Fresh off a Midwest Meltdown Duathlon win, I'm coming in to this year's Jackson County Duathlon with high hopes. Also organized by Elite Cycling, this event takes on a near-identical feel to Midwest Meltdown, with the only real difference being in the location of the race (Longview Lake in Lee's Summit, Missouri).
So let's not delay...bring on the course previews!
Course Preview
Parking & Transition
The event takes place at Longview Lake, just west of Lee's Summit in Missouri. For KC residents, exit the southeast corner of I-435 on to I-470 East towards Lee's Summit. Then take the Raytown Road exit. The location at the lake is just past Longview Road on the left on Pittenger Road. There will be volunteers directing you to parking. Parking is just off the lake's Southwestern edge, just to the west of transition, in a large grassy area. Be sure to arrive early enough if you're a spectator -- the road leading in to the lake area (Pittenger Road) is part of the run and bike courses, and shuts down a half-hour before the event begins. Depending on how early you arrive, transition is a quick walk from the grassy parking area towards the beach and clubhouse. See the swim course map for a general idea of where Swim Out, Transition and Parking are in relation to each other (as well as the Bike In/Out and Run In/Out areas).
Swim Course
I didn't include the swim course of my coverage of Midwest Meltdown -- my apologies for that! For those that ARE doing the triathlon (not me), here's what the swim looks like, including the swim start from Longivew Lake's beach. If you've ever done the Kansas City Triathlon, it's the same exact setup as that -- the beach behind the clubhouse, with a run up to transition in the parking lot in front of the clubhouse. Fairly simple and straightforward. A short run with barriers marking the way means very little confusion. For long-course participants, they get the 1500m variation, while the short-course participants get 750m.
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| If you look closely, you can actually see buoys still in the water. For the recreational swimmers or left over from an area triathlon? I don't know, but that's your swim course. Swim In is on the southern edge of the beach, and Swim Out along the northern edge. Transition and Parking areas are also both marked, along with the bike (yellow) and run courses (light orange #1, dark orange #2) (Image courtesy of Google Earth). |
The bike route exits on Pittenger Road and south on Raytown Road (on the outbound, be sure to stay to the RIGHT of the median -- last year I accidentally turned before the median and in to oncoming bike traffic). Coming to the T-intersection (sorta -- it's actually a dirt road ahead), bikers turn left on to High Grove Road, where the first of two significant climbs (per lap) take place. The height of High Grove is skipped (for now) as bikers take a right on to SE Raytown Road. Then a left turn heading east on to E 137th, which veers right and left, becoming E 139th. It's easy to miss the next turn left on to SW Sampson Road heading back North. On SW Sampson, there are a few mini-climbs that stipple the road, along with a slatted bridge that would be easy to wreck at if you don't hit the tire planks just right (the horizontal slats are about an inch or more apart from each other, with vertical tire planks installed for vehicles -- hit the tire planks and NOT the horizontal slats!). Turn left on Sherer, which becomes High Grove Road, and presents the second of the two significant climbs. The ride in after passing SE Raytown Road is a reverse of the outbound, only staying to the right of the median. Long-course triathletes will take a U-Turn in to the Southbound lane on Raytown Road at Pittenger Road and complete a second lap of the course (~40k), while short-course athletes will enter the park on Pittenger and back in to transition (~20k).
Here's a quick glimpse at the climbs (and road hazard) for ONE LAP of the bike route...
*High Grove (Outbound): 2.13mi-2.73mi (0.60mi) @ 4.4% average grade (5.8% max), +134ft, Cat. 5
*Road Hazard (Wood Plank Bridge) @ 6.20mi
*High Grove (Inbound): 8.08-8.87mi (0.77mi) @ 3.7% average grade (6.6% max), +153ft, Cat. 5
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| The bike course. Long-course athletes will complete two laps of this. Both climbs (per lap) are noted, including an on-course hazard (old bridge -- see description) along the eastern edge (Image courtesy of Google Earth). |
For duathletes, Run #1 is 1.4 miles of the full 5k run course (for duathlon run #2, and short-course run). Run Out/In is out of the south side of transition (bike is on the north side). The runs all take place on the park's multi-use trails, so be sure to just follow that trail. In spots, crushed limestone takes the place of paved concrete, so expect that when choosing your shoes (in other words, barefoot is ill-advised). Out of transition, duathletes and short-course runners will turn RIGHT at the T-section, while long-course triathletes will turn LEFT. On the map below, the short course is highlighted, with duathlon run #1 highlighted in light orange. From there, it's an out-and-back. And pancake-flat; don't expect any serious efforts as far as climbing is concerned.
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| The short-course and duathlon run course, with duathlon run #1 highlighted in the lighter orange. The long-course run is not highlighted here at all, but is essentially the same (out-and-back on park trails), just turning left at the T-intersection just outside of transition rather than right (Image courtesy of Google Earth). |
Weather (Updated 8/15/14 @ 10:00am)
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| Weekend forecast as of the Wednesday afternoon before race day (forecast and image courtesy of NOAA). |
Race Day
As luck would have it, our race day weather would change dramatically just the night before. We would have clear and dry conditions just in time for race start, though clouds would move in and out closer to the finish, and rain chances would start to creep upwards. Either way, arrival and parking was a cinch (as always; it's the exit that's a mess, as you have to wait for all athletes to finish the bike course before you can leave). Because of an early arrival, I got a spot closest to transition -- perhaps only 100 paces away. The finish line inflatable was already up, with chip pick-up and body marking right next door. A quick bike drop-off, chip pick-up and markers on the arms and I was ready to hurry up and wait -- the price you pay for rock-star parking and a decent transition spot.
I'd lie if I said I didn't grab a few winks' nap, but the adrenaline was otherwise surging. I took one last lap through transition to further familiarize the surroundings: bike in/out at the Northern edge, run in/out along the Southeastern corner, swim exit along the Eastern edge. I was good to roll.
Duathletes (including myself) would start at run in/out. New this year -- and actually new right at start time -- was the first run. Despite even the 2014 "athlete guide" (just an email reminder, really) noting run #1 being 1.4 miles in length, the course was stated 1.0 mile on the dot. Our course steward was sure of that, though I remained skeptical. I'd hope for just 1 mile, but plan for the full 1.4. Also new this year was a wave start for duathletes. We had nearly 40 starters, and with tight quarters around the start line, a 5-minute split-wave format would be safest. Color me surprised. I started in wave 1.
Like the Midwest Meltdown, duathletes started at the same time as triathletes entering the water -- promptly at 7:30am. Unlike Midwest Meltdown, I was surrounded instead by a good dozen other athletes that looked poised to take top honors. One of which was what looked like a 13 year-old kid. This should be interesting.
Run #1
And, of course, the kid was the first to blaze off the start line. I took his wheel, but he was booking it hard. In fact, flailing arms and head and everything. He was in a full-out sprint! No doubt he would explode early...right??
Run 1 was a one-mile trek along the crushed limestone trails of the park with a turnaround cone at exactly 0.50 miles. At least they measured it correct. As it turned out, it was, in fact, one mile and not 1.4. No telling if this is a 2014-only thing or the new norm for the Jackson County Du. Either way, the 1.4 route is the same, just an extra 0.2 miles covered of the same trail.
I was passed by two others on the second half-mile, falling to P4. The kid entered T1 in first, well ahead of anyone else, and what I later learned was a 5:59 mile.
Bike
A quick transition meant exiting T1 in P3. Out of the park and on to Raytown Road, it wasn't long before I was passed for P4. I could see the kid all by his lonesome, but as soon as P3 passed, he locked on to his rear wheel. Is this a draft-legal race?
The first climb came, and halfway up thought I could cut the distance out between myself and the two battling for P2. As for P1, he was way up the road. It seemed for all three of us, a top spot would be out of the question today. Cresting High Grove Hill, P2&3 were already well down the other side and flying. I was having to push MUCH harder than I'd anticipated.
And by 7 miles in, that was exactly my thought: Just to keep up with these guys, I was in full threshold/time trial mode (and did I mention I'd raced a 5k the day before? Probably not smart). This would leave very little energy in my legs by the second run, which worried me, but I didn't want to play "what if" later on. I had to go for broke.
Back on to High Grove, and what meant the ascent up the other side of High Grove Hill, I was still the same distance out from P2 & P3 -- nothing had changed. Halfway up our second ascent of High Grove, though, the kid was starting to crack. Attack him!!!
And so I did, eventually catching him just as we crested and turned on to Raytown Road back towards the park. My legs were in full protest, but I had to put distance between myself and him, assuming he did actually crack and didn't have another ridiculous run in his legs.
On to the park roads, I checked my rear wheel. He wasn't around, but I'm sure he wasn't that far back. I entered T2 in a solid P3. As I was racking my bike, the kid -- P4 -- entered T2. Not as far back as I'd hoped.
BIKE LEG VIDEO 1/2 [direct link]
BIKE LEG VIDEO 2/2 [direct link]
Run #2
T2 was a well-paced transition, but P4 came out of T2 not far behind. And like run #1, off he went like a wild one, arms flailing just the same. Yes, his run form wasn't the prettiest, but damn he was fast! Given his relatively mediocre bike (despite his massive amounts of drafting), he had to be a track and field athlete in high school...or middle school...or who knows. It was only a matter of seconds before I dropped again to P4. Not long after that, the kid passed another to take P2. I looked behind me for P5 -- nowhere to be seen. Could I take for P3?
By mile 1, my legs were starting to give out. What usually is a late surge in my legs, they were completely devoid of energy. Given yesterday's race, the quick run #1, and the tough push of the bike, I was cashed. As I approached the halfway point, the kid passed, followed not long after by P3. I gave him a quick bite of encouragement. "Go kick that kid's ass!" As I rounded the turnaround, P5 wasn't too far away from the turnaround as well -- perhaps 45 seconds back. I pushed all I could...which wasn't much.
What seemed like every quarter mile, I looked back -- over and over again. P5 wasn't gaining, but I still kept an eye out for a late surge. It didn't come, and I slowed in the final half mile to coast through the finish. And I did, in P4, about 35 seconds back from P3, and 45 seconds ahead of P5.
No first place this weekend -- nasty competition made sure of that. Either way still a lot of fun.
2014 Jackson County Duathlon - Race Metrics
RUN #1
Time: 6:32 Distance: 1.05mi
Avg. Pace: 6:13/mi Max. Pace: 5:02/mi
Avg. HR: 167bpm Max. HR: 179bpm
Calories: 105kcal Elev. Gain: 26ft
Avg. Cad.: 168spm Max. Cad.: 184spm
TrainingPeaks Metrics Profile: HERE
TRANSITION 1
Time: 0:50
BIKE
Time: 32:36 Distance: 11.92mi
Avg. Speed: 22.1mph Max. Speed: 38.6mph
Avg. HR: 162bpm Max. HR: 175bpm
Calories: 518kcal Elev. Gain: 745ft
Avg. Cad.: 94rpm Max. Cad.: 112rpm
TrainingPeaks Metrics Profile: HERE
TRANSITION 2
Time: 0:47
RUN #2
Time: 20:36 Distance: 2.82mi
Avg. Pace: 7:19/mi Max. Pace: 6:40/mi
Avg. HR: 166bpm Max. HR: 172bpm
Calories: 334kcal Elev. Gain: 62ft
Avg. Cad.: 170spm Max. Cad.: 176spm
TrainingPeaks Metrics Profile: HERE
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