Subject: RE: Tamio's Group - CLOSED - FULLStill here-just have not been racing. Did Staggerwing Duathlon in Tullahoma Tenn. this past Saturday. 4k/30k/4k. This was my first duathlon. Tried to take it easy on the first run to save legs for bike and second run. (18:59-7:38/mile pace). Felt great on the first half of the bike course. It was mostly downhill with a slight tailwind-unfortunately it was an out an back course and the return trip toasted my legs. (54:40-20.5mph). Course was pretty hilly and my riding down on the Gulf Coast did not prepare me too well. Legs felt cooked getting off the bike but I waddled/shuffled the last run in 20:59 (8:27/mile) Time overall was 1:36:41. Was hoping for under 1:36 but was not to be. Put me 2nd of 8 in age group and about 24 of 90 overall. Fun race, nice location, great folks and well run. Probably the best part of the race was that my 15 year old son decided to do the race the day before. We were on vacation in Chattanooga so we put a mountain bike in the car for him to ride. He runs a low 17 minute 5k so I knew he would kill the first run but I warned him that he would struggle off the bike. I think he may have been the only person there on a mountain bike but he stuck it out on the hills and survived to finish. As he crossed the finish line he said "I hate you for letting me do this". He had alot of encouragement from the other racers and ended up getting 2nd in his age group........................out of 2. To me this duathlon was tougher than the sprint tri I did the end of May. The extra run is brutal on the legs and I have not yet learned good pacing on the bike. Signed up to do a local 5k tonight but my legs are still pretty tired. Should take it easy like a training run. Next tri is an olympic in Sept. in Gulf Shores Alabama. (My "A" race). Really picking up training over the next few weeks. Randy |