With only about six weeks of running under my belt, and less-than-usual mileage on the bike, I took it into my head to do a duathlon....
I even managed to con one of my co-workers into joining me in the madness
They assigned me number 102 - I think that's how old they thought I was going to feel when it was all over.
ruth be told, I held back way too much and assumed the transitions weren't super imporActing on advice not to start near the front for the first run (and get caught up in the pace of the fast guys), I started waaaaay in the back. The first run didn't go too badly. I actually enjoyed the course through the woods.
"I know - I'm a cyclist; I'll lay the smack down on all these silly-ass runners in the bike leg!"
....but it didn't work out that way. I kept waiting for some short, but really steep "rollers" that I thought were part of the course. They never materialized, and with eight miles on the odometer (out of a ten mile course) I came to the realization that it was time to defecate or get off the porcelain. It was a little too late, but I did have the satisfaction of passing quite a few other people.
My only remaining objective was to survive the last run. I did, and at least came across the finish line upright and under my own power.
So, I know y'all want to know how I did.....pretty pathetic. 62 out of 80-some-odd people and DFL in my age group.
My runs were too slow, my transitions sucked, big-time and I waited too long to make my move in the bike leg. A pro who showed up and did the "big kids" course only took ten minutes longer than I did..........to do half again as much distance as I did. Pretty sad...
All I have to show for it is my $45 T-shirt and some crappy pictures.
(Can't wait to do it again!)
