I’m reporting on this shortish duathlon because it was awesome. The race:
5 mile hilly trail run
16 mile rolling hill bike
~1 mile ‘run’, half of which goes straight up 500 feet to the top of enchanted rock
Mass start on the 5 mile trail loop! I have had knee issues for the last couple of months and haven’t been running at all, just biking, so I take it easy. The fiancee’ is well prepared and takes off from the front. Didn’t see her for long! Maybe I will catch her on the bike.
I get through the trail run with no problems, the bum knee is ok! I get passed by quite a few people though, including some high school track team looking guys. Screw you skinny bastards! I will be BACK!
Get to transition, they made it extra fun by making us run up a set of 20 steep steps to get to transition. awesome, good warmup for the quads, because the hills on the trail were not enough! Finish with an 8:21 pace (includes transition time). Not bad considering my lack of run training. The special lady friend finished with a 7:51 pace, including a really long transition time (only her second event, need to work on that!) Didn’t see her though, no idea how she was doing.
My transition was kind of slow, untied my shoes, didn’t bother with quicklaces since I was in such bad running shape. Grabbed helmet, grabbed bike and I’m gone. Slip my feet in the shoes, strap them tight, and start to hammer.
Things feel good, hills that used to crush my dreams, I can handle them this year! Progress! I pass a lot of people, stay aero the whole 16 miles. I catch and drop those track kids, their skinny legs are no match now! ha! 
It is an out and back course so I keep an eye out for people heading back as I head out, to see how the wimmens race is going. I see someone go by on a pink bike, hair looks longish…oh crap is that a woman? A ways after I see the fiancee’!
She is at least in 2nd place, maybe first! But there is a girl on a P2C and an aggressive position not far behind. oh no!
I get through the turnaround and give chase, can I catch her or will I get chicked? I pass her competition, she is pacing (not drafting, at least not illegally) behind some guy, must be hurting! Good sign!
I pass them up and can see the fiance in the distance! But I can’t catch her!! Dammit! I get into transition as she is leaving and warn her of the approaching girl, go go go!
Average bike speed for me: 20.3 the fiancee’: 19.5 (with round tubes and a normal helmet! wtf! I am not helping her anymore!!)
I ask the volunteers if that was the 1st or 2nd place girl that just left transition. FIRST they say! Yes! The pink bike was just a gay man, or italian…
They ask if I have a rule about how many chicks can pass me “NO! thats my fiancee!”
Now it is time to run up this rock! I take my time on the approach because I’ve tried this in practice and it is hell. The 2nd place girl passes me pretty quick, she is moving! Oh crap, this will be a fight!
I get to the base of the climb, we are REQUIRED to take and carry with us the whole way, a bottle of water, for safety reasons. In order to demonstrate my disdain for safety regulation, and to reduce weight, I keep the bottle but pour out all the water. ha!
Once the climb starts I am resolved to run up the whole thing. Two steps later that plan is aborted and I am walking fastish instead. lol.
Looking up and I can see Kat in the lead, 2nd place woman (Tiffany Cress) is a ways back, but she starts into a run, going for the kill “KAAAT!! SHES RUNNING!!! GOOO” I think she hears me because she breaks into a jog as well, for a couple steps…
Fortunately Tiffany also has to revert back to walking. It is hilarious watching them struggle.
They disappear over the rise, so I can’t tell who won in the end! I get over the top, and she did it!! Won her 2nd event in a row! Two for two!!
I ended up 2nd in age group, a great result considering my circumstances. We got sweet granite trophys for conquering the granite rock!
Another race report is up here:
http://austinontwowheels.org/2009/03/30/race-report-enchanted-rock-extreme-duathlon/