» Xterra Amateur World Champion 2009!! Daz Parker

WOW. 012

I did it. I am officially World Champ. I am after two days, can’t believe it. Taking 25 minutes off last years time and beating an Austrian by only 9 seconds! The closest amateur race they have seen to date!

I must admit I could not have had any better prep for this race…I had done everything I could to set it up for it, including getting here (Maui) 2 weeks before the race, train and acclimatize. Getting good rest, nutrition and having my coach Julie Dibens here too to motivate and train with all added to a winning combo!!

I had a great swim and was happy with the postioning in the water with some jostling but very respectful by my fellow Xterra athletes. It made for a good time out of the water but only to be faced with my bike not where I thought I’d left it and standing looking at an empty space….I was in the wrong part of the pen! OOOPS so I wasted a couple of minutes there! Ah well time to settle my heart rate down tho.

The bike leg was pretty hot but not as hot as last year and there was some cloud cover -YES!!

I had a long prep talk with my coach a few nights before and I followed her advice to the letter. Hydration, keeping my intensity down at the first climb (we climb 3000 feet in total on the bike) I was just concentrating on keeping from red lining and plodding thro. Then suddenly I was at the plunge (a very rocky down hill section that usually takes many prisoners) I flew down with no fear….all the mtb’ing with the guys paid off technically. I was passing people by half way and some girls came past who were pros but I thought there were a few age groupers there too. So I thundered into T2, I had no idea which position I was in. Got my running gear on fast and wet off WITH JULIE’S PLAN IN MIND (high leg cadence on the hills) I then passed around 10 athletes. I assumed the girls were out in front so I set out to catch them as I felt quite strong still and this was the plan. No stopping and walking this year! All those hill reps also paid off), Mile 5 I suddenly felt someone breathing behind me – a girl on the long beach section had caught up with me. I then felt her clip my heal I HAD to hold her off. So I lightly stepped my way thro the soft sand and then BBBBRRRRR yep again that damn camera on a quad bike struck up as I passed it and was on me all the way along the sand, I ignored it this time.

The girl was still on my heels when we got to spooky forest with its natural obstacles and single track. There was a guy in front whom I had to pass and as I overtook him – BANG I tripped over a root and went down head first with CRAMPING in my hamstring. I got up right away and carried on. I got back into my rythym and onto the black sand beach – I had to get some air between her and me so I switched on the turbo and left her behind. The rocks I skipped over and just a little way to go I could tell from the spectators I was ahead of her. I came down the finish shoot with high fives. I had no idea what time I did or my position. I simply had given everthing I had.

I sat down with the coldest towels on my head fending the medics off who wanted to cart me away….eh?

Then Ms Dibens came over to inform me that not only had I won my age group but she thought I came overall top 3 WHAT?? I looked up at the time and it said 3.37 Hey??? But that is impossble I came in on 4.00 hours last year .

The night before I made a deal with Carina (The Austrain Pro) that she was to get a top 5 and I was to get a 3.30. She got 4th and I got a 3,34. 014