Well it is almost "GO" time for Nationals in Lake Tahoe, NV and the female lineup is looking better than ever before. Aside from the usual North American suspects we also have some of the top European girls coming over to join the party. Should be a great show on October 5th. However, conspicuously missing at the race she has won numerous times is Jamie. It is certainly not the same to be going into the finals with my perfect 300 score looking to close the deal and having her not there to battle with. To acknowledge her absence from the race circuit the pro field is looking forward to hosting a silent auction on Friday, October 3rd at the XTERRA Expo beside the Hyatt in Incline Village. All of us are donating some of our sponsor goods to the auction to benefit Jamie and Courtenay. I will be bringing a load of stuff including a signed jersey and singlet to the party as well as some more useful items for race day . If you chose to race in the same outfit as me on Sunday I would be okay with that, however!

If you are in the area you should definitely come by and join the fun. If you have anything you would like to donate to the auction, please contact me and I will help you to get it there.

As we are approaching "Jamie's Race" I am reminded of an article I wrote about our rivalry. I wrote this article back in 2005 just before the World Championships on Maui. Jamie was going in as defending World Champion and I was looking to regain the title. I found this in the archives and thought it was great to read again to remember how our rivalry helped to shape the sport of XTERRA for many years. Jamie is fighting a new rival now: cancer. I am sure she will be battling cancer with the same intensity she brought to the race course but certainly she can use our help. As I prepare for the National Championships in Lake Tahoe I am remembering my favorite rival of many years while facing some new challengers that have brought a fresh perspective to the sport and bring a strong arsenal that I will have to work hard to overcome. We in XTERRA are supporting Jamie to the best of our ability and I invite you all to visit her website and offer some words of encouragement: http://www.jamiewhitmore.com.

MY FAVORITE ENEMY by Melanie McQuaid

A rivalry exists when one strives to obtain something simultaneously with another - something which only one can possess. In sport, there can be only one winner, which is why sport inspires some of the greatest rivalries in history. A great rivalry is something quite special. It allows competing athletes to create a history in the sport beyond themselves. It allows their actions, their efforts, and their heart to be permanently recorded with the spirit of sportsmanship and competitiveness. I can think of some great rivalries which will forever be linked with that sport: Armstrong v. Ullrich (cycling); Evert v. Navratilova (tennis); Allan v. Scott (triathlon). The story of their competition remains vivid beyond the victories, and I feel proud that within the sport of XTERRA for the last three years I have participated in my own rivalry, McQuaid vs. Whitmore. Having close competition can be one of the greatest ways to explore your own ability as an athlete, and it can make even your losses become some of the best races of your career....