Matt Yarbrough

Athlete Biography

Growing up I played every sport my hometown of Camarillo had to offer. I ran track, played basketball, soccer, tennis and field hockey. In high school I spent nights and weekends flipping burgers at Mc Donalds just so I could afford my first mountain bike, a 1996 Specialized Stumpjumper. I fell in love with cycling riding my mountain and road bikes as much as possible. While taking graduate classes at Chico State I taught mountain biking, road biking and backpacking through the P.E department. I started competing in road triathlons in college but never raced more then one a season until I found Xterra.

I moved to Truckee five years ago and in 2008 came out to watch the National Championship Xterra at Lake Tahoe. Watching the pros, who made it look easy I decided I’d train and try to make it to Nationals the following year. I competed in my first Xterra at Del Valle where I cramped up so badly I had to walk the run course. Realizing what it meant to be an Xterra athlete, I kicked up the training plan, completed Big Blue Xterra Tahoe City, Xterra Lake Tahoe and made it to Nationals in Ogden Utah.

This year I joined the Truckee masters swimming, which helped me conquer my awkward swimming stroke and I continue to run with the Truckee Running Club. I am also the co-founder of Truckee Tahoe Triathlon club, which encourages people in the Truckee Tahoe area to get out there and compete in a triathlon. (Check it out! www.truckeetahoetri.com) I give credit for my race improvements (dropping 38 mins off Del Valle time and 18 mins off Tahoe City time this year) to the above groups and my awesome training partners. I look forward to qualifying for Nationals again this year.