Shanghai Duathlon

This was the third annual Shanghai Di Shui Lake Duathlon. I actually registered for the event over a month ago. I thought it would be good preparation for the double marathon goal of running both the Hangzhou Half Marathon and the Shanghai Half Marathon in November. The event consists of a 5 km run, 42.5 km bike, 10 km run.

My training for this event was decent. I would do my normal marathon training runs. I would add a 26 km bike leg after a short run and sometimes i would run 10 km and do a 26 km bike ride. I also did a few long mountain bike rides and I competed in the 140 km Qing Dao Lake Road Race (another story). Even with this training I felt really nervous. The distance is extremely long, so I put a simple goal of completing the event in three hours including transition time. I figured 30 minutes for the 5 km, one hour and a half for the 42.5 km, and 60 minutes for the 10 km. I figured I should be able to fit transition time somewhere in there without affecting the goal.

Here we are at the race site. Bill, Freddy, and Me ready to compete. The only thing that comes to mind when I see this picture is the lack of pain in our faces.

The race started of with the 5 km. I really wanted to run 8:05 pace. I thought a fast start would be good and set the tempo for the rest of the race. Thanks to my Garmin Forerunner 305, I was able to keep the pace and both Bill and I finished the first 5 km in 26 minutes. I was pretty happy, but already feeling the effort in my legs.

I had planned the transitions to be very quick. I had not really practiced transition before, but from my previous two mini-triathlons and short duathlon, I had learned that too much time in transitions can be very costly. For the first transition, the plan was to put on my bike helmet, stuff a granola bar in the back of my shorts, and change my shoes.

Here I am in the transition area. The plan worked nicely and I was very quickly on the bike. The first few miles on the bike were getting my legs used to the different feeling. After running a 5 km pretty fast and jumping on the bike, my legs take a few to get used to the new motion.

Just info for some of you bike enthusiasts, I now ride a Specialized Tarmac FACT Carbon bike with Shimano 105 components and an Ultegra Rear derailleur. Another interesting fact, the white rear water bottle was actually used in the Olympics by Carlos Coloma of Spain. Isaac picked it up as a souvenir at the Olympics.

I tried to ride pretty fast around the bike course. The wind was very strong in some sections. It would just sap your energy. I tried to conserve energy against the wind and then power when I was with the wind. It was a very hard effort. I knew that I also could not push myself harder because there were still 10 km of running left after the cycling. I averaged 29.4 km per hour over the 42.5 km. I was able to finish the biking section in one hour and 26 minutes.

The second transition also went well. I returned my bike, took off my helmet, and changed my shoes.

The second 10 km went real slow. My legs felt like bricks. The previous two hours of running and biking had taken their toll on my legs. I was pushing legs that no longer wanted to move. I could feel the pain. I was not alone. I would look at the faces of the other runners and see the same pain in their faces. Some had to walk, others would trot. I ran the last 10 km in 58:54.

Here I am running the last 1/4 mile. I always have in my head that once I pass the finish line the suffering will end. It is the will to suffer and knowing how deep you can suffer that helps do these long events. I think this thought is what made Lance Armstrong so good. He had suffered through cancer and cheated death. Suffering through the Tour de France would never equal the pain and agony he went through with Cancer. Simply put, he was willing to suffer more than all the other riders.

Here I am reaching the end of the suffering. It feels good to see the finish line in site. It even feels better to have my son running beside me as I reach the finish line. It reminded me of near the end of the Houston Half Marathon in 2007. I was nearing the finish line and I was getting tired. My son, out of no where, started to run with me and cheer me on in Houston. It gave me that extra energy to pick up the pace and finish strong in Houston.

Family and friend support is very important in these long races. I could hear my wife cheering me on while I went speeding by on the bike. This type of cheering gives you the extra effort to keep it going, especially when the mind starts to tell the body it doesn't want to feel the pain anymore.

All the hard work for a little medal. No it's not gold, but it comes with the satisfaction of finishing the event. My unofficial Garmin time was 2:57:22. The results have not been posted, but I did sign my card after the finish and it was just about the same time.

The official photographer of this race was my dear and loving wife Sonia. She took really good pictures and has made this blog entry come to life.