Xterra GUAM MORE picutres!!

here is swim ( first out of water!)　１位でスイムを上がりました！！


and then here is part of bike course! UP AND DOWN!!　これはバイクのコースの本の一部、、、、

You can see the mud on my face!　顔、体に土が、、、、、、


After water fall There was BAMBOO!!川下りのあとの竹やぶ！！何気にこの低い丸太を超えるのが、レース終盤で応える。。。


Top 3 female!　


KEVIN!!そして、もちろんKEVIN!!!

GUAM Xterra

３月２６日
XterraGUAM

今週で３週連続３度目のレース。少々体が疲れていたが”これが終われば少し休める”と思いレースにのぞんだ。
グアムはXetrraチャンピオンシップよりも少々短いコースでSWIM１K　BIKE 31k, Run 8Kのコースである。

午前７時
約１００名の参加者が同時スタート。１周５００Mのコースを２周。
今年に入ってスイムは調子がいい。先週までの２大会はスイムはトップで上がってきているので本日もトップ狙い。スタートはいい感じであったが２周目に入る前にトップ集団と差が開いた。
追いつこうと思っても徐々に離されて行った。およそ３００Mは離されていた。しかし焦らず”最後までレースをする力を残す”と自分に言い聞かせT1へ。
アナウンスを聞いていると”Mieko Carey　女性１位”と？？トップ集団はチームで参加している人のスイマー。しかもまだ１４歳、１５歳でこのレース後もプールで練習という現役スイマー！！
３分差が開くのも当然。。。

Guamのバイクコースは面白い！！レース以外のときは車の車体が高く、タイヤが私の身長よりも大きな？トラックが走ったり、レースをするようなところを走る。
BMXみたいに１Mくらいのアップとダウンが繰り返し出てくる。下の土は赤土。この赤土がとても厄介で、天気がよく乾いていると何も問題が無くスムーズに走れるのだが、雨が降り濡れるとつるつるすべり、そして粘土のように粘っこい土に変わる。
木曜日に試走した際にはドライでこのレースに４年参加しているが今までにもない”ドライ”というくらい走りやすく、地元の選手をはじめ全ての参加者が”今年のレースは速い”と口にしていた。
が、もちろん”GUAM"
案の定レース早朝は雨、レース前の準備でもトランジッションからバイクコースの１部である山に怪しい雲がかかっているのが見える。
トランジッションから始めの８Kは全て舗装路の登り。”この雲が雨を降らす前にバイクを終えたい”と願い、また朝の雨でどこまで土が濡れているか不安のまま８Kの舗装路を終え本格的なコースへ。
やはり濡れていてつるつるである。土がタイヤにつき自転車は重く、コースをよんで走るのも大変である。右コーナー。障害物など何も無い普通のコーナーだがここで後ろのタイヤが滑り転倒。
かすり傷程度の怪我で済んだがこれは気を緩めることはできない。慎重にコースを読み、ラインをとっていく。顔、体中は赤土だらけしかしこれがまたXterraの魅力の一つである。
何人の成人がこんな”泥んこ遊び”をしているのだろうか？子供のころのように泥まみれになったり、草で足や手にかすり傷を作ったり自然を楽しむ。少々の怪我は”XTERRA　アスリート”の証拠であると私は毎回のレースで思っている。ダウンヒルではタイヤについている土が次から次への顔に飛んできて、前が見えないほどに、、、

そしてランへ。
Guamのランも特徴である。トレールランというよりも”川下り”といったほうが早い。
ランは８Kだが半分の４K程度は川の中を走る。中には数回滝も出てきて、走ると滑る可能性があるので手をつき滑り落ちる。川の水も背の低い私にはところどころ胸の高さまでもきてしまいランだけれどもスイム？？といった感じである。顔を上げたまま平泳ぎをしたり、、、ただこのラン、うれしいことに暑いグアムの天気から私たちの体を守ってくれる。
スイム、バイクで火照った体を川の水が冷やしてくれ脱水を防いでくれる。
川の中を走しったり、最後の３００Mは海の中を走るので靴の中は砂だらけで水ぶくれがひどい、、、
２時間５８分。女子１位、総合４位。目標の３時間をきることができ、また２週間前のサイパンでは５位、先週は２位そして最後の締めくくりに１位を取ることができうれしかった。

この３週間はなんだかクリスマスやお正月のような感じでした。あっという間に終わってしまい、今はちょっと寂しい、、、
と悲しくばかりなって入られません。まだ２０１１始まったばかり！今年は初日本でのMTBレース（Jシリーズというものに）出てみようと思います！！そして６月にはカンザスでハーフアイアンマンです！！

いつも応援ありがとうございます。

Mieko　Carey

Xterra GUAM

I came back from GUAM. I joined XTERRA GUAM 2011. and I was 1st place of female.

It was my thrid week to do race since 12th of this month.
I felt my body was little of bit tired from last week at TAGAMAN. I also thougth after this race I can give my body rest! " Push for last race!"

Guam course is verry different then Saipan.
the swim was 1K. The water was warm which made us easy to breath.
I came out of water 1st except teams and went to T1.

The bike course here is very interested for me. we are not able to have like this coruse in Saipan. I felt like I am riding BMX ! You might feel too!
Normally The course for Big four runner truck so many big holes and many short up and down like cow town in saipan.
The gorund is RED MUD which make us very slippery and sticky to tires if it is rain.
I did pre-ride on Thursday with few participants. it was dry ever I joined this race！Even toguht Pre-ride, We did under 2hours with chain broken and we have to stop to fix it!
I never be able to ride some part before due to rain and wet but I could make it the day!
Unfortunally it was rain the night before the race. We couldn't tell how much rain was. But we could see still cloud were there aorund mountain.
I just wished " NOT WET on the ground!"
Of course it was wet but much better then last year!( We had to stop to take out mud from tire )I saw still cloud were coming and getting windy too.
Just tought " I want to finish bike early before heavy rain come!" I pushed my leg but some corner took me to down!
There was no rocks and it was nice surface but the red mud was just slippery!!!!
One down is not to bad!

I came T2 as first female and went to run.
the run course is beatiful!. We followed the river and there were few water fall too.
Just be carefull to go down water fall. the rock are slippery as well red mud! I kept my body low. when I hit to big water fall I just bend my knee and sliding!!! it was fun!
The few part of the water level in the river were high and came to my chest! I swam and did breaststroke on run course!
It was nice to cool down my body. the water is clean too.
I was enjoying whole race to join GUAM!

I came to finish as 1st female.
I was 5th 2weeks ago at Xterra saipan. I was 2nd last week at Tagaman and finally I got 1st in xterra guam.

It was like Thanksgiving and Christmas for me for those three weeks.
I was having fun with my friends who came from all of the world. I was exicted to join all those races. I challenged myself.
THEN Now, everyone back to home and I am back to work..... I feel little of bit lonely but also I will have this one again!
Time to train for next races!!!!!

Kevin joined as team. and His team won AGAIN! Kevin was 1st place as team for three times in THREE WEEKS.
Don' you think it is great? I think so!!!!!!!
Thank-you for your support!

Bike race for Japan

皆様

いつもいつもコメントありがとうございます。皆様のコメントが私のレースへのパワーにもなり、また”ブログを更新しよう！！”というやる気につながりま
サイパンから日本の皆様のことは毎日TVで見ています。
アスリートの自分に何ができるか？？？？
と言うわけで、サイパンは日本と違ってレースをするのに警察などの許可もいらない！！！ということで早速”Bike Race for Japan"

４月の１０日にタポチョの山と、先日行われたエクステラのコースを使ってバイクのレースを行うことにしました。
エントリーの全てが日本への募金になります。

そのほかにも来週はサイパンの日本人会が主催のウォーキングイベント、サイパンの全てのホテルやお店には募金BOXなど置かれています。
たくさん募金が集まり少しでもサイパンが日本の、仙台の方たちの力になれるようレースと同様にがんばっていきたいと思います。


ところで現在GUAMです。
今週末にあるXterraGUAMのため、、、、、

なんと２０１１年初のKevinとのヴァケーション！！！！！

Tagaman Triathon 2011

March 19th in Saipan.
I joined Tagaman triathlon. this is the traditional triathlon in Saipan since 1989.
I joined it since 2005.

This year the Xterra female field was strong and hard ever in saipan. Tagaman was also hard women field ever I have been joined.
4 top triathlete of the world stayed here to get PIC ddouble which is total time of Xterra and tagaman.


I learned many things from my failrue how to do race last week at Xterra.
I pushed too much and passed my ability now I have and my race was ended at biginning of bike.
for tagaman, I tried to have a fun race and I wanted to back to me the feeling " The race is fun!!!!'
Around 100 athlete competed from world. Korea, Japan, The States, EU.

There were 10 Women Pro athletes inculde four pro from Xterra and last year chamipon and othere Korean.
I never ever thought I can be 2nd place when I saw this start list.

The swim condition was much better then last week. No waves and no strong current then last week. We started with sunrise.
Pros are 2min head start then age and team. Same as last week, I swam good pace even many Korean great swimmer were ahead of me but just tried not panic and remember Do my best what I have now.
We swam 2K which is two laps for 1K.
I came out water 4th of female but first female was almost 5min ahead of me.

The weather was crazy with strong wind and rain. the 30MPH made us stuggle on the bike and rain made the saipan road slippery.
Specially from PIC to hit to North was hardest because long straight road and windy.
Just think " everyone same , everyone don't like this windy"
also I was thinking what my coach said to me after Xterra " Don't look back. do your ability what you have now"
I never thing someone are trying to catch me, I was thinking " I will catch the person in front of me"
There were few turn around which I could see the biker behind. The three ladies were there and not far enough to take easy.
the point I start thing " The real race will start on run. Whoever can run fast they will win" I start save my leg for run. last 10K was nice strong trail wind and my leg could rest little bit.

I was surprised myself to came T2 as 2nd female. Many people were cheering and they sound excited then I was!!! They gave me huge power for me to go run.
I thoguth them and I just saw othere laides just came to T2. I didn't check time but I could tell " NOT too far"
Some times I tried to my run pace up but same time ofcurse my Heart race up and I could tell I am going to kill myself again if I keep this pace. " Relax, Just keep same pace"
move my scapula, keep my breath as good rhythem, try my legs wide but also goot tempo.
There were many cheerleaders on the road but I didn't have any energy to smile back to them or wave to them. I was just forcus how I need to run. I wanted to check behind me how they close or far now but I didn't. I just tought what my coach said whole my training and " GO,GO"
I came to back to the park and went to last turn around. I saw 3rd female who from Austria and she is fast runner. I have 2K left but she still has chance to catch me if I slow down.
" Time to use all my energy. Doesn't matter our of power now" Last 2K I use my 120%. move arms more, tried to reach my leg as mu as I can. my breathing wwas hard and fast but I know I can keep this only 2more Kilometer. Today is my day. Finally this day is coming to finish 2nd. I have chance to finish 2nd racing aganst top athlete! I can not slow down, None can catch me here last 2K point.
I went to finish line as 2nd. Many my friends were there ofcurse my husband too. I didn't have any energy left to stading and walk.
my husband carried me to go Mediacl tent.

How happy was that finally I came back with this result in Saipan. How long I have been thinking and hopeing I want to be in SAIPAN. it took for 7 years to get this position for me.
7years,,,,, I was thinking about today. I was dreaming about today.

I could do my best of best. It was 120% of my energy.No like 99% I still have few energy left or not like 150% too much push and end of race early.
I have Xterra guam this week. No matter what, I try to all race like today.

Thank-you for your spport.

Mieko Carey