The day began with 1/2 a banana and peanut butter to energize our walk around Valley View Golf Course.

The three of us went for a 4 miler to stretch our legs and warm ourselves up.

There was some play time..

When we got back home, it was a carbohydrate loaded breakfast to fuel the Dualthon which was to begin at 1PM.

I had to have my coffee

A beautiful bowl of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Steel Cut oats (1/4 c dry) with raisins and peanut butter and 1/2 a banana all cooked into the oats for 20 minutes.  Big, juicy berries were added on the side.

Protein for muscle fuel was a Cappuccino Spiru-Tein Shake

We left the house at 11: 15 in hopes we could find where we had to sign up and where we were to leave clothes and running shoes after skiing.  I was still not sure if I would be doing both the skiing and running.  If Ted wasn’t able to be paired for the Relay with a runner, we would do the relay and I would skip the skiing.  As it turned out, he was able to just sign up for the skiing.  I signed up for both.  I was doing the DOO  (“Duathlon”)!  6K Cross Country skiing, around Seven Oaks Golf course twice and a 5K run into the village of Hamilton.

The turn out was good.  There were obviously more experienced skiers than we thought.  What happened to the “Fun Event”????!!!!  There were people waxing their skis.  Ours haven’t been waxed since we bought them, some 8 years ago. It was going to be hard work for us. 

Separated into “waves” to start, we were in group 3 (the red dot wave, 1:04pm start).  It was time.  When we set out, I was ahead of Ted.  He caught up and said, “you have to speed it up.  make like you’re running”.  That helped a little.  I passed him.  It seemed like there were a lot of people passing me.  As I headed into the second lap around the golf course, I became aware of how alone I was.  “Am I last?”  I thought.   I didn’t dare turn around to see where Ted was or to see if anyone was behind. There was some guy in front of me with grey sweats on.  “Was Ted wearing his grey sweats?”  I couldn’t remember.  I chugged alone, alone, no one around.  As I came to the end, I saw Ted.  “Wow..He’s Good!” 

I entered the transition area to change from skiing clothes to running clothes and Ted said he suffered a quad. problem and had to end after the first round of skiing.  I said “Am I last? I don’t see anyone?”  He said, “no there are a few people behind”.   Now I had to run a 5K.  How the heck was I going to do it?   My hammy was a bit achy and the first stretch of the run was up hill.  Just DO IT!  As I kept telling myself all the way through the skiing in between the thoughts of “why am I doing this?”   “I am so tired”.  “I will never ski again after this is over”.  BUT…. “training is all about doing something you don’t always want to do so KEEP GOING”.  It was that thought that kept repeating itself throughout the entire event.  It got hard. My body got painful.  The thought that kept everything in perspective was   “You have to do things you don’t want to do sometimes in order to succeed”.  I kept going.

Sneakers on, I was out of the transition area.   Running along and thinking, “I hope I’m not last. I’ve never been last before”.  “This is fun, right?”.  “The run should be easy because this is a fun event”.   Then I saw two people ahead of me.  I was gaining on them.  Cool!  I’m not alone out here.  

I came up on mile 1…it was a blur 

See?  BLUR!

As I was running down the hill, I looked to my left and saw people running up the hill toward Colgate University.  “YOU’RE KIDDING!”. I couldn’t believe they were making us run UP that hill. What happened to fun and flat?!   At that point my left sneaker came untied.  I actually wondered whether I really had to stop to tie it back up.  Shoot! I had to tie it. 

I passed the girl in front of me heading toward mile marker 2.

As you can see, it was the up hill toward the University.  Then we turned and it was downhill again and all flat from there to the finish.  I passed one other guy on  my way to the finish. 

What a welcome sight that was.  Finished the skiing, 6K and the run, 5K in 83.2 minutes.  Not great,  but then again, who said I was a skier?!

Bob and Nancy and Ted were all there waiting.   Nancy was the first with her warm “We’re proud of you! You did great!” encouraging, OH SO NEEDED words…

Then a big group hug to celebrate friends and life…

I saw the after race eats and opted out…

Even though the bonfire was blazing, we wanted more sustenance and drink so headed on over to Colgate Inn where food was offered to contestants.

We only found wings and chowder

I’m not sure what happened to the Hamilton Food Challenge in Village Green, or the voting card we could get for sampling food from local restaurants and shops, but it was too cold and we were too hungry to try to seek it all out.  Colgate Inn was in plain sight and we knew it would be good.

A full bodied, balanced Bogle Petite Syrah enjoyed by Nancy and I and Ted opted for a Gnarly Head Zinfandel.  Bob was the smart one and enjoyed a hot coffee drink.  It looked great but I had sweaty lips and didn’t dare ask for a taste.

The four of us enjoyed good eats, good drinks and excellent conversation with lots of laughs.

I swiped some of (okay…ALL) Nancy’s bread with melted cheese on top.  It came with her wonderful big dish of Mac and Cheese.

We were out of the Inn by 4 PM and on the road home.  The wine, the water, the coffee all fell like a waterfall to my tiny bladder and desperation hit.    Luckily, Breakaway Lounge, on Route 12, Clinton, was on the way home and offered friendly understanding smiles as I walked ran inside looking every which way and asking “BATHROOM????!!!!”  I have never been in that little lounge/bar.  It’s cute, warm and inviting.  Maybe I was just in the mood for a little warm bar. Anyway – there was no time to stop, we were headed home.

The synopsis of the Heat up Hamilton Duathlon:   It was promoted as a fun event but there were more experienced, competitive people than people wanting “fun”.  It was hard.  It was challenging.  On a more positive note, it was well organized for a first time event such as this.  There might be a few tweaks in order if they hold the Duathlon again next year such as more water stops and more support along roadside for the run.  It was lonely out there!  I’m glad I completed it but will I do it again?   Please – don’t let me!

Have you ever done an event, vowing to never do it again and the following year, you are right back at the starting line?