SheRox Sprint Duathlon

No photos yet, but here are my results:

Clock Time
01:37:36

Run 1:
00:11:38 (7:44/mile pace)

Trans1:
00:02:27

Bike:
00:54:50 (17.2mph)

Trans2:
00:01:31

Run2:
00:27:07 (8:44/mile pace)

Let's just say we should have called it a day when we got out of bed this morning. Driving to the race the skies looked ominous and the humidity was 100% - the air was thick. Kacy and I wondered if rain would hold off long enough to still make this race a triathlon. We got to the race site around 6:15am, secured a good parking spot for an easy entrance/exit and headed to transition. As we walked to transition, the skies opened up and we got soaked before we even walked down the hill on Black Rd. to get to transition. Body marking was a challenge because we were already wet. Luckily Kacy had her towel handy to dry off the arms and legs.
As we entered transition, they were announcing that they were still planning on going ahead with the race as a triathlon. As time went on and thunder boomed in the distance, they had to reconsider the decision and after a good 1/2 hour to 45 minute delay the race officials decided to cancel the swim because of the current and the amount of debris floating in the river. The race was now going to be a duathlon. I had mixed feelings about this . . . but knew the swim would have been brutal.

Run 1 (1.5 miles):
Kacy and I were in Wave 12 which ended up going off at 9:45am which was just about an hour delay from when we would have originally started. The first run was fine - it was humid, but not raining. The street was a little slippery from the earlier rain, but I was able to keep a fairly brisk pace for the run. Entered transition at 11:38.

T1:
Took me 2:27 which I was a little surprised about . . . but I think it was because my bike rack was at the far end of transition so it was a long run to the "bike out" timing mount.

Bike (15.5 miles):

Mounting the bike went off without incident. Started out averaging around 19mph and passing alot of people along the way. As the bike went on, the rain started again . . . along with thunder and some lightening now. The course was nice with only two significant uphills and a few downhills; however, the course was very slippery and dangerous. I saw a couple really nasty wrecks - 2 women with c-collars placed by paramedics on the scene. That definitely slowed me down because I didn't want that to be me on one of the downhills. One of those times that you say to yourself "is it really worth it to push hard, right now?" The safety answer was no . . . so my bike speed definitely was slower than I could have done if conditions were better.

T2:
1:31

This transition was quicker. Ran to the bike rack, took off the bike shoes, helmet and sunglasses, slipped on the running shoes, grabbed the water bottle and took off. Felt good running out through transition.

Run 2 (3.1miles):

This run was great for about the first mile and a half, at which point you could see some really nasty clouds in the distance, towards the finish. Scary and very close lightening along with deafening thunder precluded the most torrential downpour I have seen in a LONG time. Just as you thought it couldn't rain any harder, it just kept intensifying - I had to keep wiping my eyes because I couldn't see through all the rain pelting my face. Luckily I was able to run all the way through and finish the race. Unfortunately for Kacy and MANY other athletes out there, they cancelled the race while I was out on the run - people who were biking had to stop and people out on the run had to turn around wherever they were at that point. Honestly, the only thing that got me through it was the adrenaline from my 'fight or flight" response - I wanted to make sure I didn't get struck by lightening!

Post-Race-

Going back into transition after the race was another disaster. It was still downpouring rain and the transition area was flooded under 3-4" of water. I didn't lose any of my equipment but my bag was soaked as were my towels that had rested on the ground. I decided it wasn't worth keeping the towels because they were submerged in muddy flood waters and weighed about 50 pounds! Nothing else was lost, but I was super soaked. The post-race celebration was cancelled as were the awards. The priority of the race directors was getting people off the race course and on their way home as fast as possible. I give them credit for trying to keep things calm and organized under very bad conditions!
We headed back to the car and racked the bikes and headed home. Some of the local roads were floooded on the drive back, but luckily I figured a way around them.
On the way home as Kacy and I were debating our sanity for sticking with it during the race I said "There is a thin line between being brave and being stupid . . . I think we were pretty stupid today." Kacy agreed.
If nothing else, it was yet another adventure and learning experience. Hoping for better luck next year!