MAKENA, Hawaii -- It was my fourth time competing in the XTERRA World Championships and I hoped again for a faster time and maybe a few places closer to the podium than before.
 
Coming from near freezing temperatures in Park City, I arrived in Maui six days before the race, if not to prepare for the race, to get just a few more days of warm weather before winter really hits.
 
A shark attack the day we got to Maui's south coast meant many of the local beaches were closed the day we arrived on the island and had us franticly driving up and down the coast trying to find somewhere we could take that initial first dip in salt water after a long day of traveling, even if it did mean becoming a tasty shark snack.
 
By the time race day rolled around, I was feeling pretty relaxed, my bike was ready, with brand new UST Maxxis Crossmarks with extra Stans on my Blue Ryno - my best shot a preventing a flat on the unforgiving lava course.
 
I had plenty of ocean swims, complete with sea turtles, and a slight tan as a result, which would at least make me look better during the race.
 
Plus, I had not contracted H1N1 - perhaps the biggest feat of my last round of training.
 
The race featured more competition than ever - Triathlete all-star Julie Dibens, 3-time XTERRA World Champ Melanie McQuaid, and mountain bike stars Shonny Vanlandingham and Marie-Helen Premont were just a few of the women in the race.
 
The cannon fired just after 9 a.m. and some 550 athletes rushed into the pleasantly non-wetsuit water off of Makena Beach.
 
I was feeling great during the two lap 1500-meter swim (with a grueling soft sand beach run in the middle), thinking must be all that extra oxygen at sea level and salt water buoyancy.  Unaware of where I was in the race and unable to find someone to draft off of, I focused on my stroke and trying to swim in a straightest line possible.  I exited the water, where I heard cheers from friends and family and entered transition, where I got some helpful tips from triathlon coach Jim Vance.
 
I headed out on the bike course in hopes I could get through it without too much traffic. No pre-riding on the course meant heading out onto the bike course blind.  Soon the strong mountain bikers started passing, including Renata Bucher, Shonny Vanlandingham and Carina Wasle.
 
I managed to stay with Carina for a while. We passed a bunch of media, which meant I wasn't doing too badly, as the media van only waits for the top competitors.
 
There's no shortage of uphill on the 20-mile bike course (some 3000 feet, in fact). Not riding the course beforehand coupled with lots of riders on the course opting to hike meant I was often left with no other choice but to hike-a-bike.  The course was apparently less rocky than usual, but also seemed very dusty, making some of the descents sketchy since I could not see my line.
 
I was starting to see the inevitable flats, mostly guys, until I saw my competitor and friend Renata Bucher on the side of the trail struggling to fix her puncture.
 
"Do you need anything," I yelled as I approached.
 
"No I'm fine," she responded.
 
I felt super bad for her, as she had come into the race more prepared than ever and after placing 4th last year, was really hoping for a spot on the podium. It would be tough to get back into the chase now.
 
I still have a hard time remembering the course, with hot temperatures and lots of riders all around making it a blur.
 
I got a second wind as I ascended Ned's Climb, the last steep climb before the highest point of the course, which always comes sooner than expected. I try to get ahead on this section before the infamous "plunge."
 
The course was not that bad or technical, but high speed crashing would be painful. Perhaps more of a risk than the rocks is the other riders. Picking the best line means often crossing the double track, but it's hard to tell where the other riders are around you.
 
I always get a little fooled by the high point of the course.  It still takes a lot of work to get down the volcano and perhaps the hardest part of the course, known as 'The Boneyard,' is next. This is a flatter section of the course, but it's so rough that there never seems to be a good line.
 
Soon I was heading downhill again and toward T2.  At this point I was able to see what was going on at the front of the women's race as they headed out on the run course. Julie Dibens, followed by Melanie McQuaid and a quick-paced Lesley Patterson.  I transitioned as quickly as possible in hopes of catching some women on the run and not getting caught by some strong runners behind me.
 
Rebecca Dussault was not far ahead and I heard a split - I was in 11th place.
 
In the rush, I dropped my much-needed visor for the exposed run and made the split decision not to back track to get it in transition, as the weather had been cloudy.  As I headed out on the run, the clouds cleared and I squinted in the direct mid-day sun, trying to see the next water station where I could cool off.  I was definitely feeling the heat more than I'd hoped.
 
The first two miles of the seven-mile run are mostly uphill followed by a rocky downhill and onto 'Big Beach.'  Here I got another split from Jim Vance and found there were a bunch of other women in striking distance.
 
Racers have the option of running through the soft deep sand at the top of the beach or running closer to the ocean where the sand is harder but you'll end up running further. I opted for the harder sand, and a chance to get my feet wet in the ocean.  Skim boarders waited patiently to catch their next wave as sweaty triathletes ran by.
 
The beach really takes a toll on competitors; as we neared the end of the beach a runner in front of me started swerving, and as I ran by, fell on me! My reflexes held up a hand to push him back up.
 
I was now heading through Spooky Forest with just over a mile to go. This section has lots of trees to jump over and duck under, and can give you a ringer if you misjudge - trust me, I know.
 
If the first beach wasn't enough, we now had a second smaller beach to run across followed by a sketchy rock section close to the water.
 
Just when I felt the huge relief of knowing the race was almost over, enough for a third wind, I caught sight of another racer, Marie, in what I thought was 10th place. I wanted speed up, but running at any speed was treacherous on this section.
 
I heard a few more cheers and grass under my feet allowed me to pick up the pace. Memories of an almost exact situation from last year when I was unable to close the gap and finished a second behind I did not want to repeat. Plus, passing the racer meant a top 10 finish.  I had more memories of cross-country running races where a strong kick was always necessary.
 
With about 200 meters to go, I dug out that old faithful kick from five years ago, made the pass and didn't let up until I crossed the line.  I thought this move would put me in the top 10, but unfortunately I was in 12th and moved up to 11th place, so I was slightly disappointed. However, it was a good finish, with improvements in both time and place from 2008.
 
Both the men's and women's races were exciting ones. In the women's race, Julie Dibens took the lead on the bike and held it well on the run. Lesley Patterson made up moved up to second after the run and Melanie McQuaid placed third.
 
In the men's race, Conrad Stoltz came off the bike first, followed by Josiah Middaugh, but they could not hold their top positions on the run. It was a surprise stellar win by Enako Llanos, followed by Nico LeBrun and Michael Weiss.
 
Big thanks to my family, friends and sponsors (USAT Trade Team, Blue Competition Cycles, Speedo, Zone Labs, Zipp, Rudy Project, Skins, Training Peaks, Inov-8) for their support this season. I look forward to some time off before preparing for the 2010 season that will come soon with winter triathlon.