Raced in the Hagg Lake Duathlon yesterday, put on by the folks over at AA Sports Ltd.  I’ve now done their Spring Classic Duathlon and the Blue Lake Duathlon put on by these guys.  The events are really well run and they always have live music and some decently good food included with your race fee.  Plus I cannot forget to mention the almost obligatory Tech Tee.  My only quibble with multi-sport events is the entry fee.  $90! seems to be the average fee I have been paying.  Why does a bike race cost $25-35 and  a running race generally $20-60 (which is pushing it if you ask me)?  I understand that the transition area racks and such are not exactly cheap, but they are a one time cost.  Participation levels seem to be high with the multi-sport events too…….anyways….I digress.  I’m not really complaining, I just don’t get it.

Either way, the course was finally not a pan flat out and back.  For the Duathlon we did a 4K run, 25ish mile bike, 5K run.  The first run had a few hills in it and even some dirt trail, and the bike was 2 laps with rolling hills, 2 pretty decent climbs too.  2nd run was almost identical to the first except it included the dirt trail in both directions, not just on the return.  I got to finally put some of my stronger bike skills to work.  I’m not a power rider who pushes flat time trials, so the hills today helped me out a lot.

It was HOT yesterday, even by race time it was already cloudless and in the 70’s.  My first run was okay.  The trail portion of the run was total hardpack and very narrow and rutted.  It caused you to be extremely careful with foot placement lest you twist an ankle.  I quickly passed quite a few guys on the bike, I had a good pace going and kept the pressure on.  Passed the guy who put in the fastest run towards the end of lap 1.  I was hoping to put about 6 minutes into him total.  Turned out to be 8ish.  Unfortunately my second run was a total mess.  I’ll stop short of calling it a disaster, but it wasn’t pretty.  An average pace of just over 9 min per mile was pretty weak, and unfortunately my 8 minutes totally evaporated during my run.  I’ll give him credit, he had 2 really strong runs.

Age group wise I did okay.  Placed 3rd, but the first 2 guys ahead of me were in the overall standings (1st and 3rd), so I was given the gold for 1st in the 40-44 group.  Either way, the two guys in front of me are far from amateurs.  I’d put them more at the level of semi-pro.

Lessons learned from this event have to be…I need to run more!  I’m going to try to start getting 15-20 miles a week, plus riding.  We’ll see how that goes.

Another thing that dawned on me after this race is that I have now raced the Trek Speed Concept more in the past 3 years than my mountain bike, road bike or even cross bike.  I would have never thought that was possible 5-6 years ago.  Multi-sport was something that other people did, not me.  Well, I guess that has changed.

Trek Speed Concept 7.0

Since I bought this bike almost 2.5 years ago, it has undergone only a few changes.

I’ve added some more aerodynamic race wheels compared to the box section wheels that came with this bike. 

The rear is a Flo Cycling 90 clincher.  Not super light, but a clincher (which makes my life easier) and quite aerodynamic if their website data is to be believed.

The front is a Neuvation (now out of business) 50 carbon tubular.  Light, but not the most aerodynamic.  Better than what came stock, but it will eventually get changed out for either a Flo 60 or maybe a HED Jet 5.  It’s also a tubular, which has great riding characteristics, but gluing tires just kind of stinks.

Lastly, the only other two things that will probably get changed are the outer chainring for something a bit bigger (current is only 50 teeth) and more aero.  Probably a rotor q-ring.

Then the only other for sure change is the base bar.  Current stock Bontrager Bullhorn is okay, but extends a bit too far out and really isn’t all that aero (sensing the theme for replacement parts yet?).

Luckily I sold a few things via Ebay and I have a Zipp Vuka basebar coming to replace the Bontrager base bar.  Love it when I can sell old parts to get new parts!

Currently the bike is setup to be comfortable.  I have not gotten a professional fitting on it to optimize my own aerodynamics.  I was thinking that may be a good winter project.  Plus it isn’t exactly cheap.  The local multisport expert shop charges $300!  In the long run it is probably worth it.  I just need to save up for that one and plan ahead a bit.

Well, that’s about it for now.  I have 1 or 2 more planned duathlons for this year.  Another AA Sports event called the Mid-Summer Classic and then an off road duathlon back at Hagg Lake again.  That one should prove to be interesting.

Thanks for reading

-Pete