InnerFight Endurance at XTERRA Oman 2024

If things like: no race pack, no race village, limited race info, limited course markings and a medal from 2023 are going to stress you out then this is not the race for you.

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But if you are on a bike with no power meter, have inflated your tyres to feel and are comfortable with one water station on the entire course then read on!

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InnerFight Endurance Conquers XTERRA Oman 2024

Xterra is a booming triathlon format that takes most things that traditional triathlon is and flips it. Mountain bike instead of road bike, though it’s the trail run (supposedly) instead of road run that provides the biggest change for most.

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Humaid and Tom raced the XTERRA Oman leg of the series in 2023, both securing world championship slots later in the year. Their reviews and energy around the race were an easy sell for Jeff, James, AB, Marcus and Rob to join them in the 2024 race.

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How XTERRA Oman Triathlon 2024 played out

Oh, about actually getting to the race. That perhaps should have been included in one of the opening paragraphs.

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“When the ferry horn sounds the race starts”. Simple instructions for the 40 athletes as they waited to jump 10 meters overboard for the start of the race.

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Rough seas shortened the 1,500m swim to a straight line 1km mad dash. A very basic transition awaited which in parts had fake grass to soak up the blood leaking out of most of the athletes’ feet from the swim exit.

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Rob led our InnerFight cohort out of the water much to Tom’s surprise…. watch this space!

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80% gravel and 99% flat bike course was fast but with budget cuts on markers left many athletes furious. Perhaps it was a mental warm up for the run. Despite their best efforts, Tom and Marcus could not catch the top 4 guys out of the water but as they entered transition 2 together Tom had the 4th place on the road in his sights.

3 bike loops and 2 run loops lent itself to plenty of cheers between the InnerFight athletes as they got into the guts of the race.

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After finishing 4th overall Tom was waiting for Marcus on the finish line with the news that all the guys ahead of them were “pros”. Next across the finish line in 9th place was Rob.

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AB had a brilliant run confirmed by a quick vomit on the finish line before accepting his 2023 medal along with the promise that a 2024 one would be sent “in the post.”

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Humaid was business as usual crossing the finish line with a huge smile on his face. Jeff closed out our representation on course with a huge embrace with his coach of 5 years Rob on the finish line. A hug that sold this race more on what meaning an athlete can put into it rather than what the organizers needed to.

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Closing thoughts

This race was a fine example of “you can either complain the world is not perfect or you can see a beautiful opportunity, put your training, your body and your mind to the test, go as hard as you f**king can and see what you are made of.”

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With a small field and no crowd, the game totally changes. It’s what all the BS influencers on social media talk about but really, they have no clue. It’s you against you.

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Unreal work from all of our coaches and athletes. Today there was #noweakness