St James Mountain Man Xtreme: Race Recap

 St James Mountain Man Xtreme

Date: January 2021
Category: Endurance Race
Weather: Hot
Location: St James Range
Distance: 2km swim, 100km mtb, 50km trail run
Website: St James Mountain Sports

Lake Tennyson

The following is my recap of my 2nd entry to this event. To give some background, I first heard of this event back in 2014 after having completed the Ironman. I wanted a race where failure was a real possibility and I wanted a race to push me both physically and mentally. Having read the description for this race, it checked those boxes. I DNF back in 2015 with a broken bike with only 30km of the ride completed. So I had a score to settle in 2021. 2020 offered me plenty of time to train.

Hail Storm

Race prep started 8 months prior to the event: strength training, indoor and outdoor swimming, riding bikes, and lots of time on feet (both power hiking and running). I could go into detail, but most would probably find it boring. Suffice to say, it was a lot of hours of doing each. Lots of base work, but still putting in some speed sessions. 

The Race Details

Friday night, the organizers like you to camp out at Lake Tennyson as it doesn't require you to walk up early to drive out from Hanmer Springs for the 5:45 safety briefing. We ate an early dinner in town and grabbed the race pack and then drove out to the start. It was a blend of warm temps that dropped off considerably. The aftermath of a huge hail storm which left large mounds of hail on the ground that we had to drive through. Luckily we missed the hail storm as I'm sure it would have been an insurance claim just waiting to happen. Then a short, but intense thunder storm while we had started to set up camp. After the rain, we crawled out of the tent and we were treated to a double rainbow. I finish organizing my riding bag with all the mandatory gear and put my bike back in the car. My running gear is put into a different pack in order to make sure it gets to the second transition area. I then crawl into my sleeping bag and fall quickly asleep while listening to some music.

Swim exit

Race morning started before 5am. I wake up wheezy and not feeling that great. It might have been the dramatic shift in temperature. Don't typically eat breakfast before a morning swim, but I made some oats and tea. I had thought about eating after the swim, but didn't want to lose the time. The few people doing the long course gathered around for a briefing at 5:45. But, the briefing was given late and we got going around a quarter past 6. The water temp wasn't bad, but I never found a rhythm as I felt like I was breathing through a straw the entire swim as well as my goggles constantly fogging up. I also vomited my breakfast up around the 2nd turn. This evidently was a sign of things to come. I'm no stranger to doing it in a race when pushing hard but for endurance races my pace and effort are scaled back. I got out of the water last, but it was only minutes between the 3 of us. Yes it's a small group of nutters. If you do the race be ready for the race crew to give you a hard time. For anyone doing the swim version of the race, you'll be required to change completely into dry clothes. Kayakers only have to change anything that gets wet.

Bike course elevation

A quick change of clothes and I'm out for a chilly early morning ride that would evolve into a hot mess. I was still having wheezy breathing and I couldn't get my HR down. But I kept spinning up the first climb and put down some calories. They've had some work done on the trail since my 2015 attempt. Parts were smoother and less gigantic rocks. The direction of travel was changed for the first off shoot where I previously broke my bike, a broken derailleur hanger with no spare. Upon returning to the river crossing I moved into 2nd place and saw the only person doing the kayak version heading out on the first out and back. I started to see other racers appear, but they were doing one of the many other events as it's a big event weekend. I took a wrong turn at a junction when following another rider. We ended up going over a single person 3-cable bridge. Don't like them on a normal day. Let alone when trying to move your bike in front of you. The other racer yelled back once I was already on the bridge that he doesn't think we are on the right path, but he can see a trail marker up the river. I thought it would be easier to go forward rather than trying walk backwards with my bike. After getting off the bridge, I cycle along a narrow trail and then started up a steep climb and my left quad cramped and I fell over on my bike. This subsided after popping a couple tabs of quick-eze. Then when returning from the check-in hut, I saw a sign that I thought directed bikes back the way I had just came. A family of trampers recommended that I don't cross the swing bridge with my bike. So what is another river crossing? I take to the water and then a bush whack up a hill with my bike on my shoulder. Rejoin the race, but a marshal comes over to me and asks if I got lost. Explain to him what he happened and I continue on my way. Now the heat is unbearable. I'm drinking a lot, but I'm starting to cramp more frequently and it's when I start to apply any power, aka climbing hills and there are plenty left. So I push my bike up the hills and ride them down. I finish the ride after 8 hours and 8 liters of hydration, well longer than I had been training for, but my body was opposing my effort.

Mike, the only finisher

I saw 1st place, and subsequently the only finisher, on my descent into the homestead. He was out for his first of 3 laps. Transition was a long affair of changing and getting a couple pieces of fruit in me. I got the foam roller out to try to loosen up. I saw 3rd place roll in. We had a quick couple words before I tried to run. It starts with a river crossing and a bush whack across ankle turner terrain. Then follow underneath the power lines. This is where I start to cramp to the point I fall mid stride. I also start to vomit with any exertion above a slow walking pace. 3rd place catches up and we talk a bit. He said he felt like toast after 50km of the ride, but he still managed to run away from me. At this point I was tempted to turn back, but wanted to see the entire course. I pushed on. Albeit very slowly. Its not pretty.

Run course elevation

The medical guy on the course didn't seem to happy with me at the last check point, but said not to push and call it a day once I got back. Little did I know that a hill like Te White Firebreak awaited me only a short distance from the last aid station. I did 20m at most then almost pass out. My head was throbbing and dry heaving at this point as there was nothing left. This ascent really hurt, but I knew I was almost done. I took lots of pictures and got to see the only finisher finish his 2nd lap. I went to the admin tent and turned in my tracker and withdrew from the race. Will I try again? I don't know. I know if I do consider it, I'll be getting a sauna to heat train in.

Some of the hot run course