd perform on the day.
Luckily it went totally to plan. I even managed to get on two times Xterra world champion, Julie Dibens heels in the swim for 100m which helped me break clear of the pack behind. Prefering to draft and conserve energy, I eased up and swum in the lead pack, with Julie blazing away on her own ahead.
A swift transition and I left T1 with fellow pro's Michael Le Roux from Australia and Takahiro Ogasawara from Japan, hitting the 3 1/2 mile road climb I went on the offensive and left the other 2 guys. Knowing that Jim McConnel from the UK would soon be chasing us down and not wanting to be near the whippet on the run I worked hard to get a decent lead.
Julie mean while was on a mission and it took me 20 minutes to catch her and pass her. Infact she was still in 2nd place as we entered T2, and Jim had moved up to 3rd place with all 3 Brits in the top 3.
On to the run and I knew as long as I didn't do anything stupid I should have the race in the bag. I successfully negotiated the slippery run down the waterfall sections and then while concentrating too hard on my line along the rocky stream, I missed a course arrow taking me left up the bank. I realised this 30 seconds later and quickly retraced my steps in a panic.
Luckily no one got by and I ran home the victor, Jim chased down Julie and finished 2nd, and Julie rounded out the British top 3 and won the womens race convincingly from Renata Bucher of Switzerland. Michael Le Roux of Australia rounded off the mens podium.
Tomorrow we are off to Saipan for 2 weeks training and then Xterra Saipan, which features top Xterra pros Mike Vine (who won the US champs in '08 and has won Xterra Saipan before) and Andrew Noble (Ex world Duathlon champion and winner of last years Xterra Saipan) amongst other competitors. Then Jim and I are racing Tagaman road triathlon in Guam, while Julie is returning to the US for St Anthony's Olympic distance non drafting race.
Monday, 9 March 2009
Human Race Mudman 2009
This weekend was my first multisport race of 2009. I won the same race in 2008, so knew it would be very hard and hilly, but along with all Human Race events it would be well organised and have a good field.
Missing from the start line were rivals Colin Dixon and my Panasonic Toughbook team mate Jim McConnel who got 1st and 2nd at the recent Human Race Iceman event. However Eliot Chalifour and Paul Davies (also from Panasonic Toughbook) would provide the competition instead.
On the first run, I was happy to stay behind Eliot for most of the lap, knowing that the race would be close to 2 hours long and confident that I could get a gap on the bike. So into transition we ran neck and neck, with a 2 minute lead of Paul (who had been short of running miles due to an injury).
I really think my training full time is paying off and the additional biking i've been doing recently and using a power meter, helped me to create a 5 minute lead by the end of the bike section. My brand new Cannondale Scalpel soaked up the bumps and without my Schwalbe Nobby Nick tires I'd not have been able to ride the climbs each lap.
Onto the 2nd run, I just had to keep a good rythmn and not panic. In the end, my 2nd run was less than 2 minutes slower than my first and I inceased my winning margin by another minute to almost 7 minutes in total.
I am very pleased with my current form, I am now planning 3 more big training weeks before I fly out to Guam for a month away racing in the Pacific with Jim McConnel and current womens world champ Julie Dibens. Here, we will be racing Xterra Guam, Xterra Saipan and also the Tagaman middle distance road triathlon.
Look out for Men's Fitness May Issue which is due out at the end of this month. This will feature a 4 page article on the different types of triathlon including Xterra with plenty of pictures of me in kit and plugs for my sponsors too.
Hope you're all well, I'm off out training soon. Sam
Missing from the start line were rivals Colin Dixon and my Panasonic Toughbook team mate Jim McConnel who got 1st and 2nd at the recent Human Race Iceman event. However Eliot Chalifour and Paul Davies (also from Panasonic Toughbook) would provide the competition instead.
On the first run, I was happy to stay behind Eliot for most of the lap, knowing that the race would be close to 2 hours long and confident that I could get a gap on the bike. So into transition we ran neck and neck, with a 2 minute lead of Paul (who had been short of running miles due to an injury).
I really think my training full time is paying off and the additional biking i've been doing recently and using a power meter, helped me to create a 5 minute lead by the end of the bike section. My brand new Cannondale Scalpel soaked up the bumps and without my Schwalbe Nobby Nick tires I'd not have been able to ride the climbs each lap.
Onto the 2nd run, I just had to keep a good rythmn and not panic. In the end, my 2nd run was less than 2 minutes slower than my first and I inceased my winning margin by another minute to almost 7 minutes in total.
I am very pleased with my current form, I am now planning 3 more big training weeks before I fly out to Guam for a month away racing in the Pacific with Jim McConnel and current womens world champ Julie Dibens. Here, we will be racing Xterra Guam, Xterra Saipan and also the Tagaman middle distance road triathlon.
Look out for Men's Fitness May Issue which is due out at the end of this month. This will feature a 4 page article on the different types of triathlon including Xterra with plenty of pictures of me in kit and plugs for my sponsors too.
Hope you're all well, I'm off out training soon. Sam
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Maui blues
I've not had much motivation to write a blog since the worlds. The race was a bitter disapointment. I had trained harder than ever before in my life and was in really good form.
I honestly felt like I was taking it easy in the swim and swum 3 minutes quicker than last year. Onto the bike I felt in control as I rode past last years 3rd place finisher and quickest biker, Brian Smith early on. Then the first mechanical struck as my chain over shifted at the front and I had to dismount to put it back on. As well as losing places it lost my rythmn.
Trying too hard to catch up time on a descent, I crashed badly, bending my rear wheel so much it rubbed against the frame, and also damaging some tendons in my ankle. It certainly hurt.
For a 3rd time I started catching riders, getting back into the top 10. Physically I felt really strong, but again fate dealt another blow.
My chain rings must have dug into some wood in the crash and the chain refused to stay on the middle ring, where the wood was lodged. More time was spent removing this. Another over shift of the gears into the spokes at the rear and I pretty much lost the plot.
A TV camera man tried to ask me stupid questions (as I tried to wrench the chain free), which i wasn't in the mood to answer. So much pain and effort in training and now the race was fallnig apart.
My bike which only arrived 2 days before the race had seemed perfect on test rides round the local roads, but I didn't want to risk damaging it or to ride hard off road this close to the race. All these 'what ifs' kept coming up. Could I have checked these things before?
They happened! The repeated gear problems must have weakened my chain and as I tried once again to get my head straight and at least finish the race, the chain snapped. Without the tools to fix it, I was almost relieved to be able to legitamately retire, instead of finishing in a much lower position than my form deserved.
Anyway, writing this has helped with the therapy. Lot's of unfinished business next year! Instead of 6 weeks beer drinking and no training like I did this time last year, I am already keeping some training going, with a couple of short easy sessions a day, and feel in reasonable shape still.
Next season I have the once in a life time chance for an 8 month sabatical off work, sponsors are in place and if my sums are correct i can afford it. Every little thing will be analysed and nothing left to chance. Roll on 2009!
I honestly felt like I was taking it easy in the swim and swum 3 minutes quicker than last year. Onto the bike I felt in control as I rode past last years 3rd place finisher and quickest biker, Brian Smith early on. Then the first mechanical struck as my chain over shifted at the front and I had to dismount to put it back on. As well as losing places it lost my rythmn.
Trying too hard to catch up time on a descent, I crashed badly, bending my rear wheel so much it rubbed against the frame, and also damaging some tendons in my ankle. It certainly hurt.
For a 3rd time I started catching riders, getting back into the top 10. Physically I felt really strong, but again fate dealt another blow.
My chain rings must have dug into some wood in the crash and the chain refused to stay on the middle ring, where the wood was lodged. More time was spent removing this. Another over shift of the gears into the spokes at the rear and I pretty much lost the plot.
A TV camera man tried to ask me stupid questions (as I tried to wrench the chain free), which i wasn't in the mood to answer. So much pain and effort in training and now the race was fallnig apart.
My bike which only arrived 2 days before the race had seemed perfect on test rides round the local roads, but I didn't want to risk damaging it or to ride hard off road this close to the race. All these 'what ifs' kept coming up. Could I have checked these things before?
They happened! The repeated gear problems must have weakened my chain and as I tried once again to get my head straight and at least finish the race, the chain snapped. Without the tools to fix it, I was almost relieved to be able to legitamately retire, instead of finishing in a much lower position than my form deserved.
Anyway, writing this has helped with the therapy. Lot's of unfinished business next year! Instead of 6 weeks beer drinking and no training like I did this time last year, I am already keeping some training going, with a couple of short easy sessions a day, and feel in reasonable shape still.
Next season I have the once in a life time chance for an 8 month sabatical off work, sponsors are in place and if my sums are correct i can afford it. Every little thing will be analysed and nothing left to chance. Roll on 2009!
Saturday, 18 October 2008
Xterra US champs Tahoe
Last weekend was the Xterra US champs. After the world champs in Maui in 3 weeks time, this race has the biggest prize fund in the world. It carries double points for the US series and it must count as a scoring round for that series. Because of that all the US athletes were there, along with pro's from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland, Austria, Costa Rica, Mexico and many more countries.
Having done the race last year and suffered with the altitude, I decided to sleep in an altitude tent back in England for 2 weeks and then get 1 week at altitude here. General theory is that you need 3 weeks at proper altitude but this was the best I could do around a full time job!
I certainly felt a lot better than last year come race day, however I was still having big trouble breathing on the bike and run. I had a good swim coming out ahead of 3 times womens world champion Melanie McWaid (who is a good bench mark and was beating me by several minutes last year), I was in the top 25 overall at this point too.
On to the bike and I got in a good rythmn but always felt my legs could go loads faster but my lungs wouldn't let them. I came off the bike in 9th place.
Onto the run and again I felt like I couldn't get going and I lost 2 places to finish 11th and in the money, just!
I am now staying up high for another week, before I go to Maui to get 2 weeks of sunshine before the big day!
Thanks to all sponsors, all products performed faultlessly. Sam
Having done the race last year and suffered with the altitude, I decided to sleep in an altitude tent back in England for 2 weeks and then get 1 week at altitude here. General theory is that you need 3 weeks at proper altitude but this was the best I could do around a full time job!
I certainly felt a lot better than last year come race day, however I was still having big trouble breathing on the bike and run. I had a good swim coming out ahead of 3 times womens world champion Melanie McWaid (who is a good bench mark and was beating me by several minutes last year), I was in the top 25 overall at this point too.
On to the bike and I got in a good rythmn but always felt my legs could go loads faster but my lungs wouldn't let them. I came off the bike in 9th place.
Onto the run and again I felt like I couldn't get going and I lost 2 places to finish 11th and in the money, just!
I am now staying up high for another week, before I go to Maui to get 2 weeks of sunshine before the big day!
Thanks to all sponsors, all products performed faultlessly. Sam
Monday, 8 September 2008
Xterra Austria and Japan
Hi guys.
You might have already seen the news on tri247.com given the ammount of emails and facebook messages I seem to have recieved. Good news travels fast, especially when I have only spoke to one person in the UK since the race, cheers Mrs Dibens!
I WON my first Xterra world cup this weekend in Japan! Known as the the most technical Xterra course on the plannet, and made even more technical by the torrential rain in the previous few days, they almost shortened the bike because it would have been dangerous. At the last minute they decided to run the whole course, and i am very glad they did. I had the best swim of my life, knowing that one of my main competitors would be an ex Japanese mountain bike champion and team mate to british olympian Liam Killeen. I exited the water in 3rd position and with a swift transition I was in the lead at the start of the bike. With the chance of a clear track I attacked the good old British muddy conditions. In a day where I could do little wrong I had a great bike leg and built up a comfortable lead. I lost a little time on the hard jungle run but still crossed the line with a few minutes lead.
The womens race was won by Rennata Bucher of Switzerland. My poor Japanese prevents me from finding the full results on the website unfortunately. Taro the organiser has been fantastic in organising our trip, with collections from the airport, transfers to the race 4 hours away, putting us up in the poshest hotel room in the fabulous race hotel )with volcanic spa). Far too many free beer tokens too! Thanks for all the help.
Almost pailing into insignificance now is last weekends Xterra Austria result where I finished 10th. This means a top 10 at every European race and 7th currently in the series. Given that I am having to miss the final French race I might well drop a place or two, but it has been a consistent strong campaign on the European front this year.
The day after I fly home next weekend I am doing the Mens Fitness Rough Track off road triathon at 12:30pm near Windsor. I have then got a few weeks off before the US champs in Tahoe on 6th Oct and the World Champs in Maui on the 27th Oct.
My Cannondale Taurine was fantastic as usual (with USE bits), Schwalbe Nobby Nic tyres worked great in the mud, Sundog eye wear kept the muck from my eyes until they got too caked and I lost yet another pair on a descent (sorry Barney!). Maximuscle kept me well fuelled. Montrail running shoes meant grip all the way round the rocky, rooty run. Thanks to these guys and everyone else for the support.
You might have already seen the news on tri247.com given the ammount of emails and facebook messages I seem to have recieved. Good news travels fast, especially when I have only spoke to one person in the UK since the race, cheers Mrs Dibens!
I WON my first Xterra world cup this weekend in Japan! Known as the the most technical Xterra course on the plannet, and made even more technical by the torrential rain in the previous few days, they almost shortened the bike because it would have been dangerous. At the last minute they decided to run the whole course, and i am very glad they did. I had the best swim of my life, knowing that one of my main competitors would be an ex Japanese mountain bike champion and team mate to british olympian Liam Killeen. I exited the water in 3rd position and with a swift transition I was in the lead at the start of the bike. With the chance of a clear track I attacked the good old British muddy conditions. In a day where I could do little wrong I had a great bike leg and built up a comfortable lead. I lost a little time on the hard jungle run but still crossed the line with a few minutes lead.
The womens race was won by Rennata Bucher of Switzerland. My poor Japanese prevents me from finding the full results on the website unfortunately. Taro the organiser has been fantastic in organising our trip, with collections from the airport, transfers to the race 4 hours away, putting us up in the poshest hotel room in the fabulous race hotel )with volcanic spa). Far too many free beer tokens too! Thanks for all the help.
Almost pailing into insignificance now is last weekends Xterra Austria result where I finished 10th. This means a top 10 at every European race and 7th currently in the series. Given that I am having to miss the final French race I might well drop a place or two, but it has been a consistent strong campaign on the European front this year.
The day after I fly home next weekend I am doing the Mens Fitness Rough Track off road triathon at 12:30pm near Windsor. I have then got a few weeks off before the US champs in Tahoe on 6th Oct and the World Champs in Maui on the 27th Oct.
My Cannondale Taurine was fantastic as usual (with USE bits), Schwalbe Nobby Nic tyres worked great in the mud, Sundog eye wear kept the muck from my eyes until they got too caked and I lost yet another pair on a descent (sorry Barney!). Maximuscle kept me well fuelled. Montrail running shoes meant grip all the way round the rocky, rooty run. Thanks to these guys and everyone else for the support.
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