Featured Athlete Shawn "Woodsy" Jackson - Race Report

Xterra King Of The Hill Triathlon - May 15, 2011 Lebanon, NJ
Result: 1st Place Overall
Talk about some sore legs on Monday morning!! It's funny how all the weeks leading up to this race I knew the name of the race was King of the Hill and when I was at the race site saturday to pre ride courses I was in shock how hilly it was. Especially Tabagon Hill on the run, definitely the steepest hill I have ever raced up. And the bike course you were either climbing or descending.
The race started right on time with its 200yd beach run to enter the water. After the first out and back we had to run back onto beach, around a pole and back in for another out and back around bouys. About half way through the swim I was all alone. There was a 6 pack of people 20 seconds ahead of me and another 6 back 20 seconds behind me.
A quick transition and I was out on the bike course ready to start picking some people off. A small crash on a twisty steep downhill set me back about all the time I had made up in the first mile so I just smoothed out 'til the major climbs. Thats basically when places 3-10 all came together and then it was mayhem on the hills with people crashing and getting stuck and chains popping. Thats where I decided these hills were too steep and slippery due to the rain and that it was time to hike a bike. As I crested the top of the mountain I was in third with a huge group right behind me, but now it was time to go down...... this is where 20 yrs of dirtbike racing came into play as I made up a 1 minute 30 second gap to first on the back side of the 1 mile descent. At this point I was at the half way point and in first place with my legs feeling fresh so it was time to hammer out a 3 mile gravel road section and solidify my lead and get a bit of a buffer going into the run. And that's exactly what I did, I came into transition with over a minute lead and was quickly off to the run.
On the run second place was gaining on me fast, he was flying up the hills. A mile to go he was hot on my heels and with a 1/4 mile left he took the lead. That was time for me to hold on and just draft him until the 100 yd dash down the sandy beach. He took the low line close to the water where the sand was solid and I took the high line through the playground running across mulch and rail road ties and then jumping onto the beach. Luckily for me he had nothing left and I sprinted right past him for my first Xterra race win.
Luckily this was my 4th race of the season, and so far have gained alot of experience, confidence and lessons from this season's early races and will be ready for my next two big races coming up, which are Pawling Tri and Pat Griskus Northeast Regional Championships.
WOODSY