Six Hours of the Dirty Duathlon

As it turns out . . .my foot problem was not just from my blisters (wishful thinking?) and after seeing Seans podiatrist today it looks like a common overuse injury. Knowing "exactly" what caused it now to get it all fixed up gave me some peace of mind but what about the 6 hours of off-road running and riding this weekend?? This is the third time I have been signed up for one of Roberts races and I was determined to make it out this time and to the finish but it was just not going to happen. Rest and a new perspective was on the agenda...

While most "riders" I know were going nowhere but to watch the Tour of California, Monique, Mandy, Tiffany, Marius, Wes and I all headed for Vegas for a tour of our own. I was stoked to be supporting everyone and after looking back I needed more of a rest than I thought. Rest is a good thing!

Minutes before the start Robert explained the course outline and how "this is the first race I have ever put on that has the course marked". A true adventure racer and he would be racing the entire day along everyone else. Awesome! The course was basically four loops (run, bike, run, bike) that competitors would complete in order or teams would switch off between running and biking until the six hours ran out. More laps better placing. Monique, Wes and Marius were all going solo and Mandy and Tiffany were teaming it up on the bike and run.


I was so stoked be watching the race and have to admit it was hard holding back and not getting in on the action but after the first lap I was having a ton of fun watching this interesting group! Wes and the top four guys got lost on the first lap and almost rode to starbucks...Monique went over the handle bars and landed in some rocks...Mandy and Tiffany were already setting the record pace for the day. I was snapping pics!

The bike course stretched out over Mother, Girl Scout, POW and the Lake View trails (I think I got the names right?) and the run started on trails and in true "adventure" fashion headed down a dried up riverbed on one of the loops. Not having to focus on the race, I was able to take it all in...I remember stopping at one point and watching Monique and a few others running down a trail to my left. To my right a group of downhillers floating over jumps in a pace line of dust down the trail and just above me two seconds later a group of people descending on one of the zip lines. Was I watching a commercial for Bootleg Canyon?

Six long brutal hours later Mandy and Tiffany completed more laps than anyone else...hands down these girls Rocked it! Mandy is probably the fastest girl I know on the bike and Tiffany is the fastest running girl I know so it was not that big of a surprise. Wes and Monique battled it out in the solo and both finished up with a 3rd place spot and Marius got his training in for Vision Quest. Stoked.

The next day we decided to stick around and ride Blue Diamond and I am so glad that we did. Super fun trails and although a little less technical than Bootleg the speed you can carry through them keep the fun and fear factor up there. We got out just in time before the rain and it was back to icing the foot on the ride home. Now we are all resting for a bit.