Them’s the breaks.
At least they were for Comox Valley chiropractor Clay Ward, whose bicycle chain broke not once, but twice during the 2013 Xterra World Championship.
A total of 804 professional and amateur triathletes gathered for the race in Kapalua on Oct. 27. Not only did Ward face tough competition in his category, racing against 35 other athletes from 20 different countries, he also faced Maui’s scorching heat (32 degrees plus humidity on race day) and a gruelling 3,600 feet of elevation gain on the bike course.
On race day, Ward said that he felt prepared – “I’ve trained hard and have familiarized myself with the course.”
Despite his careful preparation and hard work, Ward had not one but two bouts of bad luck on the bike course, when his chain broke at mile three and again at mile 16 on the 20-mile course, causing him to lose about 45 minutes.
Ward ended up finishing 17/36 in his category, and 249th place overall with a final time of 3:41:47. “Sometimes the unexpected happens and the race doesn’t go your way – that’s racing,” said Ward. “Sure, I’m a bit disappointed with the result today, but I’ll return next year and take another crack at it.”
In the end, Ward says that his first Xterra World Championship experience was a positive one, and he is thankful that he was able to get his bike fixed and complete the race.
Ward returned to the Comox Valley on Tuesday and immediately turned his attention to the grand opening of his new clinic, Dynamic, Spine, Sport, and Wellness, which opens on Nov. 1.
Dynamic’s grand opening will be held at the clinic, located at 1532 Cliffe Ave., between 12 and 5 p.m. on Nov. 2. Light refreshments will be served – everyone welcome. For more information phone 250-871-6200 or visit www.dynamicspinesportwellness.com.
– Dynamic Spine Sport and Wellness
