First Duathlon- New Park Family Duathlon

Montgomery Multisport, our local tri store, hosted a family style duathlon in conjunction with the newest YMCA in Montgomery to raise some funds for their kids programs. Since Colby and I are signed up to compete in the Powerman Alabama Duathlon at the end of the month I thought it would be a great opportunity for both of us to get in the racing spirit and work out any kinks in our plans.

Friday 04 March 2011
      After work on Friday I headed over to MMS for race packet pickup... I picked up our stuff and we scored a couple of really nice shirts. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon... which will not be the case in 12 hours.
     Now... as I have pointed out previously... my pre-race dinner tradition consists of pizza and a beer... but Friday nights are our family night at Mexico Tipico... our local mexican watering hole... like creatures of habit we go there nearly every Friday night... sit in "our" waiter's section (Thanks Chris)... and rarely have to look at a menu or order drinks... he simply shows up at the table with 6 waters, 1 orange soda, 1 lemonade, 1 frozen margarita and 1 Negra Modelo... along with chips, salsa and chori-queso... that's right... browned up bits of chorizo sausage covered with velvety smooth white queso... let the weekend begin! Okay... normally I could have persuaded the family to swap nights on the mexican food for pizza but given the girls missed out last Friday because of their trip to Memphis they were not in the mood for anything except Mexico Tipico! SO... here was my dilemma... get pizza by myself or suck it up and put tradition aside to have dinner with my family... of course I chose family...
     Okay... I had the option of going easy on my menu choice realizing it was going to be an early start on Saturday... beans were out for obvious reasons... but under the pressure of ordering I caved and got my "usual"... Tacos De Pollo... scrumptious grilled chicken chunks served on soft flour tortillas with a bowl of pico de gallo and "Tipico sauce"... now the pico is fairly benign with the requisite tomatoes, onions, jalapeños and cilantro... but the sauce is a house blend of a dozen different peppers... AND IT IS HOT! It is one of those dishes I simply cannot get enough of... picture the scene from Along Came Polly when they are eating at the Indian restaurant... Reuben covered in sweat... that is me on Friday nights! Anyway... we have an enjoyable evening as a family and life is good... but much like the weather... that too will change in 12 hours!
      After dinner.. I introduce my son to the "Duathlon Checklist" ... a systematic packing, repacking, checklist following insanely anal retentive process I subject myself to before every race... and just as you would expect a 12 year old boy to do... he grabs his bike helmet, race belt with number and calls it a night... done! For the next hour I obsess over making sure I have everything... once, twice... possibly even a 3rd time... and pack, unpack and repack as I visually go over the transition area setup... and T1/T2 process... I take another look at the weather for the morning as I try to decide what clothes I need... 100% chance of precipitation and high winds! Now... MMS sent out an email on Friday stating... short of lightening... we are racing... so game on! I decide on a game plan and then hit the rack as I have the alarm set for 0500.

Saturday 05 March 2011
     0430... I am up... no alarm needed... race day jitters??? Nope... go back to Along Came Polly... now I don't have IBS... clinically speaking that is... but much like Reuben in that scene following dinner... I can actually hear the Tipico Sauce screaming for attention... I decide to get up and make some coffee... then at the Mission Commander's discretion I proceed to the "EMERGENCY JETTISON AREA"... let me just say this... from now on I will eat pizza by myself if required.
     Okay... I am back on track... I make a double portion of steel cut oatmeal for Colby and I... with peanut butter and wildflower honey... of course he has to add chocolate chips because he is 12 and needs the extra sugar... NOT! I have a cup of coffee... some oatmeal... a glass of water... then get back to my pre-race routine and take a shower and shave. Now... it is raining when I get up... I have mentally conceded that we cannot alter the weather and I am prepared to deal with it head on... we finish up our morning routine... I load the bikes on the rack... we gather our stuff... review the checklist one more time... and we are out the door at 0615.
      We arrive at the YMCA at 0655... it is pouring rain... Colby and Sherri sit in the comfort of my truck as I unrack the bikes and take them into the transition area... the race starts in 30 minutes and I can tell already that the weather has kept a lot of folks away... only the die hards are out and that is readily obvious by a review of the equipment hanging on the bike racks... I get us set up and then make my way to the pre-race meeting... now... this was a family duathlon... parents were encouraged to complete the event with their child so there were a bunch of Dads running and riding along side their kids... WAY COOL! We get the safety brief from the race director and a 10 min warning...

     I go back to my truck... give Colby the overview and pep talk.... "run your own race"... something I have preached to him over and over again... we grab an umbrella and make our way over to the starting area... I go over the transition plan with him one more time... helmet, bike, computer on... he is ready! We gather at the starting line... give him one last word of encouragement... and BANG... they are off... his event is 1 mile run/4 mile bike/ 1/2 mile run... the plan was to let the kids get started and once the last one was on the bike... the adult event would start. So.. as Sherri and I stand there huddled under the umbrella.. me shivering nonstop... it is 55 degrees, windy and raining cats and dogs... we hear them announce that the first runner is making the final turn  back towards the line... no surprise to us... we see his bright orange/yellow shirt...

   He quickly makes his way into T1... and heads back out in the lead for the bike ride..

     We watch as more and more kids come into T1... knowing that when the last one gets on their bike we will start our race... so the last little one heads out of T1 and we get a "5 min warning for adults".... but wait... the race director announces... "change of plans... here comes the first bike rider back into transition"... and here comes Colby...

      He is jamming at this point... he completed the ride with a 14.5mph average and 88 average cadence... and given the high winds and rain... AMAZING effort! So as soon as he is off his bike and out for the final run... they quickly gather the adults and BANG... we are off!
      I quickly settle into a nice pace... the plan was to run the first leg at a 8 min/mile pace... as we make the first turn I see Colby headed back in... I yell to him that there is someone closing on him and he quickly looks over his shoulder and turns it on...

And the overall youth winner is...

      COLBY ASKINS... he led from start to finish... and we could not be more proud of him... especially when you consider he did very little training... ah yes... to be young with flexible hamstrings...

I digress....
      Okay... at this point I am fairly confident he will win his event as I make my way out on the run... a few glances at the watch show a steady 7:50/mile pace and low heart rate... I feel great... and despite the weather it is actually keeping me cool. I continue to maintain pace and cross into T1 at 15:47... 7:53/mile average... I quickly swap out shoes, put my helmet on and head out on the bike... 38 second transition... nice to be at one of the first bike racks!
      So I head out on the bike... I crank out a max effort sprint to get up to speed and quickly realize that the water on the road is incredible.. I make my way out of the neighborhood and out onto the main road where we end up going straight into the wind... okay.. the National Weather Service issued a high wind advisory... 12-15mph winds with gusts to 25+... for the next 4 miles we are headed straight into the wind and I was quickly wishing for the light drizzle as the rains REALLY picked up in intensity. I push with a steady effort to the first turn around looking forward to the tailwind I know is coming... during the first portion of the ride I pass 6 other bikes and I am feeling very confident... we then make a right hand turn back into the country and I settle in on a comfortable pace and finally relax on the aero bars which up to this point I had a death grip on... AHHH... my shoulder blades breath a sigh of relief. I end up getting passed by two guys on this portion of the ride... they get a couple hundred yards out in front of me but then never any further... I am able to maintain my speed. I complete the loop through the country and make my way back out onto the main road and the tailwind... I pop a couple of GU Chomps and swig down some water... still feel great.... I make my way back to the transition area... 33:18... 19mph avg... and at this point I am 100% wet... I rack my bike... put my running shoes back on and at this point they feel like they weigh 10 pounds from the rain... throw on my hat... Sherri asks... "feel okay?".... "Yup... just wet"... Colby says... "Run your own race Dad... remember you have trained for this"... and back out on the course I go... 42 second transition...
     Now... coming off the bike and into the run... the legs are always heavy... and given the water logged shoes... they feel extraordinarily heavy at this point... I don't really feel like I am running but a quick look at the watch and I am running a 8:14/mile pace... OKAY... let's see if I can keep this up... as I hit about 3/4 mile I hear a guy coming up from behind me... I passed him out of T2... he settles in next to me.. we exchange comments about the wind and rain on the bike... he says to me... "I keep thinking about what your son said... run your own race...."... then BAM... he takes off... running what has to be about 6:30min/mile pace... I let him go and settle into my own groove. I make the turn and head back home... at this point I can see the folks behind me and realize I am about 30 seconds ahead of my nearest competitor... I settle into a nice pace and my HR looks fantastic... as I make the second to last turn I can see the guy behind me is closer... so I pick it up just a hair... then as I make the final turn I can hear him... I pick it WAY UP... we end up in an all out sprint for the last 200 yards...

      And I finish just ahead of him... GREAT RACE... 15:59 on the 2nd run... 7:59min/mile average... I am thrilled with my overall effort... especially given the conditions... and I am still smiling when done!

Overall... 1:06:24... 21st finisher... 9th in my AG... and despite the smaller than signed up field... the competition was tougher!

To the victor go the spoils... Colby was handsomely rewarded with a "First Place" plaque and brand new 4th Generation Ipod Touch... my boy... proud Dad!