Day 2 - Wenatchee - Apple Capital Duathlon

A great way to prepare for a race is to have a wicked sleep and that's just what I did. Woke up plenty early and started to prepare. Drove down to Confluence Park assembled the bike and went out for a very Leading Edge like running warm up. A few obviously fit characters I noticed doing the same thing. One woman was very serious about her preparation. I should take notes as she crushed this race taking first place. As for me, all systems go but with such a hilly course this is gunna hurt, lots!!

The First Run

Fairly uneventful first run. I ran my plan to a tee. Watched the pace on my Garmin watch and kept it within the limits. The hills were tough at race pace but I finished with a 20:25 5k. Not bad for me. My run to bike transition however took over a minute for some reason. No idea why... I finished the run in 5th spot and crawled out of transition in about 10th.

The Bike

Hopped on the bike and the first thing you got to do is climb out of the river gorge. Not too bad but a 100m climb to the roadway. I hammered the bike. I knew that it was my chance to make up some time. No one passed me but I passed about 8 riders just on the way out. There were some grades on the hills that approached 12%. It was a little difficult on the TT bike but I guess it worked for me. I came off the bike in 3rd spot (although I thought I was 4th).

The Second Feeble Run

The second run is the same course as the first. I did not feel very well on this run. The legs were toast!! I kept my eye on my watch. Somehow I was keeping it under a 5min pace. I thought I was in 4th so I just looked for people my age on the turnaround. No one within about 500m. So, I just kept the legs going. I was like prey waiting to be caught. I kept a 4:30 pace but I was sure that some of these guys have more than that in them. I was seriously hurting. Finally the 1k marker appeared. Time to pick it up?? Not a chance. The legs have one gear today. At 500k I looked back. Wholly crap... No one in sight. OMG!! I can't believe that no one caught me on the run!! I finished and assumed 4th place. It wasn't until another finisher came and congratulated me on my 3rd place that I knew. Yahoo!! I came 1st place in my age group 2nd place male and 3rd overall. Yikes!!! Great start to a race trip. Then I hopped in the car and drove to Portland.... Stiff. Beer in Portland was great.

2013 USA Race Trip - Day 1 - Wenatchee WA

Day 1 - Wenatchee Washington

Warm up for the Apple Capital Duathlon went great except for being lost most of the time. If there's one thing that can be said about the course is that it's hilly.  Mostly gradual but some zippers in the lollipop portion (turnaround) of the bike that will bring the speed down to something glacial. 

The course for tomorrow will be 5k run, 26k bike and another 5k run.  The run has.. A hill or two.  Probably about a 75m climb during each 5k.  It doesn't look like too bad of a course except that its on. Paved trails and that could crowd things up a bit. The bike basically does a slow climb for 5k, goes downhill for 5k and then climbs steep to the turn around point.  Oh yeah!  i almost forgot about the wind. It was frickin windy. Really frickin windy! All I can say is that I hope it marked well.  I was lost the whole time...

The town...it's small. Quaint. Nice riverfront area with sculptures and paved trails, great for running. The roads are fairly good for cycling. A bit roughed up from the winter. Very courteous drivers. I however would not recommend riding a bike on Wenatchee ave just off the highway. It freaked the drivers out!!

Beer and sushi for dinner tonight and we will just see what happens tomorrow...

Sorry...  No pictures today. Some tomorrow.