Spangdahlem Duathlon

The Sabers switched gears this weekend for some mid-season cross-training. Spangdahlem Air Base Fitness Center hosted a duathlon this past Saturday and six Sabers took up the challenge to try something new. The duathlon format was a 5km run-30km bike-5km run. The weather report called for a cool, rainy day, but the weather held off and it was overcast and in the 70’s. Most of us, not being runners, took an easy pace at the beginning. Martin and Dan were the exceptions and took a commanding lead while the rest of us tried to remain a comfortable distance back. The transitions on and off the bike seemed to go without too much fumbling, but it was apparent that we are not seasoned tri-athletes.
When the dust settled, the final results showed Martin Heinz in first, Dan Bagnuolo in second, and Brian McRory in third. Jeff Heagerty, Jack Nevin and Rob Jones rounded out the field with an excellent showing. All of the Sabers were satisfied with their respective finishes as they exceeded their personal expectations for this different racing format. It was a great change of pace for the mid-season and the Sabers would like to extend a special thanks to the Spangdahlem Fitness Center staff and volunteers for putting on a very challenging race. We are all looking forward to the upcoming Eifel Classic at Spangdahlem on 15 August.