Gear Question

Mr. Glover (Jim, not Danny) (and not the one who owns the car dealership) wants to know about gear for the off-road duathlon. I'm not really a gear freak; I'm more of a minimalist. That doesn't mean I don't have a lot of gear. I do. I just means I cheap out on gear a lot and try to only buy the minimal amount of gear I'll use (as inexpensively as I can get away with).

Hydration systems. I almost always run with a bike bottle. One of the big 24 oz bottles. My favorite are the Specialized bottles because they have a big screw-on cap that doesn't leak and is easy to fill. I also own a Camelbak. During adventure races, I usually throw a Camelbak bladder in my backpack. And during the Leadville 100, I decided to use my Camelbak. Mine is one of the very minimal designs, which I sewed a pocket onto so I can carry food. I guess the difference is how long the race is. Most people can probably run 5 kilometers without needing water. Your bike probably has bottle cages so you can drink on the ride. When I was a mountain bike racer, my rule of thumb was one ounce of water per mile, but I'd probably add some because the terrain at Turkey is so rocky. But one bottle should do it. If you're used to riding with a Camelbak, do that. Figure out beforehand if you want to run with it or put it on only for the bike. There will also be an aid station as you exit the transition area, so if you want to grab a quick drink there you can (gatorade, water, beer...)

Shoes. I've been running in Adidas Response Trail shoes for a long time now. They fit me perfectly. You need to find what brand and style fits you. I recently bought a pair of shoes from another manufacturer. They fit fine, but when I'd run downhill my toes would jam into the front. That doesn't happen to me with the response. I also bought a pair of Adidas Supernova Trail shoes and ran in a race at Turkey. By the end of the race, the bottoms of my feet were bruised because the soles weren't thick enough to absorb the rocks. So I'm sold on the Response Trail. My only complaint is that Adidas recently added some height to the shoe and I started rolling my ankles. But I've gotten used to it now, and I assume the added sole thickness is protecting me from bruises. So you need to find a pair of trail shoes that fit your feet, protect you from the rocks, and don't jam your toes on descents. And those stretchy elastic laces are good for road tri's and du's, but don't provide enough rigidity for trail running. Take the time to tie your shoes. Cycling shoes... if you're not riding clipless, you should.

Clothes. I always run in coolmax shirts (or whatever they call that polyester material these days). Cotton sucks. Same with socks. Coolmax socks stick to my feet and keep the blisters away. Shorts for a duathlon? Cycling shorts, wiithout a doubt. If you want to be a hip dirt racer, you probably should go buy some baggies. If it drives you crazy when your shorts catch on the horn of your saddle (and you move around in the cockpit a lot like I do), you probably should race in spandex. In long trail races I've started wearing spandex gaiters to keep the rocks, sand and dirt out of my shoes, but short runs- no way.

Sunglasses? Up to you. I can't do it in the woods.
Helmet? Required on the bike, up to you on the run. :)
I take the time to put full-finger, cross-country cycling gloves on before I ride. It's worth it. (I like the Fox Incline.)

Incidentally, one of our sponsors, Pricepoint.com, sells (at great prices) a lot of the gear you'll need. Check out their selection of gloves, shoes, helmets, hydration systems, shorts, jerseys, cycling shoes, and bike parts. I always buy my tires and tubes from them; their prices and customer service are hard to beat.