On March 25th, I participated in the
Oddman 1,3,5 Mountain bike Duathlon, which consisted of a 5k, and 10 mile mountain bike and another 5k. Well, I finished. Given my training regimen, that was about all I could ask for. I started thinking about doing the race in early March, I signed up on March 10th. So I had about 2 1/2 weeks of training. As soon as I signed up, I caught a cold and took 4 days off training to kick my cold. So I was not the most fit heading into the event, which is why success criteria was just to finish.
The Event was held at Medford Lakes, NJ at a YMCA camp site. It was a pretty dry, sandy course. A lot of single track trail for both the run & bike. 1 painful hill that both the run and bike shared, and the bike had a 2nd steep hill. These were pretty steep short hills. The rest of the course was flat. Which was a very good thing me!!
The weather forecast called for rain/snow to start around 11am, precisely at the race start time. I had a feeling it was not going to be a fun day. ( the weather stayed mostly dry, and cool around 42 F.) So on the run, the first 5k, I had to keep telling myself to go slow, its a long race. The run started ok, heading out on a dirt road. Then the road became quite sandy, and pretty deep, so it was not quite beach running, but energy sapping. Thankfully, the course took a left off the road into the forest on some single track, by a horse corral. It continued for awhile, then about 1 mile in, you reach the "hill", which I promptly decided to walk. Down the backside of the hill you are back on a road, which again is sandy, for about 400m. Then you are back into the single-track. I found a fellow duffer, who was also chugging along. I was running with a pretty low foot clearance, a lazy stride. not paying too much attention, just following the guy in front of me. Well, when trail running, it helps to pay attention, as the guy in front of my ran over a root, it was only like 6" up, but not paying attention and with a lazy stride, I tripped over it, did a very graceful somersault, and came back on the to my feet as if nothing happened. I was fine, except for feeling a bit foolish, and thinking to myself, I'm 15 minutes into this race, and I've already biffed. How is this race a good idea ????? I also decided that perhaps it was time again for a little walk, rest, catch my breathe and continue on, paying a little more attention. The remainder of the run carried on with out incidence. My fitness, or lack thereof, quickly becoming an issue as I was passed by several fellow racers on the last 1/3rd of the 5k.
Turning the last corner, leads for about a 1/3 mile straight-a-way into the transition area, and on to what I was hoping would be my saving grace. The bike. I ambled into Transitions at 29:16. A little ahead of 10:00 / mile pace I'd hoped for. Transition was ok, a quick shoe change and off on my bike. Being so far in the back, meant there were a lot of people in front of me. I was also trying to take it easy. Other than the 2 mentioned hills, 1 of which had a fun little downhill which was really the only technical part of the course. The rest was pretty flat, or rolling small inclines with a lot of single track, which was fun to cruise. Unfortunately, on single-track its hard to pass, and I got stuck behind some less strong bikers. The other issue was that when on double-track or the roads, it was easier to pass, but it was really deep sand, so it was like trying to pass on a sandy beach, which really sapped the legs. So there were not a lot of great passing opportunities. The slower bikers, also provided an opportunity to rest. I cruised the first 5mi bike loop in 0;34:37. The second loop was on the same course, and since I knew the track now (and had passed enough people to have a clean field ahead) I picked up the pace and road slightly more aggressive clip. I finished second 5 mile bike loop in 0:31:09.
I was definitely in the biking groove at this point and would have paid several hundred dollars to skip the last 5K, and do another 5 mile lap instead. But alas, I had to dismount the bike. Getting into my running shoes proved to a little more problematic, and I also tried to do a quick little stretch. I clocked my second transition at 0:02:07. I was dreading this second 5k. It did not disappoint. My plan, prior to the event was to run-walk the second 5K, with a 12-90second ratio, run 12 minutes, walk 90 seconds. My body, did not agree with this plan. As I had to stop for my first walk about 1minute after leaving transition. I then had to go at a run 1 minute, walk 1 minute for awhile. Then moving to a run 1, walk 30 seconds. Then moving to a run 2 min's, walk 1. Then run 3, walk 90 seconds. I continued with this pattern, working to a 3:1, then 4:1. It was at this 4:1 ratio, when the finish line, finally put me out of my misery. After a second 5K time of 0:33:03. I think I was having some nutrition issues, i.e. not enough GU taken on the second the loop of the bike (actually I did not pack any GU). So I was hoping to replenish on my bike leg, and I'm not sure that it happened. The wall could also be from my lack of fitness, coupled with the fact, that I had just run a 5k and did a 10 mile bike ride.
Anyway, my total time was 2hours 11 minutes and 46 seconds (according to my watch). According to the leader board, this was roughly 87 out of 95. (This is a little misleading as, according to the organizers, there were 117 participants who started the race. We'll have to wait for official results to find the number of DNF'ers) I had a stretch goal of breaking 2 hours. This ended up being too much of a stretch!!
All in All, this was fun race. It has a very low-key feel, and it was well organized and everyone milling around was very friendly. They had music and free pizza at the finish line.
My legs were definitely very, very tired saturday night after the race. But I felt pretty good. I now have to find another race, to keep me on my training kick. Otherwise it will be too easy to start skipping workouts.
Now a few tidbits:
It is called the odd-man, because they only award for the first, third and fifth place finishers. Second and fourth get nothing. They also award DFL (Dead Last).
Every participant gets a "trophy". These trophies are clay pottery "Jugs" made by a local artist. They award the previous years trophies, for all finishers, at the following years event. Well last year, a few weeks before the even, the dam at the lake broke, and ended up flooding the artist studio, destroying her business and all of the trophies. She told the organizers that they should go to another place to fill the order. They said no-way. They kept the order in place. So this year, they handed out both the 2004 & 2005 trophies.
