The Dirty Du - DuathlonXterra


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Forest Grove, Oregon
United States
X-Dog Events
34F / 1C
Overcast
Total Time = 3h 57m 14s
Overall Rank = 30/56
Age Group = 30-39
Age Group Rank = 8/17
Pre-race routine:

We, Daylen, his friend Hunter, and myself, drove up to McMinnville (just south of the race area) the day before, checked into the hotel, got dinner, and swam in the pool a bit. I went to bed at 9:30 and slept like a rock until 12:30 at which time I woke up thinking it was 5:30 already. Looked at the clock and then preceded to toss and turn all night long. Daylen and Hunter also didn't sleep too well. We had some breakfast consisting of yogurt, oatmeal, toast, and juice and then got our stuff ready, checked out and headed to the race.
Event warmup:

It was just above freezing at Hagg Lake with a bit of snow falling as we arrived at the staging area. We got our bikes set up and then ran about 1/2 mile warm up. After the warm up we stretched and took the pre-race bathroom stop(s).
Run
  • 1h 08m 26s
  • 5.97 miles
  • 11m 28s  min/mile
Comments:

The mud made this by far the hardest trail run I've ever done. I've run over steeper and rougher terrain, but this was non stop mud, mud, mud.
What would you do differently?:

Trail Shoes!!!! I had absolutely no traction in my normal running shoes. Next time I'm making the investment in trail shoes.
Transition 1
  • 02m 36s
Comments:

Trying to get the mud caked shoes off was the tricky part!
Bike
  • 2h 46m 35s
  • 15.5 miles
  • 5.58 mile/hr
Comments:

Wow, I just about met my limit here. Combined with the run, this was the most difficult physical thing I've ever done. It started out right away with deep mud pits and impossible hills. Through most of the course it was hailing, sleeting, or raining.

It was hard, but I was making my way with few problems. Then, at about the 1/3 distance, I was going down a steep descent and getting a bit out of control. I tapped the back break to slow down and discovered a very important lesson. DON"T tap the break while going down a slick, steep descent! The back tire slid right and the front tire slid to the left. My right leg went with the back tire and my left leg went with the front. In the meanwhile my body kept going forward. I rolled just before the face plant, but not until after I did splits that my tree trunk of legs just aren't made to do! Of course, my bike followed and bounced right over the top of me. Instantly I felt my right hamstring seize up. I thought I was done, but I stretched it out and decided to try to keep going.

At about the 3/4 mark on the course, the trail comes out on the road and you have to ride across the (damn) dam at the south end of the lake. I hadn't brought enough water with me for the ride and I was starting to get dehydrated. Along the dam ride I picked up some speed and started to get really cold. Because of the cold and the dehydration, from hip to knee on each leg I started to get the worst cramps ever. I stopped at the end of the dam and again thought that I was done. I stomped my legs on the pavement, shook them out as violently as I could, and jumped up and down a bunch. I probably looked like a freaking fool, but the shock it caused to the nerves made the legs relax and the cramps stopped. I kept going, but at this point, I was swearing that I was selling the mountain bike and never riding a trail again!

In the end, I finally made it all the way around the lake, but by the time I got to the finish line I had spend every bit of energy and strength I had.

I've decided to keep the mountain bike... and I've already started figuring out how to work this race into next years schedule!! I'm not really that bright!
What would you do differently?:

I'm not sure. Last year I did this and came in DFL. This year I was 30 out of 56. The best thing I could do is get more trail rides in, but sometimes that is hard to do.
Transition 2
  • 00m
Run
  • 00m
  • 0 miles
  •  min/mile
Post race
Warm down:

Ahh.. it was soo cold all I had to do was stop moving and I was cooled down... but I walked back and forth through the parking lot... actually tried to keep the muscles from cooling down too quickly... Got some food and water in my body... got changed and got the car warmed up as fast as possible.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Genetics???

Event comments:

This is a great race, but it is different. It is the grunge version of a duathlon! I'd recommend it to anyone who likes off-road adventure type of courses.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2008-03-19 12:00 AM
Running
01:08:26 | 05.97 miles | 11m 28s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/17
Overall: 0/56
Performance: Average
Course: This was a muddy, slick, wet loop around the south side of Hagg Lake. There was about 3/4 of a mile of paved course and the rest was 3 to 12 inches of mud. The average was about 3 inches. Every stride you took slid backwards half a stride. While the course was just under 6 miles I've felt better after 12 mile trail runs! It was great!
Keeping cool Good Drinking Not enough
T1
Time: 02:36
Overall:
Run with bike?
Jump on bike?
Getting up to speed and into shoes:
Biking
02:46:35 | 15.5 miles | 5.58 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/17
Overall: 0/56
Performance: Good
Wind: Some
Course: This was another mud fest of mostly single track extremely slick trail around the circumference of Hagg Lake. Extremely difficult for me with out of control downhills, impossibly slick uphills, and mud bogs on every flat portion... Again, it was great!
Road: Rough Wet Cadence:
Turns: Cornering:
Gear changes: Hills:
Race pace: Drinks: Not enough
T2
Time: 00:00
Overall:
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
00:00:00 | 00 miles |  min/mile
Age Group: 0/17
Overall: 0/56
Performance:
Course:
Keeping cool Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Too hard
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? No
Post race activities: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4