As you may recall from my very first duathlon a few weeks ago just outside Williamsburg, VA, my blog detailed a little weather challenge.. At the start of the race, it was a low 40 degrees and windy with a relentless downpour of hail and rain. I ended up being removed from the race course, during the bike leg, by the race committee motorcycle with low grade hypothermia. I was transported back to the start line and moved to a heated vehicle where I shivered uncontrollably for hours. Needless to say, I did not finish that race.Yep, I am a glutton for punishment. Here we go again… Sunday April 27th, this time it’s Richmond, VA for the US National Duathlon Short Course Championship (10k run, 40k bike, 5k run). My goal was to place in the top 7 in my age group and qualify for the Duathlon World Championships in Rimini, Italy. I was with my usual race buddies Alex and Chuck from The Bike Rack in Washington, DC. They also experienced the downpour in Williamsburg in the previous race.
O’ of course, it was raining.
My quads still sore from the Boston Marathon 6 days earlier, I toed the start line with 60 or more 40 year and over male competitors. As soon as the gun went off we surged forward. I had 
to elbow a guy on my left for a moment to maintain my line and avoid being trampled. Jeff Miller (nationally ranked athlete who usually places top five overall) and I took the lead for the first of a 2 loop 10k course. 17 minutes in, my quads were not happy, and as I made the turn for the second loop, I was hurting. I had close to 2 hours ahead of me as a few guys in my age group passed me (ages are marked on our calves).Completing the 10k in 38 minutes, I hit transition 1 grabbing my brand new Cervelo P2C time trial bike (which had about 60 miles on it). I flew into the 4 loop (10k each) bike course. It was still raining and the course was very technical; starting with 4 ridiculous switchbacks on a muscle screaming uphill. I was hoping my new Cervelo would give me that edge I needed to NOT get passed by a million people, as usually happens in these events. It seemed to be working, unless people were just holding back because of the rain. The course also included a few steep downhills and some 90 and 180 degree turns in parking lots which really didn’t give me much of a chance to get into aero position for long. Throughout the bike leg I saw many riders walking bikes back to the start from either flat tires or accidents due to the slippery conditions.
Of course there is always drama when I race, and bike lap 4 did not disappoint. On one of the uphill switchbacks, my rear tire lost traction on the wet road and slipped out from under me as if someone yanked the carpet out. It happened incredibly fast. I was down on my side. My right knee and elbow took the impact, but most importantly my bike seemed OK. I got up immediately, re-clipped in and with a jolt of adrenaline; I think I finished the final lap faster than any of the previous 3.
With the 5k run still remaining, I exited transition 2 exhausted. But 20 minutes later I dragged my sorry, beaten body across the finish line. I had low expectation of placing in the top 7
which was the only reason I chose to race back to back with the Boston Marathon.My buddy Chuck also kick butt. We went to the results table to find I had placed 7th. I was shocked!!!! So, here I come DUATHLON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RIMINI, ITALY SEPT 28th, 2008.
Chuck qualified also!!!! Nice job buddy. Team Bike Rack represents!
Who is coming with me???
