Desert Classic Duathlon (2/22)

So I hadn't run since PF Changs in Jan so I knew this running thing would not go over well. Got up and got my stuff racked. Met up with a few Tri Girls at the start and waited for our waves to go off.

My wave (35 & younger) headed out and I was immediately alone and left behind. I made it on to the trail before the first person passed me. I saw the 40 & under group pass, then the 40-45, then 45-50, then 50-60ish...and I even saw a 60+ pass me. I had to keep looking behind me to make sure that I wasn't the last one! I finally made it around and into transition and it was very easy to find my bike since there weren't that many left.

The lead male elite was 2 miles out when I pass him (going the other way) on the bike. Fabulous. I didn't push too much on the way out because I knew I would need it on the way back into the park. I felt so much better going up the hills than I previously had and I'll chalk that up to more mtn biking. My legs still got worn out, but I wasn't dropping gears as fast as usual. I hit the turn around and started counting the people behind me - 6. I wasn't last! About mile 14 (of 21) I heard a pssshhhhh sound and it occured to me that I might have a flat. So I hop off, cursing myself for taking my CO2 out of my bento box (I had a hand pump). Got my tire off, tube out, check it out and there was a little gash - probably from some sand or glass I rode over. Was getting the new tube in when the SAG guys showed up. By now the 6 people behind me passed me and the sweep caught up to us. The guys helped me get my tire pumped up and back together. I took off and rode with the sweep for awhile before he told me to go chase down some of the people in front me. By time I made it back to transition I had passed 3 of the 6 people. People were going home and I wasn't done yet! I forgot I still had to run.....

I trudged off on to the run, hell they may have been doing awards when I headed out. I saw Erik and he wondered what happened. I just kept plugging away and then I hit that stupid hill. Who puts a hill in the last run of a du? I walked up and down behind a woman who had passed me about 1 mi into the run. She was quite nice and we jogged/walked together back towards the finish line. Right before the finish we decided to push for it and I passed her with like 3' to go. Not that it mattered since she wasn't in my AG, but I passed someone??

Bad idea to do this the day after mtn biking and a poor idea to not really train. Still not a terrible race - and I'll do better next year!