Rochester Autumn Classic Duathlon
Sunday, October 1, 2006
2006 Autumn Classic Duathlon F1 results
Rochester Autumn Classic Duathlon information
2006 Autumn Classic Duathlon photo slideshow
Now THAT was a great race!
Compared to last year, I didn't do all that great - 2:51:38, compared to 2:33 in 2005. But finishing time isn't everything...
When I crashed my bike 6 1/2 weeks ago, it wasn't clear how soon I'd be able to get back to running and riding. I finally got back on the bike 2 1/2 weeks ago, and started running again a little over a week ago. The bike has been pretty comfortable, except for my hill legs being shot. Running has been more problematic - the injuries in my hips and groin have been healing slowly, and the best I've been able to do has been 5-6 miles at about a 15 minute pace. So it wasn't at all clear if I'd even be able to finish the Formula 1 course (2 mi/10 mi/2 mi/10 mi/ 2mi), though I was fairly certain I'd make it to the end of the Supersprint (the first three legs of the long course.) And if I did make it to the end of the long course, I estimated a finishing time at somewhere around 3 hours.
Add in predictions of cold and rain for today and you have the makings of a pretty miserable
race. So much so that Saturday night after Ann's ambulance banquet, I headed to Wal-mart to pick up a rain jacket (despite it being 10:30 at night... with the alarm set to go off at 5:30 AM.)
Woke up to fairly heavy rain... not a good sign. When I hopped in the car, the rain had stopped, and there were even hints of sun peeking through the clouds off in the east. Arrived at Mendon Ponds park and found - clouds and sun! Granted, more clouds than sun, but still better than rain.
It felt great to be back at a race again. Said hi to a few volunteers that remembered me from the other 3 Rochester Classic Du's I've done, and wandered around getting set up, snapping a few pictures, and smiling because I was just happy to be there. After a short pre-race talk about the course being wet and being careful - Boots' sounded the air horn and off we went.
At this point the Classic Du course is an old friend... one that treated me well during the first run. Overall, it felt good, and I managed to run 2 miles in 25 minutes... almost last, but 5 minutes faster than I was expecting. Very cool. Hopped on the bike, and found that to be very cool too - of the "dang it's cold!" variety. Fortunately I warmed up as the 10 miles rolled along, though the headwind for the first 3.5 miles didn't help. Halfway through the ride the bike course turned onto Rt 65, and I had a pleasant surprise - fresh pavement! That was sweet riding, let me tell you! Turned back into the park, and pounded up the long mostly uphill slog back to transition at the beach lot at 43:36.
The 2nd running leg was tough - walked for the first few minutes trying to get my legs to loosen up - it hurt, but not too badly. Gradually regained something resembling my running legs, and finished in a slow 27:50. The 2nd bike leg went much like the first, even down to the time (43:12), and at transition I had a pleasant surprise - Ann had made it, as had one of my previous students, Katie, who is now at Syracuse University and had driven to Rochester on a project for her advertising class. It was nice to have my very own cheering squad!
Hobbled out of transition - my hip was really tight and hurting by then - and took a little longer to start running, but eventually passed the person who had started out in last place and overtaken me on the biking legs. Asked her how she was doing and was told that the run was doing her in, because she doesn't ordinarily run! (Wow - someone even crazier than me!) Crested the final hill and got to look across the field to the finish line - what a great sight. There weren't many people around - they were giving out the awards up at the lodge - but Ann and Katie met me at the finish, and Boots welcomed me across the line. This is one race where finishing felt GREAT!
There were lots of good moments during the race - I spent a lot of it smiling - but one stands out, about 4 miles into the 1st bike leg. Crested a hill and the sun came out, bathing me in warmth and turning the field of brown cornstalks into gold. Absolutely beautiful.
As always, the folks at Yellowjacket Racing were phenomenal - at no point did I feel like I was lower than everyone else because I was so slow. Everyone was very positive and supportive - I couldn't have picked a better event for my first one back after the crash.
Next up: the Black Diamond Offroad Duathlon. A pair of 2 miles running loops through Fishers Park and a ride along the Auburn and Lehigh Valley Rail Trails. Last year it was 45 degrees and raining - I'm keeping my fingers crossed for nice weather this year!
JMH
2006 event totals
snowshoe - 3 miles, 59.5 min
running - 105.2 miles, 26 hr 9 min
riding - 52.4 miles, 4 hr 8 min
