Sunday, August 30, 2009

GRC-ers on the bike?!

Since this year, I have decided to change from being a runner to an (aspiring) duathlete. I've picked up cycling, even though I'm not quite as fast as Matias, Ryan McGrath or LJ!

So far, I've done my first 40k Time Trial in church creek last week: 1.01.49, 5th in cat 5 and middle of the pack on the whole day. The level of cycling is pretty good in the DC area, and some older guys handily beat me!

Yesterday, I did my first bigger duathlon, a race in the Netherlands over 4M-18M-3M. I was leading the first run in 20.11, being chased by former world duathlon champ Armand van der Smissen! I felt it on the (non-drafting) bike leg though and I rode only 22.5MPH, came off the bike in 10th. The second run was ok with 16.40 (despite being misdirected costing 10-15sec), and getting back to 7th (45sec behind #4). My main lesson: never give up, no matter how many people pass on the bike!!

Results: http://www.rbrborne.nl/?page_id=381

Greetings from Holland!

dirk

6 comments:

KLIM said...

Quite commendable!

DM said...

Awesome! Good luck with the rest of your races.

Diego said...

Hey, a friend of mine did that race, but you totally kicked his ass.
good job

Matias said...

Dirk, you are a monster! Your potential is unreal. With that run in your back pocket who knows how far you can go.

dirkdeheer said...

thanks for the encouragement guys, I really appreciate it! I have a long way to go, but so far, at least both me and Matias are going to the World Duathlon Champs in Concord, NC end of September!

RM said...

AWESOME Dirk!

I hope to be riding again by end of fall so let's get some rides going this winter. You will be stomping everyone by springtime!