At 7:30 AM this Saturday, the Bayou Runners Club and Bayou Country Cyclists kicked off their third-annual “Courir-Velo-Courier” duathlon and two mile run.
(Transition area in front of the Houma Civic Center)
The duathlon consisted of a two mile run, a ten mile bike, and a two mile run.
It started and ended at the Houma Civic Center. Participants could register for the duathlon individually (like me), as part of a relay team (like my husband, Jacob, who ran while another guy rode the bike). Also, there was an option to register for the two-mile run. That’s what my friend, Paige, did.
It appears that the event must have drawn triathletes from all around Louisiana. I saw lots of unfamiliar faces who looked to be in very good shape!
(Posing next to my bike, aka the bulkiest bike at the event. )
(Paige, who did the two mile run, and her guy, Brodie, who did the duathlon. Brodie is a member of the Green Team, Houma’s cycling group.)
(Me and Jacob before the race. I wish I could have gotten a picture of him with his relay partner.)
The first two-mile run was an out and back course. It flew by, as we passed alongside a golf course. I wasn’t a pro at transitioning. I wasn’t in any type of a rush. I wanted to make sure I didn’t forget anything important.
Things I did at transition:
Ran to the bike rack.
Changed my Garmin from running mode to cycling mode.
Took my iPod off and put it in my SPI-belt for the bike ride.
Put my helmet on.
Walked the bike to the “mount” area.
And I was off!
The bike ride went 5 miles down Bayou Black Drive. We crossed a bride and headed back up on Southdown Mandalay Road. The bike ride was breathtaking. This area is known for its gorgeous homes alongside the bayou. The weather felt just right, and I was in the zone. I rode those 10 miles faster than I’ve ever rode before.
We ended up back at the Civic Center, where I de-mounted and started running again.
*Side note: I attempted a few mini “brick” workouts a few weeks before the race by riding a few miles on the bike and running right after, but nothing could prepare me for that “jello” condition my legs were in. Very strange feeling!*
It felt like I was running very slow, but I was actually going pretty fast. About a mile into the second run, my legs started feeling normal again. I don’t think I need to even say that my second run was a lot slower than my first.
The race ended in front of the Civic Center, where I crossed the finish line surrounded by people cheering. These people were super enthusiastic! There was even a D.J. playing music.
I kicked it into high gear, sprinting as hard as I could. What can I say? I finished! I can now cross something off my “30 Before 30″ list.
I felt incredibly proud of myself. I even placed second in my age category! (20-29) My official time was 1:22:19.
Check it out! My Paw Paw Burnie and I showing off our medals.
I highly encourage all you Louisiana runners to head on down to Houma next year for the Courir-Velo-Courir Duathlon.
Come see how we do it down here! You won’t regret it!
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@cajunrunnerjess