Comments for XTERRA Richmond - another year of hot urban off road racing at http://www.racergirl.com , comment 0 to 3 out of 3 comments http://www.racergirl.com Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:58:10 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.racergirl.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=313&Itemid=10#pc_95 Well, maybe it was just your circuitry gone awry, you know, because you couldn't possibly be a human being under all that huh? I mean, you know, with feelings and susceptibilities and stuff right? You're just this results-dictated machine of a thing. Whatever. The best thing I learned (coming from the age-group camp, btw) is that where you place is far less an indicator of how you did than how you felt throughout the race. In fact, you've made it no secret that you've had races before where you won and still felt that you didn't race your best. I think it took class to be happy you won, but still voice that disappointment instead of taking credit for owning the race. You made it clear there was very much a difference. I think that's the best indicator of someone who knows how it feels to really earn a win having gone guts out, as well as someone who didn't win, but really had the best day they could have had regardless. The fact that you can hit second on an off day is remarkable, and why I think it's hard for some to understand how you could possibly be disappointed. That's just the result of a limited perspective. You're setting a good example. It’s not all about the podium because there are a lot of things out of our control in any given day. The most accurate performance results are derived from evaluating ourselves, not from comparing with others. Someone told me that on a big-ass hill in Temecula once ;) Everyone is entitled to an opinion all right, but I think people should reserve dolling them out until they've gone a mile in the shoes they profess seem to be so comfortable. - wil Mon, 25 Jun 2007 04:39:16 +0100 http://www.racergirl.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=313&Itemid=10#pc_88 :roll: I debated the utility of posting this but obviously couldn\'t resist. Let me be clear: As a very average age groupie, I am in awe of your abilities and performances. Watching you come in and out of the transition area during the past two years at Richmond and generally following XTerra, you are a stunning athletic specimen. It\'s a thrill to monitor your career and athletic achievements. Having said that, I am disappointed by the emotional themes of your post. The bottom line that might have escaped you is that you and your competitors lined up at the boat ramp, swam, biked, and ran to the finish line, and you came in second among females. Specifically, JW hung in there for close to two hours before even seeing you again (which is pretty much the ONLY scenario she must deal with). I think it\'s disengenuous, much less unbelievable, for you to state that you \"don\'t race for a result.\" C\'mon. That is serious defense mechanisms going up. Do you think Michael Jordan would ever be heard saying \"even though we lost the championship game, I\'m really happy that I played well and that my conditioning was high?\" Never. And I don\'t let you get away with saying \"I didn\'t win because I didn\'t have my best race/wasn\'t in my top form\" blah blah because no one gets to put an asterisk after their \"2nd\" with an \"explanation\" that anyone would care about. And let\'s face it, you wouldn\'t have been as \"frustrated\" about your performance (which still was pretty amazing) had you won. [By the way, there\'s no shame in dry-heaving. In the context of sports, I\'m guessing that it\'s most often a symptom of dehydration, electrolyte deficiency, or basically the brain in rebellion mode that manifests itself by vomiting even though there\'s nothing in the stomach. Obviously, you\'ll be reexamining your nutrition plan and strategy to beat the heat! Floyd Landis\' water bottle dousing seemed effective!] Look, at least your post here wasn\'t as delusional as Jaime\'s comment after she crossed the line that her victory was \"due to her faith in God.\" I won\'t even begin to break that down! I guess my ultimate point instead of coming across a bit whiny about things, you should still feel proud of your performance (anyone who tries these things should), reflect whether goals were met and mistakes made, rethink strategies (or just practice more), and go with the flow. Most important, ENJOY it! I look forward to following the rest of the year! - Chill Fri, 22 Jun 2007 14:45:21 +0100 http://www.racergirl.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=313&Itemid=10#pc_87 Simply beautiful poetic description of \"stepping off\" the bike! Loved it. 8) - Tom Telford Wed, 20 Jun 2007 16:16:41 +0100