rr-dirty duathlon

<p>Was sort of busy helping with a road race on saturday, so nice to get out sunday and do something fun.  Race was pretty short, 4.4 miles running on trails, then 2 laps on the same course biking for a total of about 1.20, just right.</p>
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<p>It has been a very wet spring and it rained a lot the night before so the course was quite muddy.  I'm always intimidated at the start of this thing, people look so fit and serious, like they run a lot.  I look a bit like Barney Rubble. </p>
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<p>Once the gun fires, I settle in for the first 1.4 are all pretty much uphill, sometimes steep, working to the top of the ski hill.  I am maybe 15-20 spots back but people start to blow quickly. I wish people would leave the damn headphones at home or start in the back if the want to wear them.  But my wishes go unanswered and I weave through the sea of yutzes running along blissful and unaware as Yanni blares in their ears.</p>
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<p>Once we hit the singletrack I'm doing OK and picking up some spots, but some runners are just gone and I have no clue how many or if they are relay or individual.</p>
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<p>Hopping on the bike, I think I am 6 back, but not sure how many are in my race.  Riding a one speeder with no suspension because it's all I have in working condition.  It's hard riding up the ski hill in the tall gear, but once I get on the singletrack it's about the right gear and it's working well in the mud.  I have big tires with low PSI and they are holing ok in the slippery conditions.  The course is really quite difficult, I'm coming up on runner types who are in way over their heads and pretty much walking their bikes.</p>
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<p>The second lap feels better and now I know I can ride up the hills ok with one gear, so I relax a bit.  Finishing the race I ask the others and find out I won, sort of an anticlimax put nice to get a win.  Get cleaned up and do a bike hike with the family to go see some giant rocks, which is lots of fun.</p>
<p><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/88995/width/1000/height/800/flags/" target="_blank"><img alt="mud1.jpg" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="17079" data-type="61" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/17079/width/667/height/500" style="; width: 667px; height: 500px"></a></p>
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<p><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/88999/width/1000/height/800/flags/" target="_blank"><img alt="mud2.jpg" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="17081" data-type="61" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/17081/width/720/height/479" style="; width: 720px; height: 479px"></a></p>
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<p><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/89001/width/1000/height/800/flags/" target="_blank"><img alt="mud3.jpg" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="17082" data-type="61" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/17082/width/667/height/500" style="; width: 667px; height: 500px"></a></p>