Gut-Busting Duathlon Workout

Yesterday, bro- and sis-in-law Matt and Angela came over to get sweaty in my garage. Yep, it was time for that "duathlon workout" that we like to do. It starts with a 10 minute warm-up on the trainer, and then right into a 1-mile run. After that, it's 3 more intervals of biking (on the trainer) for 9.5 minutes each doing 0:30 hard and 0:30 easy (ending after a 0:30 hard, and hoping back on the bike starting with 0:30 hard), followed by a 1 mile run. Basically, bike/run x4. It's killer.

The workout came at a good time for me because Duathlon Nationals is in 11 days. I'm doing the short course, which is a 1.55 mile run, 14 mile bike, and 1.55 mile run. So all the transitions in this workout were good for me, along with running fast on tired legs after hopping off the bike. (That last one is always a good skill to develop, but I feel like it's extra important because this upcoming race is super short - there's no time to "ease your way into" the run. It's off the bike and then run at 100% for less than 10 minutes at this short race!)

It was also good timing because the 3 of us were at Matt's younger brother's wedding a few days before...

SIDENOTE: LOOK AT HOW CUTE MY FAMILY WAS AT THE WEDDING!!

OK, back to your regularly scheduled blog post.

... and I kinda ate crap for a few days. So this was a good JOLT back into reality.

OK, on to the workout! We started spinning for our 10 minute warmup, and I hopped off to get a shot near the end of that:

When the workout was done, I accidentally cleared my watch instead of saving the numbers, so I don't have my exact bike times or my transitions. But I'm 90% sure I remembered all my run splits correctly. We hopped off our bikes, switched shoes ASAP, and took off for our first 1-mile run. I went out hard and ran the first half mile in 2:54, and the final half mile in 3:00, for a 5:54 total first mile.

Then it was back on the bike for some hard (then easy) spinning. The 2nd run FELT MUCH WORSE. Heavy legs right away. I did that one in 6:06 (3:06, 3:00). Ouch. I climbed back on my bike, did my 0:30 hard, and snapped a selfie when I started my 0:30 easy:

Sweaty. But still presentable.


Angela back on her bike behind me, and Matt coming through to get on his.

There was lots of suffering in the 3rd run. I knocked down my time a bit from the 2nd run, running a 6:04 (3:04, 3:00). Then, back to the bike and another selfie once I got a little break:

Gross. My apologies.

I ripped a BIG fart right as Angela got back from her 3rd run. And then Matt came in and walked through it too. I'm not a very good host. Sorry guys.

My stomach gave some churns on the final run - I think it was a few days of wedding food and continental breakfasts catching up with me. I figured I'd be running straight into the house to the bathroom. But I was fine. (Had the run been another half mile or there been 1 more interval, it would have gotten ugly.) My final run was 6:01 (3:07 [yikes] and 2:54). I started stretching a bit as Matt and Angela finished up:

Angela coming back up the last hill.


Matt finishing up.

Technically, I had a PR for this workout, finishing in 1:03:59. My runs were NOT the fastest (I really hoped they'd all be under 6:00, but that didn't even come close to happening), but my transitions were fast - I noticed 1 under 0:10, and a few of 0:10 or 0:11. And again, I cleared my watch accidentally, so I can't be sure on all of my transition times.

Speaking of Duathlon Nationals: I think I'll be posting a bit of a "course preview" this weekend. So check back for that.

Not that anyone cares (this is more for me than for anyone else), but I've apparently done this workout 9 times now. Here's links to the first 8 times: first at the track with Marie, then a shorter version on the track with Matt, then near the track by myself, then out of my garage by myself, then out of my garage with friends on a HOT day, then on a chilly day in the garage with my Garmin, then 2 years ago with Matt, and finally last summer with Matt, Angela, and Jeremy.