2012 Dirty Spokes Duathlon at Fort Yargo

Dirty Spokes, Inc.

Finally! Finally my daughters are getting old enough to actually enjoy competing in something more than a 5K fun run. Our first real race would take place at a familiar location for my family, Fort Yargo State Park in Winder, Georgia. After deciding to quit Gymnastics my oldest daughter, Molly, wanted to stay fit and have an event to train for so we started looking at the calender. Last year my friend David Shabat and I were very successful in the Dirty Spokes Duathlon Series but I hadn't considered it something Molly could do because it was so much running. But when I checked the website I found out Tim had a Parent/Child category. Done!

These great folks put on some of the best races in Georgia. Despite the name they're actually known best for their XTERRA trail running series. And in case you are new to my blog let me tell you "I don't run." It's not what I do. I only have time to be good at one discipline. So running is only for bone density and nothing else. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt so much if I ran all the time. It might actually be fun. But right now it's not fun...to run.

Molly has plenty of nervous energy at registration.

But Molly is young and carefree. She doesn't know that running isn't fun. She's motivated by anything. So we signed her up to race with me in the Duathlon. She would run 3.8 miles in the trail and then I'd bike 11 miles. Of course it being her first race we let her Mom run with her.
So that meant that Mother and Daughter were obligated to start training for the race. Cool.

They both made running a priority for weeks leading up to the race and by the time we got there they were ready to complete the task.

I packed my bike and all our gear into a van and we headed out on what was a beautiful Saturday morning. It started out in the 40's but warmed up to the 50's by lunch time. The breeze coming across the lake kept our jackets on though. Especially the girls. Because girls are always cold.

The park is a fantastic place for events like this. There's plenty of trail to allow the runners and bikers to stay separated. There's camping areas and play grounds and boat docks. If you bring the right stuff it's down right relaxing. I almost always bring the right stuff. I had chairs and blankets and food. Sock hats and gloves. The last thing I want is my girls to be miserable. I need them to like this.

At the start I think I was just a nervous as they were. I felt the erg to jump in there and push some people around if they got to close. But that's just my Daddy/Husband genes kicking in. I know they'll be fine. So I took pictures.

Molly and Lisa are lined up and ready.

My Angels!

Molly was wearing our number which had the timing chip built into it. I'd never seen that before but I liked it. The crowd began to swell with runners of all types. There were the super serious guys who had been waiting at the starting line for 30 minutes. Then we had some mid pack guys seemed intent on going after a personal best. And in the back were the folks who simply wanted to complete the course. I was especially inspired by the lady you see in white behind the girls. I won't say her age but she did fantastic! I only hope I'm doing stuff like this when I'm that age. I love these kinds of people. Most everyone was fun loving and grateful. It good to be around and good for my daughter to be around.

Johnny Garner aka String Bean at the start.

And then there was Johnny Garner. He is evidently warm blooded. He was almost naked. Even I felt over weight next to his skinnyness. But he must know what he's doing because his relay team won their division.

I also saw my good friends from Baxter's Multi-Sport. Ron Miller won in the Solo Single Speed Division. Doc (I don't even know his real name) took Second in his division. The team of Ray Mullins and Nathan O'Neill were Second in their division. Kelly Woodard was 1st Place. And little miss Betty Hodges took home a 1st Place in her category. Great day for the Baxter's crew!

The Start.

The Exchange.

Chad and Molly at the Finish.

After my girls were on course I headed to the van to get ready. My plan, regardless of Molly's time, was to time trial the course. So I needed to warm up. I got ready and went down to the Start/Finish to enter the bike course and pre-ride the first few miles. But by that time the speedsters were back and the transition area was full of action. I rode up next to Johnny who had just finished his first run. We watched folks coming in and I got worried that I would miss Molly (I've done that sort of thing before). So I went and got the camera and asked Johnny to take pictures for me. Molly came running up and we made our exchange. I underestimated the amount of traffic on the trail and had to dial down my expectations. It took me 54 minutes to ride what normally would take between 45 and 50.

Molly waited at the finish for me to arrive. I loved it. I've said before that events are more fun after you've completed them than while you're suffering through them. I know how great it feels to be nervous, take the start line, push through the effort and finish the race. I know how great it feels to finally sit down and relax afterwards. Knowing that you did something cool and maybe beyond what you thought you could do. I was excited for Molly. And for Lisa. Now we were having fun.

 

 We waited around for the awards ceremony to start, hanging out with the Baxter's guys in the sunshine. Which wasn't enough for Molly who wanted to stay bundled up in the chair. I spoil her, I really do. I met a nice guy who rides for Team Iron Data named Jim. He won the Solo division. Really nice guy. The announcer came by to congratulate Molly on a fine win and told her she needed a faster partner. Tim (Dirty Spokes Promoter) came by and encouraged Molly as well.

 

So there you have it. We did our first race together. And I hope there are many more to come. We had a great time thanks to the Dirty Spokes folks. It gets better the more we talk about it. A lot of the credit has to go to my beautiful wife Lisa. She puts up with me and my training and now has another trainee on her hands. But it's not so bad...she's just as competitive as I am. Perhaps one day we'll compete in the Coed division (hint, hint). 

On Sunday it was biking with friends at Gainesville College. I can't help but share some of those great pictures.

Next up is the Chainbuster Race at Conyers Horse Park. I've somehow convinced David Shabat and he's somehow convinced Clint Sanders to be on a team. It's a special team with a special team name. You'll have to wait and see what it is though. It promises to be a ton of fun. I'll take pictures.

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend! Check the top of the page for the latest ride and races in North Georgia.

Chad Hayes

Riding Alone? Why?

I'm the type of rider who needs other riders with me. I've never enjoyed riding by myself. I've done it a lot when there's training to be done for a race but it wasn't because I didn't call everyone I knew to see if they could ride. Those corny Road ID "Bobke" commercials where he pops in on famous cycling people to ask if they want to go for a ride remind me of me. I want company. It's a big reason I started this blog if you want the truth. I want to get riders together. Every guy I know likes to "hang out" and be, well, a guy. And nothing stirs up the testosterone like physical activity. There's probably a medical explanation for the great feeling I get from joking, harassing, embellishing, and possibly competing with friends while riding a bike. Now don't get me wrong, a nice fall day ride by yourself for an hour can be more relaxing than the best Lazy Boy ever made and I've enjoyed those types of rides. But those ride seem to happen for me at the last minute. If I'm looking forward all week to a ride it's always because I know there will be a big group of friends going as well.

Me, Trace, Trent, Bill, Kelley - Fort Yargo Park, Winder, GA

Bill Mashburn

Such was the case this weekend when I joined a group at Fort Yargo in Winder. I try and talk one good friend into riding at a certain time and once I have his commitment I become a salesman selling a new product. "Hey, Trace Nabors and I are riding at Yargo on Saturday, don't you want to join us?" It's not as subtle as pulling the shower curtain open on them but it works pretty well. My networking skills help me out quite a bit also. So on Saturday morning it was me, Trace, Kelley Edwards, Stan White, Trent Smith, and Bill "Mashman" Mashburn. Notable: Bill was riding his new (to him) Specialized 29er Hard Tail, his first new bike in 16 years, and he was only a few weeks from being released to ride after breaking his collar bone (on his old bike). Kelley, sporting the new BPBC kit, hasn't been riding at all and proved it. More on that later. Trent has toned down his aggressive riding style after crashing hard a few hundred times and being told by his doctor that despite his hairy chin and strong frame he is not "Wolverine". But he still disputes that. 

Trent Smith

Stan White

Since Bill told me he was still getting his fitness back and since he was on a new bike I suggested we let him lead. It's the whole "we'll go as slow as the slowest guy" rule. Well, Bill took off like his hair was on fire! We chased him for 2 miles before I suggested we regroup. It's my belief that this is where the damage was done for Kelley. When you haven't ridden fast in a while you not only have trouble with the legs and lungs but with the skills required to negotiate the trail. You use a massive amount of energy just avoiding the trees. Thus Kelley was mentally and physically stunned right from the start. I told Bill he was setting too hard of a pace and he said, "That's all I had, I'm done anyway." It was then that we made the best decision of the day...we asked Stan to lead. Stan White is...older. But let me tell you that Stan is a skilled and steady rider who set a perfect pace for the rest of the morning. That allowed Kelley to enjoy the ride which he valiantly rode the entire time. We laughed and told stories and picked on each other and laughed some more. There was only one crash and it was Kelley. I wasn't there at the time but I'm told it scored an 8.2 and put a dent in his frame. He was still smiling and in the last two miles of our ride he came to life (2X Caffeine Gel) and brought the pain. I for one was very impressed.

Kelley Edwards

Afterwards we all had a great lunch at FireHouse Subs. Some of the things I learned at lunch: Bill showed us how to wash your hair when you have a broken collar bone, Trent explained how he shrank from being the Incredible Hulk to be the bike hobbit he is today, and I regaled the listening audience with my story of Kelley and I in his first Adventure Race ("I hate you!"). That's a story for another day. All in all it was another fantastic ride with friends. Which of course is exactly what I wanted.

So if you think that is your kind of riding and your kind of fun then watch my blog and I'll tell you about every ride I know about. I do also know that I'm not the only one having these great rides. I talk to a ton of guys and gals having the time of their lives out there. So maybe this is just my way of extending the joy for those of us who get to experience these things and give those who don't a peak at what they're missing.

 The Horseshoe Drop at Yargo is AWESOME!!! This thing drops you into a riven and then shots you out. Just one more great thing about our ride on Saturday at Fort Yargo State Park in Winder, Georgia.

I hope you all have a great week and stay safe. Ride in groups. 

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Thanks for reading!

Chad