The Lava Report

Okay. I really don't care what place she finishes. First and foremost: Jodi completes her races safely. Second: She enjoys it. Third: I don't care what place she finishes(oh, I already said that).

My wife is a little stud. 99 lbs. of muscle. 100% beautiful human being. 50+ in years. 50+ hours working as a nurse every week. And she still rips up any course there is to offer. Pictured here ripping up the Mt. Baldy time trial this past summer. Yes when most men stayed away from this event. Probably because it is the toughest 15 miles of climbing to be had around here.

Jodi will be competing in the legendary Wildflower half Ironman a week from this weekend. My bet is she will rip that course up too. Don't matter to me. As long as she has a safe and sound race. And enjoys it.

Thank you to one of my best friends and photographers on the planet who took this shot. Jodi IMO is the female version of you. Fast, friendly and phenomenal.

Pre race briefing Friday they emphasized the bike course was dangerous (even though most courses are you do not hear them say that much}. "Due to torrential rain fall the dcesents are rock strewn and corners are very loose" They actually over-emphasized that. Many pulled out of full Xterra and chose to transfer to sprint distance. Good for them. Not only did someone get Heli Vac'd race day. Apparently someone pre riding the course a few days before.
       Okay so gotta have some fun to calm the pre race nerves. What better way than to dive into the 57 degree water wearing (walking) shorts only and challenge Pavel to a swim to buoys and back the day before race?




        We stayed at the host hotel and race morning we were able to rack our bikes in good spot early. It got L.A. traffic like jammed up in no time. But before that this nice and what I thought maybe a  new- to- Xterra young man asking me for a few pointers on the entry/exit transition. After sharing my thoughts with him and walking back to my spot more than one person stops me saying: "Do you know who that dude is"?
 I replied: "Nope".  "Well  that's Nick Diaz. Champion MMA Fighter" and stating  "Just watched him on pay per view cable last week fighting some French animal named St. Pierre". "That dude is one of the most gnarley fighters' in the world". "He is one bad ass", etc.
     Cool. But I do not watch cage fighting. But had to return for a photo after hearing that. Nick would kick my ass in any arena. Okay maybe not the Xterra arena. But then again, I wouldn't get in any other arena with him. Got home and looked up his fighting stats. Holy tomole'. Freakin' real deal.
    That's good friend Robert Little in H20 about to begin his wave. Mine was 3 minutes after his. I chose to launch off rocks. That's 3 races in 7 days for both of us. Red lining it the whole time. A 2nd place for myself last Saturday , first place Sunday and  4th today with the others in my division just mere few minutes ahead. Often I would ask myself what could I have done to make up those few minutes? Today, nothing. I gave it my all in this 3 hour pedal to the medal  freakin' hairy course of a race. And thank God uninjured.
             Prayers are with those so unfortunate and life- flighted out by helicopter. You never want to hear or worse,  see that. Especially when one is a girl.

So if all the stars are aligned chances are you finish with an Ironman World Champion Pro triathlete. With the two different courses merging on the last 5K of the run Chris McCormack runs up on me with approx one mile to finish. All his doing, he hangs back and paces me stride for stride to finish pretty much talking the whole time (him, not I,= no oxygen) and with 40 yards to go in his thick Aussie accent shouts: "let's sprint to the finish mate". Damn, I thought I was sprinting.

Off road (and a bit gnarley)  Xterra Renegade tri  @ Bonelli yesterday and then road tri today @ same park but on tame pavement. Top four overall pictured here from this a.m. Lots of youth here (excluding me :). Dillon took first handidly. Speaking of hands here he is shaking my duct tape wrist from yetserdays' ass over tea -kettle- tumble and it really smarts. Probably was not too smart racing today. Adrenaline is a potent chemical (hormone to be precise). Stoked with 2nd yesterday. First place today. Anthony Fogelstrtom here on the right. A real neat young man. Fast, humble and displays great sportsmanship. His father Joe was a good man, triathlete and looks as though his boys are following suit.
                 Jodi raced today as well and did the course with the extra few hundred yard swim an extra loop on the bike, same 5K run. After winning her division went out and ran like a nut for 10 miles as she has Wildflower 1/2 Ironman coming up. Oh and then the full Ironman in Canada. She is on target for some great races.
 Thank you Tri Events for putting on a spectacular triathlon. Your events just keep getting better. And better.

Race # 2 of 3 in 7 days in the books. The first race of the Xterra point series held this morning. My goal is to leave this age group as if it were four years ago.

Xterra Worlds on Maui last month is still clinging close to me. For one I dug the new course. Two: I just dig Hawaii. Three: Xterra World Championships is just that: A World Championship. This start list of my division just surfaced from Jodis camera. That's some foreign contingent. I dig that even most. Languages not understood. Except while on the race course.
           We are hungry for more. 2013 around the corner. Stoked.