Monday, May 24, 2010

Gear West Duathlon 2010 - First Du of the Year



I will cut to the chase and post my results. Then I will discuss the day. Aside from the humidity, it was a great day.

Run 1 (3.1mi) - 27:57 (9:19min/mi)
T1 - 1:15
Bike (17 mi) - 48:41 (21MPH)
T2 - 1:42
Run 2 (2.5mi) - 25:42 (9:42min/mi)
Total = 1:45:19
Overall = 200/380
Age Group = 38/63

It was a humid day. A very humid day. Thankfully, it was cloudy and not sunny, otherwise it would have been worse. It was already a case where you would stand around and sweat. I got there as usual, early, and setup everything nice and tidy. Did a short bike ride to warm-up the legs and get nice and sweaty. While waiting to start, and chatting with people, are started to feel a little cramp in my gut and had to pee. I figured both feelings would go away when I started the race. The pee feeling did go away, the cramp did for awhile, but came back on the bike.

I stuck to my game plan on the run. I went out at a pace that was "comfortable", maybe careful is a better word, and watched the watch to make sure I was not going too fast. I felt pretty good after the run, considering the humidty and lack of run conditioning. I had slow transitions, really need to practice those. To the bike course! The bike felt pretty good. I discovered my issue while out on the bike, I was settling into a gear that was too comfortable, too easy. When I realized this, I made an effort to make myself uncomfortable and go faster. In my last post, I posted my previous results from the Gear West Du. Not only was this my fast bike split at the GW Du, but my fast bike split in a duathlon. I didn't meet the goal of a top ten bike split in my AG, but I will take a PR any day.

I got to use my brand new aero helmet, picked up the day before. The helmet is a Lazer Tardiz that I got at Gear West for the Test Team. I will eventually right a review of the helmet. My first impression is, awesome. I really like it.

Also, above is a picture of my right side "pad" on my aerobars. Ever since I removed the pads that came with the original aerobars, I have been having problems with the pads I put on. Mostly problems with the pad on the right side. The right one fell off a couple days before and I lost it. I was going to pick up new pads the day before the race, but forgot. So I put this one together by folding part of an old t-shirt up and then taping it to the cup. It worked ok. Provided some cushion for the forearm. It did stick while sweating, but not too bad. I plan on getting a real pad before T'N'T on Tuesday night.

I got to spend some time talking, not only before the race, but after to a lot of people I have not talked to in awhile. That might have been one of the best parts of the day. Socializing with people. My girlfriend Jackie was there and her sister and son (two and half years old) showed up to watch. First time for them at such an event. Jackie's two and half year old nephew saw Pro David Thompson come off the bike into transition, at incredible speed, and remarked "Do it again!". Cute kid. Apparently, when he got home he ran around the neighborhood saying "Race fast, like Chris!". If only he understood how fast I am not. I will take the compliment.
Jackie took some pictures of me running, I am not going to post the pictures because I don't really like the way I look running. Based on comments from Jackie and her sister, I still have work to do on my running form. I am still turning my left foot inward and dropping my arms. I thought I was concentrating on it, but apparently I need to concentrate harder.

Next up this weekend, Apple Duathlon. Apple has a long overall run and longer bike. The run is faster, flatter and on pavement. The bike is also flatter, but usually the wind is bad, especially on the way back in.

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