A full life

This post was written by Jenny & Brian Smith on April 13, 2009

It is a recovery day for me today which has me amused as it is by far the NICEST day we have seen in Gunnison so far this year for riding. I’m tying myself to indoor chores ‘ to maintain some discipline’ and stay away from training.

I am going to write this post on behalf of me ( Jenny Smith) and Brian Smith ( my husband) in part because Brian is always somewhat ‘uber’ busy and also because his ‘wintering over’ season has been far more interesting than mine.

Brian’s XTERRA triathlon and mountain bike racing off season included 1 x 2009 World XTERRA championship ( his 2nd Winter Xterra World Champ in a row) 1 x 2009 USA winter triathlon national championship, a 12th at ITU Winter triathlon world championships, and numerous Randonee skiing races, some wins and alot of 2nd places.

The 2nd place’s are frustrating and have the damn it factor. Often they occur due a mistake or a mechanical ( skins that get wet and don’t stick) a crash, usually they are by mere seconds, and the ‘too bad factor’ is that not only do you not win, but the COSMIC series give awesome prizes to first place. For example Brian was second in the Monarch ski area Cosmic event, the winner won a great CAMP pack ( think $200) and Brian won a t-shirt ( think .. how many t-shirts do we all have) Its like a booby prize.

Brian has now had oh! 3 weeks of off season. Our first MTB race is in Fruita, Co ( Mountain states # 1) this coming weekend. We are following that with a full slate of US cup Xterra events. The West Championships is Henderson, Vegas may 2nd. His solution was 3 weeks of no intensity and a weekend of MTB riding in Grand Junction with Rad Ross Schnell. Brian called very excited .. “I love riding with Ross, he’s dropping me on a 6×6 inch bike uphills”.

Me? I have changed it all up. Post Xterra World Championships 2008 I changed coach, I’m being coached by Dara Marks -Marino ( www.daramarksmarino.com) I love her. I have a swim coach ( Brandyn Roark-Gray). I want to improve from a professional mountain biker doing to Xterra triathlons into a rounded Xterra triathlete. I have been working really hard on swimming. I even dreamed of swimming the other night! I am so obsessed with it. I like the technical aspect, as much as it frustrates the living daylights out of me it is also very stimulating and challenging!

Brandyn and I started our own company snrgymultisport. We are coaching and running training camps for mountain biking/ swimming/ and triathlon. Its so great. A massive learning curve, and we offer somethiing special. Between us we are professional mountain bike, run, and swimmers.. Bran is co-coach of the Four corners Swim team, a USA Olympic trials swimmer and a triathlete. Our blend of co-coaching is providing our athletes with a complete understanding and cohesion of all three sports. It is stimulating and challenging. I’m as into our company as I am my personal athletics. LOVE it! Below are Brian, Brandyn, and I. At our first clinic. Instructor’s for Snrgy Xterra Camps.

I also went home for a training/visit. I am a New Zealander and when I got to Auckland Airport, I realised how much I miss/enjoy/ cherish home. The people/ culture/ food/ amazing.

Visited my family, friends, rode, swam, ran, drank too much wine, ate alot of good food, even more good fish, rode a couple of great races. I say rode .. as holy cow.. 3 weeks on the bike did not prepare me for the Anaconda Odessy in Australia, got my butt kicked, by 10-000 ft climbing in 100k, 90 degree heat, and in shape competition. Whew. Have you ever noticed how its the hurting days when you get mechanicals too? My front brake squealed like a madman for 30k.. 30k!

I also raced the Karapoti classic. New Zealands longest running MTB race, CRAZY. Capped at 1000 people it starts on the edge of a river crossing. Rain this year meant chest deep water and I’m not exaggerating. As the record holder and with 5 weeks of riding I was feeling good and very motivated. A flat tire 9 minutes into the race.. put me out of contention, I did finish 3rd and had a Blast. It is hands down on my top three list of races. River crossing’s and all. 100% NZ.