Du Draper Twice - Off and On Road Duathlons

Saturday - Off Road Duathlon
I had planned for a few months to do the On Road version of this event. The Friday before the event I thought why not do both. I had planned a 2 hour run for Saturday why not cruise through an off road duathlon instead.

If I had only known what I was in for. I do own a mountain bike and I had ridden it all of once on trails 2 years ago before my father in-law had given me his old road bike which I then began to ride and put the mountain bike in the garage. How hard could it be the course was the green trail which I had run several times and was described as being for a novice.

Saturday morning came and after a pretty good 5k split for trails I hoped on the bike. Everything went smoothly for about a minute. Then I hit the first of many sand banks, stopped pedaling and immediately lost traction and fell on my butt. I repeated this several times (quite a few involving trees and serious contusions) until finally by the third lap I think I had my bike handling skills down. Of course by the third lap everyone had lapped me and I was virtually alone on the course (thus avoiding the passing rider anxiety that led to several of the more severe crashes).

When I came in for the 2nd 5k I was covered in dirt brusied and bloody as well as pretty dehydrated. I walked at least half of the second 5k all the while reflecting on the mad skills the mountain bikers had and enthused by the adrenalin I had while riding the trails (when I wasn't eating tree bark that is). I finished the race in a ridiculous time but walked away (limped away actually) that this is something I want to do again.

Sunday - On Road Duathlon
If I thought I was hurt Saturday it was nothing compared to the aches and pains that had surfaced by Sunday morning. My entire left side was a big bruise from my lower back down through my quads. I decided what the heck, I'll show up warmup for a mile and if I still feel bad I can volunteer. During my warmup I felt pretty good all things considered, my left knee and both ankles were giving me a bit of trouble but nothing I thought I couldn't race through.

When the starting gun went off I checked my pace pretty quickly. The majority of the pack were running 6:40 pace up hill. These guys were fast. I wisely (and completely out of character) cheked my pace back down to about 7 min and assumed I'd fade from that a bit in the second and third miles. I stayed pretty strong but kept myself from giving it all I had knowing I still had a 14 mile bike ride and another 5k run waiting for me. Either the course was short or my speed training has been paying off because I ran the 5k in 21:05 a PR for me by 25 seconds. I fumbled through transition and came out the other side on the bike and began the ride. I rode ok for me but I definitely didn't push it. In reflection I should have. My legs were pretty stiff off the bike and I don't think they would have been much worse if I would have picked up 4-5 mins on the bike leg. Off the bike I had forgotten how funny it feels to run on the backside of a bike ride. 2 years ago when I previously did a duathlon I had practiced this in training and it had helped immensely. I arrogantly thought that lesson would still be with me but two years is a long time for an unpracticed skill.

I walked far too much on the second 5k with a split of 28 mins. I did feel a bit better in the second half and started running pretty hard near the end (otherwise my time would have been much worse).

At the end of the weekend it was a great set of races with an even better set of voluteers. Everywhere I looked I came across a TRI-OKC, OTRA or Landrunner cheering or shouting encouragement.