Dirty Duathlon

I did this race Sunday, toughest thing I have ever done. 5 mile run follwed by 10 miles of mountain biking.

Got there around 9:00 after a 2 hour drive for a 10:00 am start. No rain forecasted until later this evening so we did not plan for it. I put my bike on the rack and started to warm up. They had a race meeting 10 minutes before the start. I went to that and lined up at the start.

Just as we were set to go it started pouring. I don't mind running in the rain but mountain biking in the mud sucks.

I started mid pack, lots of talk about the climbs on the course, but from the start it looked like a nice winding dirt road. That was until we got around the corner. It went straight up for about a mile. They told us that there was almost 700 feet of vertical climbing on a lap of the course. Good thing I didn't know what that related to, because it sucked. Nothing like being dead 1 mile into a run. Once we got past the hill we headed into the woods. Lots of mud and slippery tree roots. Almost fell several times. Coming down the hill was brutal, very steep and slick.

The race consisted of 1 four mile loop of running and 2 five mile loops of biking. It was the same course, they just added an extra mile on the end for the bikes.

I was ready to quit as I finished the run, but there were tons of people cheering so I hopped on the bike and went at it. I thought the beginning hill would be easier on the bike, no so, I walked some of it. Rode through most of the course slipping all over. I tried to navigate the long "Rock Garden" and nearly went down a bunch of times. I then saw a faster rider pushing his bike through the rocks so I followed suit. Made it to the downhill, it was awful. Both brakes locked up trying to slide through the step switchbacks. I ate shit hard after hitting a root and flipping over the bars. Bashed my shin and scraped up my arm. Mud works pretty good at stopping bleeding. I never had armpump before like I got coming down the hill, unreal.

There were a few sections where we would blitz down some fire road sections. I normally wear sun glasses or safety glasses when I ride but it was raining so I left them. Three times I had to stop and rinse shit out of my eyes.

As I saw the finish line in view I figured I was done. My eyes were killing me and my shin hurt. Wendy and the boys have been out in this shit. I figured that I better pull that plug and that was my intention until once again the cheering made me head back out for the last lap. I bonked twice on the last lap but luckily I had some Sport Beans in my Camelbak and after eating them I got some more energy.

I can't remember all the times that I wanted to quit. I was pretty much alone on the course most of the time. Your mind really does wander. I thought about Bailey several times and what he has gone through and really that did keep me going.

I made it to the finish at 2:23, covered head to toe in mud. I really felt like I accomplished something. After I cleaned myself up with the hose I told my wife that I was happy that I finished because I wasn't going to be coming back. It was all pain, no fun for me. I saved the number plate from my bike, just like it came off, covered in mud. That is my trophy.