Legacy Duathlon

First of all, I must thank TriEdge and the Legacy Duathlon race director for their generous entry into this race. Most athletes would agree that free race entries are golden opportunities and should not be missed! Having said that, I found myself in a tough predicament the week before. I discovered that I have two disks within about an inch displaced in my neck. No wonder I've dealt with pain in my neck/shoulder/back for the last 4 years and lost an inch in my height (5'10 down to 5'9). The Monday morning previous to the race I woke up to train and could not turn my head to the right- at all. Long story short, I had four chiropractic and laser treatments on my spine and no exercising or training all week long. By Friday, I was getting anxious to race and the pain in my neck had subsided. Friday night I looked at the weather forecast; thunderstorms. Oh well, there's no swim to worry about in a duathlon so the race was on!

Saturday morning I woke up excited to race. This was my first race back after having a baby, and first race on my gorgeous new Kestrel. I couldn't wait to see what she could do. I must admit, driving down the freeway heading toward Legacy park, I kept (safely) checking out my bike in the rear-view mirror and smiling. I know I'm not the only gear geek out there that does that. I've never been to Legacy park and had no idea what to expect.

Pulling up to the race was like coming home after a long hiatus. I love watching athletes prepare. Tires were being pumped up all around me, and people were huddled by the tents eating bananas and Gu. A few brave souls stepped out in skimpy spandex in the cold while the rest of us bundled up. In the most sincere way, I have to thank Head USA for the awesome jacket! I stayed nice and warm and contemplated biking in it. I also have to thank my Bearpaw friends. My boots kept my feet cozy and cute. I was impressed the way the race director was very conscientious about sticking to the schedule and starting on time. The race was well organized and well attended. After racking my bike in a prime location, I had a little time to chat with fellow racers. People were friendly and laid back.

This event was not micro-chiped, so racers were asked to line up for the first run from fastest to slowest and they sent people off one by one manually recording start times and as you entered transition and started bike etc. someone always called out your number and they entered it. This system seemed to work well and keep peoples time accurate. I was grateful to have a run to warm me up before the bike portion. The run was a little hilly, but the entire course was in a state park so the path was smooth. The rain had stopped so it turned out to be a great day to race. After jumping on my bike, I took off, passing the fast runners that finished their run before me. The bike course was pretty flat and I settled into my aero bars enjoying my watermelon Gu chomps (believe me, it's a treat). despite a wrong turn heading back, I loved the bike course. When the bike portion came to an end, I started my second run hoping the speed on my bike would compensate for the slower run. At the finish I was greeted with a big surprise, the possibility of a podium finish. I enjoyed the post race food and the leg massage as I awaited the final results. I ended up taking first place for my age group! That is one of the fun things about racing, you never know what to expect on race day. You can't control the weather, flat tires, or knowing who is going to show up that day ready to compete. In the end you do your best, celebrate it, and prepare for the next battle.

A special thanks to TriEdge, Legacy Duathlon, Kestrel, Bearpaw, Gu, Head USA, and Flexr Sport for a great day!