Bonkhard 6/12hr duathalon: Race Report

Now I see why Barry is a grumpy old bastard!  This 6hr endurance stuff will wear on you.  Throughout the race I just kept hearing his high pitch raspy voice in my head going off about how I’m making excuses for being a pussy.

Well, here is how it all went down.  We got up and drove down to Berryman for the Bonkhard racing 6/12hr off-road duathlon.  My mom road with us and it was the first race of mine that she has been to.  I was thinking of asking her to come to the Tall Oaks race but I’m not so sure I want to do that (after the display of Greco/homo wrestling at the single speed race).

I entered the 6hr solo division and Noelle my African/Indian girl friend (whose name is Talks Without Point) entered the sport division.  The race started with a 4.5 mile trail run down single track and gravel road and then you biked abound 12 miles - 8 of which was single track.  This was continuous for 6hrs – the sport division was one lap of each.

The first lap was fun!   You could choose to start on the run or the bike.  I decided to get the running out of the way.  I ended up coming out of the run in like 5^th place after being passed by 2 guys.  The run felt great but there was a looooooooonnnnnnnnnnnng UPHILL fire road coming out of the single track that did suck a big dick.  Then I got to the bike leg.  I passed the 2 guys on the bike that passed me on the run.  On the second lap the run went pretty good also.  When I got to the transition area I was so glad to see Noelle didn’t die on the single track.  Her race was done and she was just chilling taking pics and drinking beer with the race directors…   (I’ll keep my comments to myself on this one).  Now the 2^nd bike leg was not as good as the first lap.  I was starting to cramp.  I didn’t want to do another lap.  I ended up rolling in and seeing how many guys were out on the course.  I figured I was tied for third but the guy I was tied with was doing the race opposite than me (he biked first/I ran first).  So I had to go back out.  They were doing the awards for the sport division and come to find out Noelle was the overall winner (men and women).   The run sucked.  I grabbed a clif bar and a bottle of heed and some shot blocks and did what I could to refuel and run, walk, crawl, etc.  I figured I would be shot for the bike.  I got back and changed into my bike shoes.  Just doing this I had a full leg cramp.  I went out and actually felt decent on the bike.  I didn’t know where I was in place but I knew I had to haul ass.  I ended up getting 3^rd place and only by a few minutes.   It was a great day for all!  You couldn’t ask for a better day to race – the weather was beautiful.

The end.