Who Says Training Can't Be Fun...... or Dirty

     This morning Kayleigh and I went down to Boulder to participate in our third Columbia Muddy Buddy race in support of the Challenged Athlete Fund (CAF).  Muddy Buddy is basically a 10k hybrid mountain bike / run race that you an your partner compete in together.  The course is divided into 5 stages around Boulder Reservoir; one person rides the bike and the other runs until they get to a check point.  At every check point, participants complete an obstacle (wall climb, cargo net crawl, balance beam, and a 20 ft cargo net climb) then switch roles.
     I started out running while Kayleigh rode the bike.  I could tell that going to running club training sessions have really helped my running.  I found myself ducking and dodging other runners until I was in the lead out string of runners.  When I started doing theses races, I would have never dreamed of being in a lead group, but lately it has become more of a reality.
    When we started doing Muddy Buddy three years ago, the race wasn't as popular as it was today.  The popularity is great for the CAF and the athletes that receive assistance from the CAF, but its bad news for seasoned participants.  There was a large proportion of the racers that were clueless to etiquette or inconsiderate; either way it was a pain in the ass to deal with.  When I would be riding the bike I would have runners in my lane or jump out in front of me, and when I was running bikers would whizz by on either side of me outside of the course just to make a pass.  I experienced a few close calls and often times did not feel safe, even though I like to ride aggressively.
     In the end, we had a great ride.  We finished in 57 minutes and some change, which was faster than out previous times and ended the day in the Red Hook sponsored beer tent partaking in our champions beers. It is often good to supplement any training schedule with enjoyable training days like today in order to keep up morale and avoid burn out.
     I almost forgot about one of the best parts of the day, Chrissie Wellington was on scene to get everyone going.  For the second week in a row I got to see one of my triathlete heros and an Ironman legend.  Both experiences have been really great motivation.