Barkin’ Dog Duathlon

This is a post-dated entry regarding my first race of this year: the Barkin’ Dog Duathlon, which was May 7th at Cherry Creek State Park in Aurora, CO.

For anyone that doesn’t know, a Duathlon consists of running and biking – no swimming. There are three legs to the race, however; you run, then bike, then run again. This race was a 5k run, a 30k bike (about 19miles), and another 5k run. I was a bit nervous about the short distances – I know that sounds funny but I don’t see myself as a sprinter so much as a looong steady athlete (hence the Ironman distance races that are my forte/favorite).

My friend and training buddy Lauren Chiodini raced as well. Her supportive boyfriend Adam drove us to the race and did all the supportive-boyfriend things that are oh-so-helpful! We ran into another Boulder pro athlete, Courtenay Brown, at the start. It was a good race – everyone starts off really fast because it’s only 3.1 miles that you are running for the first leg. I put it in high gear and actually ran out in front by the first mile. I held my place there until jumping on the bike. Courtenay beat me out of transition, but I did pass her once out on the bike course. The roads out in Cherry Creek State park are pretty rough, lots of potholes and cracks and rough surfaces, so it’s not the fastest course, but I did like it – some small hills made it more interesting and fun as well. I headed back into transition still in first place (of the women), and shot out onto the same 5k run course for the second time. Legs felt like lead – to be expected – it’s so weird how you feel like you’re running really slow…but, you’re not! I was really pleased that each of my 5k runs were pretty similar in pace, which meant that I hadn’t gone out too fast for the first one, and I mentally held it together for the second. This was such great practice! It’s near impossible (in my opinion), to push yourself in training sessions like you can/do in a racing situation.

I came in as first over-all woman, Lauren took second, and Courtenay got third. So exciting! We all cooled down by jogging for a while after we came in across the finishline. Then we hung out till the awards because we all got checks – that is a very exciting thing to win, let me tell you. I have received some really fun prizes in the past, but there is nothing that makes you feel Big-Time like winning (EARNING) real money. Now I can pay myself back for the entry fee, the gas money, and lunch on the way home. Yippee!! —–But don’t quit your day job, yet, Whit. 🙂