Advice for USA XC Champs

although I'm not even American and I'm going to be 1000's of miles away, keep in mind that it will be at altitude.

Regardless of what the course is like, you are in for a rude awakening unless you are altitude acclimated. Make sure you ask your coach what the heck you are doing racing in Boulder in February.

i've heard the course is relatively flat, and i'm hoping it will be a relatively hard surface--i think it rained or snowed earlier in the week, but should be dry by saturday. as pointed out, altitude will be the biggest x-factor.

if you want some advice, i'm in the masters race, two races before yours. look for a dude in a blue calcoast uniform, and it'll either be me or someone who can direct you to me, and i'd be happy to help...

cush

There will be slop!!!

Snow has been on the ground for a while and it is just starting to melt.

The course is very flat.

It is at altitude, if you go out too fast, you will not recovery gracefully.

^this. I ran faster than I should have on my first mile in the Junior Olympic XC Champs in Albuquerque (altitude) two years ago and paid dearly for it

I'm acclimated. But I live in the ghetto of Boulder where the home prices are 25% lower than the rest of the place.

Go up a week early to acclimate to the conditions... hydrate.

http://www.flotrack.org/speaker/16937-Benjamin-Saarel/video/709918-Ben-Saarel-surprised-by-breakthrough-season-with-sub-4-on-his-mind

Victor Maitland HSV 10 wrote:

I'm acclimated. But I live in the ghetto of Boulder where the home prices are 25% lower than the rest of the place.

Good point.

I plan to go to the epic bash hosted by the one and only Carney of Boulder.

If the course is the same as 2007, then there is a small "creek" crossing.

If there is slop, this creek crossing will be a mess.

I saw a few people lose their spikes and eat it hard.

The later your race is in the day, the worse the course will be.

Have fun!

It's going to be very sloppy. It's almost 60 degrees here today, so the snow melting will make for muddy conditions. Don't worry too much about altitude. Seven years ago one my my college teammates, coming from sea level, almost made the junior team without any major altitude experience.

Snow is melting ... making lots of water ... havent seen this much water since the floods in September.

It could be really windy as well ... the warm temps are caused by the Chinook winds blowing out of the mountains.

Prepare for mud and wind!

Saturday Forecast:

Partly cloudy. Highs near 60. West winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 45 mph.

The mud might not be too bad. Various local news outlets (Denver Post, Boulder Daily Camera) have reported that the race organizers have been using big snow-blowers or plows to keep the course clear of snow for the past few weeks. Course previews are tomorrow afternoon, so if you're in town you can check it out for yourself.

Or you can be tough like sea-level trained and born Hasay and Heath, who both won the Junior races the last time it was in Boulder. Good thing Hypoxia isn't your coach....