The multi-sport season officially started for me with the Heel and Crank Duathlon in Mooresville, Alabama. It is hands down the best location for a spring race in all of North Alabama. The race is centered on the old Brick Church in Mooresville. The race started just after a young man played the National Anthem solo on his trumpet. You could tell the young man was very nervous. He squeezed out most of the anthem like a champ until the high section. He just couldn’t make it because he was so nervous and tight. The crowd of runners and spectators cheered him on and then with encouraging voices sang the familiar words. It was a perfect start to a wonderful race and hopefully a great race season.
This wasn’t my first race of the year. My last race of 2013 was the Huntsville Half Marathon just before I left for Baku, Azerbaijan and stopped training for a month or so. From then until this weekend, I ran two races. The Scenic City Half Marathon in Chattanooga, TN, my favorite city in the south, and the CRS Run for the Son 10K last weekend at my favorite camp in the whole wide world. So many ups and downs recently with work and training, it is good to finally make it to the start of the multi-sport and hopefully the start of a year that will be very memorable. So far, the highlight will be Chief Margie cheering me on to my only first place age group finish ever!
I hate running! Therefore, why would I ever run, bike, run in a duathlon? I guess because it gives me good practice transitioning sports and reminds me all the lessons I have learned over the last two years. I fall on the hot mess spectrum often in life, work and while racing. The first run was strong. The long line of runners and spectators around the Brick Church in Mooresville made me hopeful I could beat my 2013 time of 1:53:32. This year, I didn’t leave the covers on my bike shoes. This made for an easier transition and a successful start to the bike portion of the race. 2014 is looking good for me! I took about five minutes off of my bike time from last year. I think it was the change in bikes as I was riding my newer Quintana Roo tri bike! I know the motor is not as good as it was last year. I enjoyed the bike and the second run was so-so, the good thing, I did finish with a time of 1:50:13!
I did get to enjoy the wonderful setting of the race this year. I did take just over three minutes off my 2013 Heel and Crank time and enjoyed the best post race snack ever: pancakes and beer at ten in the morning. I enjoyed my treat while visiting with friends and listening to two dudes playing their acoustic guitars. If I had only strung up my hammock on the nearby trees. It was a great morning. I will finish off my 32.6 mile challenge to get my beer mug tomorrow morning with the Bridge Street Half Marathon. This should be a long, fun and hopefully successful season! I got a lot of shit to do…