XTerra! Portland’s first off road triathlon
File this under “more cool stuff I’m going to miss”.
I am in San Jose at Anti-Training Camp, gorging on carbs and fat, not a bicycle in site. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, XTerra Portland is set for August 15th out at Hagg Lake.
Hagg Lake holds a lukewarm spot in the heart of every roadie who’s ever braved February weather to race the heralded Banana Belt World Championship here. I don’t know why we insist on racing in February, but we do. And we pretend to like it – sometimes.
If you ask me, the knobby-crew has it right. Race Hagg in August when it’s hot, dry, and fabulous.
The mountain-biking will be fierce, the swimming watery, and the running bumpy as nearly 200 competitors compete for triathlete bragging rights. (The course covers a 1000 meter swim, 25 kilometer mountain bike and a 5.5-mile trail run).
So many questions to be answered – not least of which is who will take home the bulk of the prize purse. Beyond the big winner? Can XTerra cool-ify triathlon? MTB crossover roadies are always just a little cooler than their roadie-exclusive counterparts, no? What happens when you mix the classic hyper-Type-A triathlon personality with the indescribable lightness of the fat-wheel assault?
I wish I could be there to tell you, but I can’t. If you get a chance, go watch. I’m pretty sure it’s going to be rad – and I know a few triathlete-turned-roadie-turned-mountainbikers (ahem, Kristin!) who might represent the untapped future potential of this growing sport.
XTerra attack!!!
(Mucho information about the event available online.)
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