2xrip 2012, AFC comes out in force

2xrip was a blast today.  And AFC is going to raise some awesome money!

The AFC Elite racers of Pat, Adam, Dan Miranda, and I traded punches with the big boys, and came out smiling :)

The day was super humid, but over cast and not too hot.  Pat, Adam, and I got to the race nice and early to get ready for the 7am start.  After the normal checks, all systems were "go".

The pre-race analysis went something like:

Adam (Sug) is the defending champ and course record holder, but Lucas McCullom was signed up and he had beaten both Adam and I at The USAT Long Course Duathlon Age Group National Champs in early June.  Can Sug's insane running and bike fitness overcome Lucas on a hilly/technical course?

Pat used to be quite the multi-athlete.  However in the past few years he has focused on mountain biking and cyclocross.  He had run a little to get ready for this.  Could he summon his running talents of old to make the podium?

I did well here last year (4th).  If you don't count my 2 minute penalty I was the fastest bike leg last year.  Certainly I had run more this year but not as much lately as my attention is leaning towards cyclocross.  Would my fitness from Long course nats carry me to the podium?

Dan Miranda has been tearing it up on the running scene along with Sug and has greatly improved his biking. Would his superior running form and new found bike skills get him to the podium?

"Go!".  The early running pace was strong but nothing too crazy.  Except for a guy in a Virginia Tech skinsuit.  He was really moving.  Dan Miranda was up towards the front.  Adam not too far behind him.  Then Lucas. Then Pat and I.

It was a 2 mile, very hilly loop.  I could tell that I was pushing it a little deep early.  But I wanted to stay close to the front.  By the end of the loop Pat and I were together and a bit off the lead but doing well.

On the bike I felt decent.  Time to catch some of these faster runners.  I didn't have as many people to catch this year because I ran way faster.  But the key was to catch guys and then put gaps between them and me because the second run is twice as long (4 miles) and I need all the cushion I can get ;)

Pat and I rode within site of each other throughout.  If  the pace slacked then one of us would pass the other.  I didn't feel as spunky this year as I did last year but we were definitely moving.  Before the end of the first lap on the 2 loop course we had caught everyone that we were gonna catch.  We had moved into 3rd and 4th position behind Sug and Lucas (but those two were waaaay out of site).  With Sug almost a lock to make the podium we really wanted to get another AFC'r up on the podium with him.

The problem was math.  According to my calculations, we hadn't caught the Virginia Tech fast runner guy until pretty late in the first loop and that meant we were in trouble on the run.  Would we be able to create a big enough gap over lap 2?

The 26 miles flew by fairly quickly.  It seemed like a very long time last year.  Fun will do that.  And mashing the pedals with Pat is just plain fun.  With about 5 miles to go I could see my heart rate dropping despite my near all out effort.  I had used everything.  But I was happy that the "wheels" were starting to come unglued with the finish near.  I had done all I could on the bike.

Based on what I was seeing from Pat, he was not as tanked.  He had been moving consistently through the hills, while I was attacking the hills like an animal.  He was riding smart.

Pat and I came through transition and into the run together.  In a way I was happy.  But I was also dreading the next 4 miles.  Last year had been brutal.  "God I hope this hurts less." ;) 

Pat pressed right away as he always has, consistent and strong.  We knew we were racing for that 3rd podium spot.  We could see that Sug was securely winning the race with at least a 1 minute lead.  Lucas was definitely too far from us to consider chasing.  Who lurked behind?

Just after the 1 mile mark is a turn around.  It was a long downhill.  We wondered aloud what we would see once we turned.  Down the hill.  Sharp 180.  Up the hill.  And then we see him.  The Virginia Tech guy is rolling over the horizon.  He's not very far back.  My heart sank.  Pat gave him a kind "Nice job man!" as we passed one another.  I felt sick.

I tried to rally my innards but my body was in rebellion.  Pat's pace is too much and it's not looking good for either of us holding this guy off despite a sizable (maybe) 30 second lead.  I have to let Pat go and hope he can do it.

A few moments later the Virginia Tech runner comes by me, I can muster a "good job dude!"  This same thing happened to me last year when Adam Forgione passed me.  It kinda sucked but I knew I had to finish off an otherwise great race.

I could watch at various points as Pat's lead shrank.  But there was a time when I thought Pat would get the 3rd place back after being passed.  It was close.

I finished in roughly 1:48.  Definitely better than last year.  I was happy with 5th!  Pat was 4th.  VTech man 3rd.  Go hokies... LOL!

The 2xrip folks did a great job putting on this event.

At the finish I found out that Adam had won and set a new course record by several minutes.  His bike leg was especially impressive at 25+mph.  He did amazingly well.  Pat was 4th, I was 5th and we think Dan was 9th.  Awesome results all around :)

The real winners will be Kupenda for the Children and Extreme Weekend for Diabetes.  2xrip is donating some of it's profits to AFC.  And AFC donates all monies raised to these 2 great causes.  God is good and has blessed us with seeing some fantastic achievements with both ministries!  I can't help but to smile every-time I think about it :)

We race for Him and he's turned our hearts towards them!

My strava output:
First run leg
Bike leg
Second run leg