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Courtesy of XTERRA
Lesley Patterson
Lesley Patterson claims her second consecutive XTERRA Southeast title last year at Oak Mountain State Park. Patterson overcame four crashes on her bike due to the rain.
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Courtesy of XTERRA
XTERRA Triathlon
Last year, riders dodged slick roots and rocks as they competed in the 20-mile mountain bike.
XTERRA Southeast Championship
May 17 • Oak Mountain State Park
XTERRA Alabama Trail Run Series
May 18 • Oak Mountain State Park
Alabama’s biggest annual triathlon event, the XTERRA Southeast Championship, returns to Oak Mountain State Park this month, and this year participants might be hoping for a drier outing.
The field slogged through rain-soaked conditions in 2013. Post-race reports on xterraplanet.com said multiple riders crashed on the slick bridges and struggled to keep the front wheels of their bikes from kicking out on roots and rocks.
Reigning World Champion Lesley Paterson overcame four crashes on her bike to claim her second consecutive win at Oak Mountain. Six-time event winner Conrad Stoltz called the course an “adventure” in the rain.
“Everyone has a story,” he said after the race.
Still, the bother of the rain appeared to be completely overshadowed. In 2011, Runner’s World Magazine called the trails At Oak Mountain one of America’s “Crown Jewels – 25 best trails in the nation,” and the International Mountain Bicycling Association recently endowed them with a prestigious “EPIC” designation.
So, the pros are coming back for more.
“This course is amazing, we love it here,” Stoltz said. “I’ve been racing triathlon around the world for 20 years and can tell you this course is among my favorites of all-time.”
The main event, where professionals compete for a $15,000 purse, features a one-mile swim in Double Oak Lake, a 20-mile mountain bike on the Park’s “red trail,” and a twisting 10K off-road run.
“This venue is our model for big XTERRA races,” Managing Director Dave Nicholas said in a release. “It’s the perfect spot for a family weekend and with all our competitors camping and hiking and enjoying the atmosphere together – it’s a one-of-a-kind experience.”
In addition to the Southeast Championship, XTERRA offers a Sprint race for those looking for a less demanding course. The Sprint is half the distance as the Championship race, featuring a 750-meter swim, a 15K mountain bike and a 5K trail run.
The weekend also features the XTERRA Alabama Trail Run Series, where race distances vary from a 5K to a full-marathon.
For both participants and attendees, organizers will host an expo featuring free clinics taught by pro athletes, corporate tents, demos, giveaways, music and food. Paul Mitchell stylists are slated to be on-site giving professional haircuts in exchange for a $15 donation, and proceeds benefit the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund that supports victims of the 2011 tornados.
For more on the XTERRA Southeast Championship, visit xterraplanet.com. For more on the Alabama Trail Run Series, visit dirtyspokes.com.
