XTERRA Worlds: Tales of Grit and Grandeur #3

Morgane Glorion: Soaring Ascent

"My journey to XTERRA began on a plane." 

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Two years ago, while traveling for vacation, Morgane Glorion (FRA) watched an outdoor sports documentary during her flight. "To my surprise, it was all about the XTERRA World Tour. From that moment on, I was hooked," Morgane explains.

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As someone already passionate about trail running and mountain biking, the appeal of XTERRA was immediate. "I thought, 'Wow, that looks like so much fun. Why not give it a try?'" Despite her background in off-road sports, triathlons had never crossed her mind—swimming was outside her comfort zone, and road cycling wasn’t her style. But XTERRA felt like a perfect fit. "This is another game: you know how to ride a mountain bike and enjoy running on trails—just start swimming, and you're good to go."

The timing couldn’t have been better. "At that time, I was dealing with a stress fracture in my tibia, which meant no running for a while," Morgane explains. Swimming and biking were recommended by her doctors, making her decision to try XTERRA even more appealing.

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Without hesitation, Morgane signed up for her first-ever triathlon at 2023 XTERRA Nouvelle-Aquitaine. "It was my first-ever triathlon," she recalls, "On the start line, I had mixed feelings of excitement and fear." Despite her concerns, once the race began, she found her rhythm and embraced the experience. "As soon as the gun went off, it was a blast! I had a lot of fun and enjoyed almost every second," she says, though she admits, "the swim was quite challenging."

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The end of the race brought an unexpected surprise for Morgane. "A few minutes after crossing the line, someone told me I had earned a slot for the 2024 XTERRA World Championship" The news was both a shock and a joy, filling her with excitement about what lay ahead.

"Competing in the middle of the Dolomites is quite a privilege."

Building on this success, Morgane participated in XTERRA Pirineu in June 2024, where the XTERRA Community continued to impress her. "I relived the excitement and experienced the wonderful vibes the XTERRA Family brings," she recalls, appreciating the unique sense of belonging that comes with the sport.

Morgane’s biggest challenge is yet to come and the anticipation is electrifying. "I’m super excited for the World Championship. Competing in the middle of the Dolomites is quite a privilege," she says. Remaining grounded in her goal she continues to add, "I’ll give my absolute best, try to enjoy the moment, and see what happens." 

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From the moment Morgane stumbled upon that in-flight documentary, her off-road triathlon journey has been one of growth and resilience to embrace the challenges in front of her. The sense of camaraderie she’s found in the XTERRA Community, along with the physical challenges she has overcome, have defined her experience.

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As Morgane travels from her home base in Barcelona, Spain, to Molveno, Italy, she’s ready to push her limits once again. Fueled by the same enthusiasm and determination that sparked her XTERRA journey, the trails ahead will lift her up to new heights and reveal new horizons to conquer. 

A.J. Petrillo: Family First

A.J. Petrillo (USA) from Blue Ridge, Georgia, has been a familiar face at XTERRA events for years, but life took him in a different direction. "I stopped racing and training completely in 2018 to focus on work and family," he recalls. His all-or-nothing personality led him from being fully immersed in the sport to stepping away entirely. "I put on 25 pounds and over the years, everything started to hurt."

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The shift from athlete to sedentary life came with consequences. In 2022, A.J. found himself in the hospital twice with severe pneumonia, leaving permanent scar tissue on his left lung. "I never thought I would race or be competitive again," he admits. Yet, despite the setbacks, XTERRA wasn’t done with him, and neither was he done with it.

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A.J.’s return to racing came after persistent encouragement from a friend. "My buddy begged me for two years to sign up for an XTERRA with him," A.J. explains. In February 2024, after six years away from the sport, he finally decided to start training again. "I hadn’t been in a pool for six years and had to start off with a 15-minute run, which felt so hard!"

A.J. couldn’t have made his return without the support of his family. His wife, who had always been a spectator at his races, was excited to see him back in the game. "When we pulled up to [the 2024 XTERRA North American Championship] in Pelham, Alabama, my wife and I both had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude, and we felt like we were home again. She looked at me and asked why I had ever stopped doing this." A.J. recalls with a bit of humor, "Her biggest complaint is when I come in from a hard workout and drip sweat on the floors, but I don’t think she is complaining about the 18 pounds I have lost over the last 6 months!”

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Their son Wilder, at just seven years old, has also caught the XTERRA bug, making it a true family affair. "Wilder was able to do the kids' run and mountain bike race, which made the entire experience that much more amazing," A.J. shares. Wilder’s enthusiasm for the sport has been a motivating factor for A.J. "When I told him I qualified for the XTERRA World Championship, he looked right at me and said, ‘Dad, you have a lot of work to do.’"

"We felt like we were home again. She looked at me and asked why I had ever stopped doing this."

Wilder even trains alongside A.J., riding his bike during run workouts and joining in cross-training sessions. "He helps keep me motivated," A.J. says, proud of the bond they’ve formed through the sport. With his family’s constant encouragement, A.J. knows he’s not just racing for himself but for those closest to him.

As A.J. looks ahead to Molveno, his goal is clear: "Just have a safe, fun race and push my body as hard as possible. Racing in Europe is always a very humbling experience." Knowing the competition will be fierce, he also hopes to place in the top 10 of his age group, but A.J. is realistic about the challenge. "That is a VERY lofty goal," he admits. 

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The advice A.J. gives his son is simple yet powerful: "Hard work and consistency always pays off." It’s the same mentality that carried A.J. through his own comeback journey, and now it’s something he’s instilling in Wilder as he navigates his own path in XTERRA. With the first-ever XTERRA Youth World Championship taking place the day after the Full Distance Race, A.J. can’t help but feel excited about the future Wilder might have in the sport.

"When I told him I qualified for the XTERRA World Championship, he looked right at me and said, ‘Dad, you have a lot of work to do.’"

As A.J., his wife, and Wilder prepare for the trip to Italy, it’s about more than just the race. "We are beyond excited to see the Dolomites and explore Italy!" A.J. shares. The adventure is shaping up to be the trip of a lifetime, filled with racing, family, and memories they’ll carry with them forever.

 The 2024 XTERRA World Championship returns to the village of Molveno, situated beneath the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Brenta Dolomites in the northern Italian Alps. Marking the first relocation of the XTERRA World Championship outside of Maui, Hawaii, since its inception in 1996, this is the main event of the XTERRA World Tour and it’s off-road triathlon's greatest week of racing. Tales of Grit and Grandeur is a series celebrating those taking on the challenge, with part #1 and part #2 ready to provide inspiration for those dedicated to chasing their dreams.