Monday, July 20, 2009

What Is A Duathlon?


Molly and myself, did a Duathlon on June 13, at or behind the Rogue River Middle school.
This is were Molly, runs 5 k and Me (Dan) rides 30 k and then Molly get to run another 5K.
The last I did something like this was in high school in track, about 30 years ago.
And thing do change, I"'m much slow now then I was then. LOL
It starts at 8:00 AM, and get there by 7:30 AM
and I walk down and get our number, and Molly gets to wear the number, I get nothing, that's ok, no one will be able to tell who the slow guy is.
Rochelle is there as support and baby setter.
I go back to the car, now I have done all kinds of things to the bike to make sure that it won't break down, so I had replace the shifter cables and check bearing, and changed rear brake pads and ten other things, so all I have to do ride as fast, as an old fat guy can go.
This is 15 minutes before the race starts, I pull the bike off of the top of the car, I'm looking at the new smooth tires I install about a week ago and discover that I don't have a front wheel.

I left it setting beside the shop roll up door.

HOLY COW, off to the house to get the front wheel, 7 miles back and 7 more miles to the school.

Trying not to drive fast, because I know the Sheriff cruse the race route to keep the rider safe.
I get back to the school and throw the tool bag, water in holders, my riding shoes on, helmet, gloves, sun glasses and oh yes, the front wheel.
I push the 100 yards to the starting line, and I see Molly run off on her 5 k.
Lucky for me She gets to go first.
I couldn't remember what color her shirt was or the number She had on. I'm look for Molly and 24 minutes seem like forever when your in a hurry.

She comes in looking really good, and I wave and off I go, on a mountain bike with smooth tires and in a bunch road and race bikes.
I doing about 21 mph, and this point and thinking I going out way to fast for 18.5 miles.
At about 2 miles I came up to the pumpkin lady, she has this big orange shirt on and she doing about 20 mph, after be behind her for about a mile I pass her, and catch up the this guy in a black shirt, and that's where I'm at till just before Queen branch road coming from Rogue River on W. Evans, about 10 miles.
Just about Menthorne Road, the pumpkin lady flies by both of use and say to me, your doing pretty good for being on a MTB, and I never see her, must have be harming up and I get passed by one more bike at this point.
I pass mister black shirt on a hill just before Queen branch road and start down the hill, on Queen branch, peddling for all I worth, because all down hill, I can usualy do about 30+ mph, and I can't get pass 25, what going on, in the mean time I get passed by 5 red race bike flying alone.
I began to notion that theirs a big wind in my face and the wind is blowing up hill for that 1 mile stretch of road.
As 'm heading down E. Evans to Rogue River, I pass 3 more bike on the long hill to Stavation Heights, and once I hit there, I never see the pumpkin lady or anyone after that.
Rochelle and Molly were in front of the school when I went by, and run down the start line, so Molly could do Her last 5 k.

Molly did 8 minutes for about 7 mile in 50 minute.
Dan did 18.5 miles in 1 hour and 5 minutes.
Total time of 1 hour and 55 minutes.

We claim 3rd place in the mix team.

1 comment:

fiona said...

That's hilarious that you didn't have a front tire!! Glad it all worked out, though. Way to go, you two, 3rd place is great! And it sounds like a fun thing to do together.