Wholistic Fitness

Kendrick Mountain Duathlon
65.50 kilometers (52.25k bike + 13.25k peak run)
(40.7 miles =32.27 mile bike + 8 mile peak run)

Click on photos/maps to enlarge

Personal History with Route:
Cross Bike + Run: 4 hours, 13 minutes
11*2*08 solo
conditions; windy, snow at summit

Bike up: 49:30
Run up: 1:12
Run down: 0:51
Bike down: 0:46
Total Time in Transitions: 0:12

Salient Features:
Perhaps Flag’s most exquisite mountain duathlon. Certainly in my Top Ten list of Southwest mountain duathlon’s. Needs to be a competitive event. The bike segment includes antelope and ancestor spirit-filled pine forests worth the ride itself. The mountain run is a mountain yogi’s dream come real… a real Stairmaster of a climb switchbacks again and again upon itself as airplane views begin spilling from beneath your “staircase to Heaven.” The first half of the run is upon a natural cinder path that Pre woulda loved, you’ll be half tempted to bring your track spikes next time! The second half is categorically different. A panoply of switchbacks crank upward through Ponderosa, Douglas Fir, and Aspen along with breath-taking carpet of wildflowers which are healing the evidence of the May, 2000 “Pumpkin Fire” which scorched nearly 15,000 acres. The old Lookout Cabin, a 1/4 mile from the summit in a most seductive alpine meadow, is a dead ringer for Grizzly Adams ol’ casa. Upon reaching the summit and the updated Fire Lookout Tower, be sure to enjoy an Ai Imawa posture or yogi squat meditation as your 180-degree view includes the Grand Canyon, Vermillion Cliffs to the north and to the south Oak Creek Canyon and Mingus Mountain. Bill Williams and Sitgreaves Mountain are to the west and all the cinder cones which surround your feet are reminders from the once explosive San Francisco Volcanic Field.

Zen Moment:
Nines miles into the ride through Hawk-plied forest skies, you are crankin’ up FR 171 and you come up over this roller into a prairie and see for the first time a great shot of your mountain summit prey, still another 13 miles away and and 3,000′ feet higher.

Coaching Note:
Ideal Autumn Bike/Run training for Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon athletes!

my 2008 Solo Mt. Taylor Times
13-mile bike up: 1:02
5-mile run up: 1:01
5-mile run down: 48
13-mile bike down: 37
elevation gain of bike/run: 3,000′
start elevation: 6,460
max elevation: 11,301

vs.

my 2008 K.M.Duathlon times:
16.2 mile bike up: 49:30
4-mile run up: 1:12
4-mile run down: 51
16.2-mile bike down: 46
elevation gain of bike/run: 2,841′
start elevation: 7,577′
max elevation: 10,418′

Route:
North on HWY 180 to FR 222 (Wing Mountain). A delightful 4-miles of big chainring riding deposits you at FR 171…whereupon you turn Right and churn up and up, past Lava Cave, past the endearing Antelope Hills as your prey draws nearer and nearer with each pedal stroke. Using well-marked signage, take another Right onto a short road leading to the Kendrick Mountain Trailhead. The trail is also well-marked and poses no significant technical obstacles, it is merely a question of endurance climbing for 4 miles up. From the summit, retrace your route with spiritual glee running rampant in your cells! A fine accomplishment! Optimal timing; Autumn. Spring can turn your bike ride into a hellish mud realm and summer brings monsoons and lightning…early start is critical for summer attempts.

Resource:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendrick_Peak
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/peaks/kentrick-mtn-wild.shtml

Photo Info:
1) this is Nalanda, my cross bike, which i use for this Duathlon. it’s wisest to ride with a helmet, you hear me? this was just staged in Snow Canyon, Utah for the bike shot.

2) Map of Kendrick Mountain Duathlon, created by ilg.

3) a friend of mine from a year or two ago approaching one of a zillion switchbacks. note the “natural cinder path” and the background which keeps falling away from you…

4) Kendrick, rising above early morning clouds, taken from my office window the morning of my attempt.

5) summit shot from the same time as #3…looks like and feels like you’re standing on an airplane wing! relax, you’re only halfway done at this point!

viva la WF!!!