Hi Peeps,
I should have done this sooner…but better late then never. Click HERE for TriHive’s XTERRA Mtn. Championships photo album.
Alex M.
www.TriHive.com
Nice. A couple of pics of Muncie, Indiana’s own Seth Wealing too (#5).
How technical was the biking? Other than the big hill, which I wouldn’t call technical (just hard), it looks pretty good… for someone with no skills like me.
I only photographed the race, but everyone says it is 75 percent climbing (at least). If you hit YouTube and search, “TriHive” or “Melanie McQuaid” you will find a pre race clinic with Melanie in 2006. She talks about how grueling the bike is, and how you must pace yourself well to succeed on the course. I found her comment about the elevation, and how if you build lactic early on, the altitude makes it nearly impossible to get out of your system right away and you’ll be done before you started.
From what I saw a few weeks ago…Lots of climbing. Some “flat” to slightly down hill sections where you are making your way through the woods and you can’t see far in front of you. To me, that would be technical, but I’m not a mtn. biker. The big decent after the big climb…You can see it in the pic. You shoot right into the woods again. I’m not sure what was coming but those guys were hauling butt as they entered the unknown.
They say the bike course changed slightly from last year. After the pre race press conference Conrad said he thought it was a bit easier, but the girls (Melanie & Jamie) felt it was just as tough, if not tougher.
Alex M.
www.TriHive.com