“Not satisfied” with her results, the 33-year-old professional triathlete said she’ll train “harder” to reach the podium next year.
“I understand no one will always have a great race. I had some great races this year in Tagaman, Kaike, and XTERRA Japan,” said Carey, who returned to Saipan this week.
“The race is not against someone. It is against myself, mentally and physically. I just lost myself in Maui this year. I just have to be physically and mentally strong.”
The 16th edition of the World Championship was hosted at Kapalua, located in Maui’s northwest coast.
Carey ranked 16th in the women’s division — 205th overall — at three hours, 20 minutes, and 42 seconds, right behind Brazil’s Manuela Vilaseca (3:17:57) and American Suzie Snyder (3:19:18).
The race began with a 1.5-kilometer swim, with Carey’s “fear” kicking in as she reached first buoy.
“Just imagine, 675 people have only one target. So at the first buoy, many people came at one time and it was really a fight. People came over my body and my body went under water,” she said.
Carey had no choice but to swim out of the designated zone to feel “more comfortable.”
“It was a gamble for me to swim outside because it made me slow.”
Carey then described the 30km mountain bike course as “not very technical.”
“We climbed 3,000 feet… I thought I wanted to stop. I just thought, ‘go,’ and I tried to not think about anything but it just didn’t work this time. I felt my body was not mine,” she said.
She finished the 10km trail run in one hour, one minute, and 33 seconds despite constant stomach cramps. Carey compared the course to running up Mt. Tapochau’s final hill five times.
“The run course was the hardest I’ve ever done. There was even a hill going to the finish line.”
Glad with her results, Carey didn’t regret joining the race. However, the 2011 XTERRA Japan champion seeks revenge next year.
“This race gave me more motivation. I won’t stop what I am doing now because I did a bad race. I know I can do it,” she added.
Carey thanked her husband, friends, family and sponsors IT&E, Brabu Pharmacy, Bike Pro, Hornet Sport, Taga Inc., Salomon, Zoot, and Suunto.
Meanwhile, fellow triathlete Rennan “Butch” Sublemente also flew to Hawaii for his first XTERRA World Championship and ranked 43rd in the men’s 35-39 age group at 3:41:07.
