Peanut Butter Duathlon

What a difference a year and a road bike make! The Peanut Butter Duathlon was this past Saturday, and unlike last year (and, according to the race director, virtually every year they've done the event) the weather was great. The sun was out, the temperature was warm enough to wear short sleeves... couldn't ask for better.

My race went very well. Last year I was still very new to the biking leg of triathlon. I was riding my hybrid, as I didn't own my road bike yet, and was more focused on running in preparation for the Rockford Marathon than getting into bike shape. So this year I was bound to improve, which I did. While my run times were fractionally slower, my bike leg was much faster, leading to an overall improvement of nearly eight minutes!

The official results are posted here.

The first two mile run went well. I started out very fast, running the first mile in six minutes, which is the fastest mile I've run this year. The trails were a bit muddy in parts, and marshy towards the end, but a significant improvement over the conditions last year, so I can't complain. My second mile was a bit slower after the fast start, but I was in a good overall position heading into the bike.

Despite practicing transitions with Zack a few days prior, my first transition was pretty mediocre compared to the competition. I'm not sure where my issues lie, as I felt as though I was hurrying, and I didn't have any major miscues. I guess I just need a stronger sense of urgency or something.

As expected, the bike was an entirely different experience than in 2008. As I said, my run times were similar to last year, so I was starting from about the same position in the pack. Unlike last year, however, I was only passed by a handful of riders, at most... as compared to dozens of riders last year. I even got to pass some people... people on road bikes, too... not just girls on mountain bikes, who were the only people I was fast enough to pass last year. A nice change! I felt like I got stronger as the ride went on, and was getting out of the saddle on the third lap, which was very effective, though not something I am used to doing. Overall a great ride.

My second transition was as mediocre as the first, though my lag in comparison to the other racers was a little more understandable here. Fatigued, I struggled to get my helmet unclasped and removed, and dropped my sunglasses off to the side where I was afraid someone would step on them, which cost me a few precious seconds. The big delay, however, is that I still don't have lace locks for my running shoes. Thus, I am forced to spend precious seconds tying my shoes while other racers are already on their way. Lace locks will definitely be my next triathlon-related purchase.

The second two mile run was brutal and fairly uneventful. I passed a couple relay team members on the way out of transition, then ran by myself for pretty much the entire two miles. I passed one older gentleman with about half a mile to go, and was passed around the same time by the guy who ended up beating me by about nine seconds. The run was a lot more difficult than I remembered it being last year, probably because I was able to go a lot harder on the bike, being on a road bike rather than my hybrid.

I'm very excited about the result, and am re-energized toward my training. It's nice to compete to remind yourself why you're working out so much. The race was very well run by Ian Linnaberry, and I'm glad I participated.

WORKOUTS

• 4/28 Swim: 350 warm-up, 250 w/Techpaddles, 11 x 100 freestyle, 7 x 50 sprint, 100 kickboard, 350 cool-down; 23 mile spin w/12 x 1 min hills
• 4/29 21 mile spin
  
• 4/30 Swim: 350 warm-up, 250 w/Techpaddles, 6 x 200 Fartleks, 12 x 25 sprint, 100 cool-down
• 5/1 day off (recovery)
• 5/2 Peanut Butter Duathlon
• 5/3 Swim: 250 warm-up, 100 w/Techpaddles, 2000 freestyle, 350 cool-down; 40 mile spin
• 5/4 day off (recovery)
• 5/5 3 mile Fartlek run