Back to Lewiston!

And we're off!


Spring has arrived - and Spring brings the Tri-State Outfitters Duathlon in Lewiston, Idaho. This was my third year here - I wish I could say I'm getting better, but all I can say for sure is I'm getting older! This year's event brought the worst weather of the three years - temperature in the mid-40s and drizzling rain during most of the event. It was hard to know how to dress - staying warm on the ride meant being too hot on the 2nd run.


That's me leaving Transition 1 (T1). My first 2-mile run was actually faster this year than last - and my transition times were better. You're not allowed to mount your bike in the transition - have to run in bike shoes - not easy to do on wet pavement, or even dry pavement for that matter!

Leaving T1, we get to start by riding uphill, first to the left, then to the right! Most of the ride six miles out is uphill - and there was a little bit of headwind this day. To give you an idea of the difference - my time to the turn-around at six miles was 27:51; my time coming back was 15:36! It makes a big difference when you average about 13 mph in one direction, and 28-30 mph in the other!




Here's a couple of us (I'm the 2nd rider) on the last big downhill stretch near the end of the ride. My feet were soaked by the end - I normally don't ride in the rain so this was the first time I had ever finished a ride with wet feet!






That last downhill stretch is followed by a sharp left turn into the entrance of Hells Gate State Park where the event takes place. This section is the Neutral Zone - no passing allowed. The last piece of it is steeper, with a sharp right back to the transition area - don't want any crashes there!



Leaving T2 - I decided to keep my windbreaker & bike gloves on to save time. As I started running again, my calve muscles went into spasms; it took about 100 yards for that to stop! Keeping the windbreaker & gloves on turned out to be mistake. Before mid-run, I had removed my beanie cap & my gloves, then by the end of the run, unzipped the windbreaker - it was just too hot!




The best part of the race - the finish line! No, actually, the best part is the snacks they provide for refueling - and the awards. Every finisher gets a medal at this event, and medals for 1st/2nd/3rd in each age group. Overall, I was 71st out of 111, 49th out of 67 men, and 3rd out of 8 men in the age 55-59 group. This is my third time finishing 3rd at this event. My official time was 1:21:09.




Laurie got some pics of the local scenery. The Lewiston-Clarkston area is beautiful! Even in the rain. It rained all the way home. We stopped for lunch at Donna's Cafe in Pomeroy. If you're looking for a great club sandwich (and good fries!), stop there. Hey! I need a sponsor (or more). It's awesome to hear the lead bikers fly by with their Zipp (aero) wheels - they sound like jets going by! A wheelset only runs about $2200 - they would make a great birthday present (front - 404 clinchers, rear - 808 clinchers, in case you're interested)! Theoretically, I could ride faster with those wheels (or at least look fast & sound fast - I need to make my BODY more aero!)