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Race Result

Racer: Jose Torres
Race: Bronx Duathlon
Date: Sunday, April 29, 2012
Location: Bronx, NY
Race Type: Duathlon - Sprint
Age Group: Male 35 - 39
Time: 1:25:03
Overall Place: 28 / 125
Age Group Place: 3 / 14
Comment: Sensible pace pays off & every second counts!!



Race Report:



So this was a Duathlon that consisted of a 2.9 mile run followed by a 14.4 mile bike and another 2.9 mile run. The run started in the huge parking lot of Orchard Beach and ran along the entire beach front. The bike course was flat and consisted of 6/2.4 mile loops. The total elevation gain was less than 170 feet.

Going into this race I was really focusing on my running & overall pacing. After San Juan's torturous run and my first DNF in Rumpus, mentally, I really needed everything to go well. Since San Juan I've been focusing a lot on pace and nutrition, in this race my plan was to go all out and see what happens!! Oh no, sorry that was the San Juan race plan. (LOL) For this race I was planning to run a negative slip on the runs and a strong but well paced bike leg. Also I planned to drink plenty of water and carb up right before the race.

The air temperature was about 45 degrees 7:30 AM. In order to warm up I was bundled up in my sweat pants and hoodie, I ran for about 5-7 minutes with about 2 minutes at race pace. Right after the racing instruction I removed all the extra clothes and lined up at the start line in my tri top and shorts. By now the air temp was closer to 50 degrees and I was feeling really good. I noticed a bunch of folks wearing light coats and sweaters. They would pay dearly for this later on.

Start, we ran out of the parking lot area and headed for the beach, the first turn around was at about .9 miles and I could already see the overdressed folks were starting to regret having the extra layers. At the next turn around I was sub 7 min pace and slowed it down a little, this was not my plan. By the last turn around about 1.9 miles I was right around 7:00 pace and held steady. The last mile into T1 the folks in sweaters started falling back pretty quick. I was really happy I did not push the pace; I got into T1 in 20:36 into the race.

For the first time during a race I started thinking about exactly what I would do in T1 for about 300 yards before hand. All I had at my station was my bike shoes and helmet, I already had my race belt and sunglasses on. So I got into my shoes and put my helmet on at the same time, I was out of T1 in 33 seconds.
The bike course was really cool. At first I did not like the idea of doing 6 laps. But I quickly realized that this was allowing me to learn the course and complete each lap faster with less effort. I was able to pedal through tough turns after completing my 2nd lap. In order to assure myself a good run, I really held back on my effort on the bike. I finished in 41:54 minutes at a 20.6 MPH. In the past I may have gone 21.5 MPH on this type of course.
Going into T2 I felt really good. I got out of T2 in 29 seconds.
The last run I felt really good. I started off at about 8 minute pace and then sped up to 7 minutes at the first turn around. After the last turnaround I noticed a guy in a white shirt that was making up time on me. I ran this race with my cousin and his friend. It was his friend’s first race. When I saw this guy behind me I thought it was my cousin’s friend. I was thinking to myself “I’m not going to let some guys doing his first ever race beat me” So I really picked up the pace and finished 3 seconds ahead of the guy in the white shirt. It turned out it was not my cousin’s friend, but it was the 4th place finisher in my AG. So hence my race report title, this guy beat me on the first and second run, but I got about 4 minutes on him on the bike and another 52 seconds in transition.
So I’m very excited to have won my first actual award. I’ve won and placed in my AG before, but never got an award. I’m also excited for my cousin Michael who completed his second Duathlon and we are now looking forward to doing a triathlon together.


Run one 20:36 (7:06 pace)
T1 :33
Bike 41:54 (20.6 MPH)
T2 :29
Run two 21:29 (7:24 pace)
Total 1:25:03