I guess I should blog about my first dabble in multi-sport events. Saturday the 11th was the inaugural Double-Trouble Off-Road Duathlon at Bays Mountain in Kingsport. The event was a 5k trail run, followed by a 15k mountain bike and capped off with another 5k trail run. I don't do any event that involves running with ANY intent of being competitive. I don't know a lot about this world, but I know that is a complete and total waste of my time. I don't run. I sell running shoes, and I participate in running events, but I don't run.
That said, I was pretty stoked with my 28:50(ish) first 5k run. Get in a decent place on the first run, kill it on the bike, and survive the second run. That is a pretty easy plan, and I held to it. I ran at a comfortable-fast pace down the lake road, up Azalea, down Big Oak and back to the transition parking lot. I wasn't deep in the pain cave or anything, but I was certainly hanging out in the Suite of Suffering. Luckily the bellboys had delivered my Suitcase of Courage in the form of a Moondust Grey E.M.D. Niner.
I must have passed 10, 12, possibly 14, people on the bike. Talk about an ego booster! I was murdering fools, as well I should since I am a compulsive cyclist. After my hour on the bike, the wear and tear was starting to show. I blasted Azalea, trying to keep pace with Greg K., a fresh rider on a relay team. That little stick always climbs better than I do, no matter how hard I train. I guess if I weren't giving him 30+ pounds, I could catch him. Along the ridge rolling to the fire tower, I started to get the little catches that signal cramps in my calves. I wish I had brought more than two bottles of water for the whole event. Luckily, my bike bottle had an electrolyte tablet, and the ions seemed to be keeping the lock-up at bay. I kept my pace up, and spun everything I could trying to flush out, and prevent lactic acid build up.
The second run was when the wheels fell off. The course was way harder than the first, leaving from across the dam, following the steep and rolling lakeside trail to Chinquapin. Yeah, we ran the mountain bike single track, but rode on the gravels. I agree, that makes no fucking sense, and I whined vehemently to my boss about that. I made it about a mile before my legs finally told me I had to walk. A lot of those people I dusted on the bike made uninvited cameo appearances in the film of my second run. I would run a little, walk a little more the rest of the event. My everything hurt. The second 5k was a pathetic and embarrassing 45-ish minutes.At least I sprinted at the end. It must be a bike thing, any time I see a finish line I want to cross it, and in a hurry. After nearly vomiting and almost crying, I was finished.
Considering I hadn't run since the Crazy 8s in June, I shouldn't be upset with a 2:20(ish I couldn't read the bouncing clock as I sprinted to the line) finish time. I have to say though, I wasn't that beat after riding a century, which until yesterday was the most exhausted I've ever been in my life. As of press time Sunday night, I can hobble around and drink beer, for which I'm thankful. The stairs are a bitch, but ya know, some ethanol-related analgesics should help that out.
If you were on the fence for this event, check it out next year!
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