Du the Du: Duatholon Report!

A few weeks ago I had the incredible opportunity to participate in my first multisport event, a Duatholon.

Thanks to Life Time, I was able to be an ambassador for the Esprit de She event. To make things even more awesome,  thanks to Jorge at Sun & Ski Frisco, I was given a bike to use for my training and race!

I had no idea how to train for this event, but just spent a lot of time getting used to being on a bike. My multisport friends took me out on a few rides and thanks to coaching I was able to get some speed work in.  I still wasn't sure how the event would go, especially since I had come down with pneumonia in the middle of my training.  For that reason, I chose to do the "easy" version of the race- a 2 mile run, 9 mile ride, and 2 mile run.

The event was such a positive experience!  Right from the get go there were extremely helpful volunteers, staff members, and experienced triathletes.  It was an all women event, so it was very empowering.

As soon as I entered, a Life Time bike pro inspected my bike and helped make sure I was good to go.  Then I got my body marking done.  This sucked because they wrote my age on my leg with the biggest sharpie I've ever seen....listen...I don't like to admit my age, let alone announce it to the world!
Those more experienced with the whole multisport world helped me set up my bike transition area, and then we headed to the start line.

With only a bit more than 600 registered runners, it was a small group.  What I loved, though, was knowing that it was only a 2 mile run, so I could bust it out of the start and haul it.  I knew I finished my first 2 miles pretty quickly, but had a lot left in the tank for the ride.  Which was good.  The 9 mile ride on my bike was quite hilly.  I had done some hill training, but not that much!  It was funny that most of the runners who I flew by on the foot race, were passing me with ease on their bikes.  It was at this point in time the event became some what of a race.

Typically in a half, or a 5K, I'm just there to run.  I know I'm not fast and so I only compete with myself.  This time, however, was different.  Something about being on the bike made me feel like it was a real race and I needed to kick it up a notch.  I tried to keep most of those faster cyclers in my view, but knew the key was not to kill my legs on the bike, because in the next run I'd be good to go.

I finished the bike ride and transitioned to the next run.  For the first 1/2 mile my legs felt like Jello, and I was pretty sure I was running 16 minute miles.  Something about being on my fast bike then switching over to running equated to feeling like you're running in quick sand.  So I just kept pushing myself harder and harder.  Soon enough I passed some of the cyclists who had kicked my butt, and got into the finish line.  I was pretty psyched when I got that medal around my neck!

The post race party was one of the best that I've been to!  Post race yogurt/fruit/granola bar!  FREE post race massages!  And....
                                            
Post race mimosas!

Esprit de She was an awesome event that I can't wait to do again!  They have events all across the nation, everything from triathlons, to road races.  I can't wait to du another du!