Women Run The Cities - 2014 - Race Recap

I don't remember where I first heard about Women Run the Cities, but I liked that it was a Women only race and wanted to try it. It was not my favorite Half-Marathon, but it had a reasonable fee.

 Last Sunday of September was still pleasant beginning of Fall weather. My outfit was perfect for the 64F morning. Race route was starting from Minnehaha Falls park and on the road along the Missisippi river and back. I so wish I had carried my iPod for pictures. But all my summer races without jacket are without any route pictures. I did not train to run with the shoulder patch or belt to carry the iPod.

I finished at 2:09 hours. It was nice and sunny by then. Later spent a few hours in the park with family and taking picures.

The half zip jacket and medal was super-cool. I see myself using it in lot of other workout sessions.

All arrangements were awesome good - packet-pickup, food, water-stops, medals, enthusiatic and helpful volunteers. Only thing they can improve is their website. there is some issue with the way it loads on browser.

Minneapolis Duathlon - 2014 - Recap Plus Biking

I got into the fitness lifestyle via Biking. For few summers, I watched enviously as young crowds zipped around in their bikes, while I was stuck in car lugging grocery and protected from leftover  snow. I was still stuck in the thought, that bikes were for kids. It took me a leap, to believe that nothing was stopping me, except I me myself. I felt no shame about what onlookers thought of me; I was well past that. And I could afford the money needed for bike and accessories; I was no longer the young graduate working through loans. Plus I loved the thrill that came from zipping away on a bike.

That's it, now all that needed to be done, was research and buy. As usual, nothing is perfect. First summer, I bought a mountain bike. It was pretty much first time I had bought a bike. I enjoyed that summer. Due to relocation I had to get rid of it. Next summer I bought another mountain bike. It was faulty with substandard parts, so had to return. By this time, I knew that mountain bike was not for me. It's way bulky and no way I was going into trails. So I needed road bike. Of course its very very expensive, so I settled for a hybrid one.

All this time, my favorite procrastination activity was browsing bike trails in my city & around. Once I traversed all bike trails around lakes and neighborhood, my stamina improved enough for me to dream of running. Lake Calhoun-Harriet were my favorite loppety-loop bike trails. Eventually I did start running and to keep it interesting, signed up for races. And that's how I ended up at Minneapolis Duathlon. Bike and running - something this scary is bound to be enticing :)

Packet pickup was at the Depot hotel, usual one for all Team Ortho races. Its a good landmark to visit. Swag was a Biking shirt and a Pouch to attach to the bike. Pretty useful.

Duathlon was in the last week of August. Hubby dropped me at the start point near Depot Hotel around 6am. It was still dark and the road were lit under florescent street-light. It was not cold at all and later it rose to 80F.

The bike shirt had nice 3 pockets on the back. But I have never practiced running with iPod and don't like that jiggling. So I missed out on some good pictures. Anyway there was not a minute of rest.

Race start was while it was still dark. Transition area was a car lot next to Depot Hotel, where everyone parked bikes. The start corrals were not properly managed. It took a lot of time to start. No mikes were allowed due to sound restrictions. This spot is right in the downtown. From here, the 5K race went via 3rd Avenue Bridge and through the Stone Arch bridge back to the transition point. Bike race went from here through UofM hills (I hate them) to Minnehaha Falls entrance and looped back to start. Next 5K race was the same route as first one. The sights throughout the route was absolute beautiful; especially in the changing lights from dark to mid-morning.

Water points & Powerade were adequate. They even handed out towels at the 5K turnaround. There were photographers around.

I completed the  5K run (3.1 miles) - 14.5-mile bike - 5K run (3.1 miles) in 2:39:13 hours.

I was in the batch of last few finishers. They had started dismantling by the time I finished. And the whole place was cleaned out, by the time I got my bike back and waited for my ride. So I could not show the event stuff to my family, but we spent a relaxing time at the Stone Arch bridge, which was the finish point. This is yet another lovely landmark, to spend an evening with the family. Walk along the bridge and see interesting view of I35W bridge, Mill city museum and St Antony Falls below.