16.06.08 - First Win, New Look: Knicks & Sneakers
I've always wanted to do a running race since high school. When I heard Trek were supporting an XTerra Duathlon in Shiga, I thought it was a good opportunity. Combining mountain biking and offroad running. Perfect!
Vince, Noguchi and I headed up to Grimm Forest, north of Shiga, to do something we'd never done. Running in bike shorts. The day before the event we helped run a skills clinic, which was fun. We checked out the race track at the same time. I was suprised at how good the track was, with plenty of challenging uphill and downhill sections. But the run was even tougher. It ran along a steep ridge, sometimes dropping in and out of it. So it was easy to fall down and were were having to grab roots to pull ourselves up at times.
The event was really well organised, with things running smoothly and competitors seeming happy and relaxed about things. It was a relaxed and fun atmosphere in general. A few families and beginners were involved, so it was a nice change from the pressures of racing. For example, the prize draw was done with 'Paper-scissors-rock'.
The race was pure fun (with some pain of course). I just followed the leaders in the run, to get a feel for the speed, then went into transition with them. But I took a while to do my laces up, while others had elastic. But I caught back up on the bike leg within the first few Ks. By the top of the climb I had a good lead, then extended it on the rest of the fun track in good conditions. By the end of the bike laps I had a few minutes. Going into the second run my legs were pretty dead, but not as much as I expected. I kept looking back, expecting to be caught, but it never happened. I finished with a solid lead.
Running pain was different to riding pain, but mixing it up made it interesting. It was a good challenge and a good change from normal mountain bike racing. But good training. I'm keen to go again next year for sure!
