PADDEN MOUNTAIN BIKE DUATHLON

Area Man, Mike McQuaide, models the official Titanium Cowboys duathlon kit.

With Cascade Cross's Thriller Cross moved to December, I'll instead throw down, as it were, at Sunday's Klick's Mountain Bike Duathlon at Lake Padden. It's a race I've done many times and yet am always surprised at how absolutely painfully hard it is. You get done with the first 2.6-mile run lap and right away you're climbing up, up, up and more up the Expert MTB loop. And of course the race finishes with another 2.6-mile run lap. 

The above shot is at the finish of the 2009 race, during which I rode my single-speed and shot a helmet cam video with my old, grainy-ish GoPro camera. See the video below: 

Adding to this year's fun is the weather forecast: rain and wind for the first time in months! Glenn G., Bryan S. and I pre-rode the course a couple days ago when it was Eastern Washington-dry-as-a-bone; we surely won't have them conditions on Sunday. Lookin' forward to it, nonetheless. First race with the new carbon 29er fork!

A tie-dyed Johnny Boy Clark during the 2009 race.

Lastly, thanks to everyone who came to last night's REI Redmond slideshow--it was a fun time! Next up: Slideshow presentation at the Skagit Bicycle Club's Annual Meeting on Oct. 17. Looking forward to it! 

PADDEN MOUNTAIN BIKE DUATHLON VIDEO

Here it is, the RunningShoes.com Duathlon vid. Funny, how there're very few bikes still around by the time I get going. Wonder where they all went. By the way, this is the same course as is used on the Padden Mountain Pedal races. Enjoy!

Found these pics of Team Unattacked members John Clark and myself on themickeyd's photostream on www.flickr.com. Lots of duathlon photos there.

PADDEN MOUNTAIN DUATHLON PHOTOS AND HELMET CAM VIDEO

Here're a few quick pics (photo credit: the lovely Jen McQuaide) from yesterday's RunningShoes.com Duathlon. Great fun, great friends, great workout esp. on the 29er single-speed. Above, check out my shirt. Fetching, huh? Below, Johnny Boy Clark heads out on the ride. Speaking of the ride, I shot video with my helmet cam but can't seem to post it here. So here it is on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LpoHSLL7gk.youtube.com/watch?v=_LpoHSLL7gk
Team Unattacked including the Titanium Cowboy complete with new scaphoid McNugget cast. Great to see the boy.

Again, the shirt. Actually, Tammy Bennett told me that John and I each won pint glasses for our attire. Sweet!

TEAM UNATTACKED NEWS

This past Wednesday, Team Unattacked strongman Scott "Titanium Cowboy" Young underwent surgery on his broken scaphoid on his left hand. As you can see from the photo above, in which his hand bones resemble Chicken McNuggets, they put a screw in that big McNugget on the left. Always thinkin', Scott texted me that he made sure it has an Allen head so that he can use his bike tool to tighten it on rides if he has to. Get well soon, Scott!

Meanwhile, Mellow Johnny Boy Clark and I scouted out a locale for a future training camp. Yesterday, we went mountain biking on Orcas Island which, come Sept. 15, opens up about 20 more miles to the fat tire crowd. The trails are really nice--mostly wide and smooth with long, long descents (and climbs) and, on sunny days, probaby the most spectacular views around.

Above, John rides the Little Summit Trail, just below the top of Mount Constitution. That's Lummi Island, Bellingham (and Bellingham Bay) and Mount Baker in the distance. The weather and views were terrific and it felt like we had not only Moran State Park, but the whole island to ourselves. (Perhaps one of the few advantages of a tanking economy.) While John was shirking his responsibilities I was actually working, as this ride will be part of an upcoming story I'm writing for The Seattle Times. 

Riding Orcas Island reminded me of what a great place it is to run too. I'm considering running the Orcas Island 25K in February. (There's a 50K too for the John Clarks and Scott Youngs of the world.) Below, John and I strike a pose behind his Niner Air9. (I had my own bike, really I did.)

Sunday is the RunningShoes.com Duathlon in which I'm planning to ride (and push where necessary) my 29er single-speed. May wear my helmet too.

RUNNINGSHOES.COM DUATHLON PHOTOS

Here's a couple shots from yesterday's duathlon. Above is the sassy John Clark. Below, I'm the blur in the background wearing orangish-brown. I must've been going really fast.
For more images, go to www.bellinghamherald.com/492/gallery/603674.html#http://media.bellinghamherald.com/smedia/2008/10/12/17/530-081012-13_Duathlon-DFG-01.standalone.prod_affiliate.39.JPG

SUNDAY GALBRAITH SUNDAY

Yes, another epic day on Galbraith but before we hit the hill, I did the RunningShoes.com mountain bike duathlon at Lake Padden this a.m. A lot of you have asked (actually just my sister, Kath) how me ankle's been. Been fine. It's me left knee that's been barkin' fer about 10 days now.I suspect the dread IT band thingee syndrome stuff. No matter, it was fine for the the couple jaunts 'round the 2.6-mile lake loop and once up and down (and up) the expert mountain bike course.
I was done in 1:07 'n' change, about nine minutes behind the ever-sassy John Clark who took seventh overall, I believe. It was great fun and oddly (kinda) the first event I've done all year that involved running. In two weeks, I plan on the Belly Cross cyclocross race at Cornwall Park. www.cascadecross.com/races/belly-cross.

I wanna thank Kelly Mielke for the duathlon photos he took. Look at the way I run. I look like a freak. I lean so far back I look like the "Keep On Truckin'" dude from the R. Crumb comic. Right, so after the duathlon it was onto Galbratih with Baker, his schoolchum Kyler and dad Ed, and Kyler's friend Logan. Great ride (as usual). From the Birch St. side we did Miranda (where we saw the ubiquitous Galbraith rat, Steve Noble), Ridge, Cedar Dust (twice), Family Fun Center, Road 1200, SST (where the above and below pics are from), and back to Ridge-Miranda.
The above video is from Karma, which we threw in at the end of the ride. First rider is Bake, then Kyler and Logan.