Race Report (with video) : V3 Hopfest 60 mile ride : Sept 19, 2015

A friend of mine knew I started cycling again and was looking for a good local race to 'break in my saddle'.  Dennis recommended a local race called Veteran's Victory Velo (v3) that combines 30/60/100 mile routes that tour the beautiful rolling San Ramon, Dublin, Livermore and Pleasanton hills with beer garden finish!  Earnings from the race primarily benefit the Sentinels of Freedom fund which helps severely injured veterans pursuit of higher education and integration into private-sector life.  Fun tour of the tri-county area, beer and benefit of local veterans group?  I was in!

Ride Stats: distance, start time, elevation gain, expected completion time...

Distance	Start Time	Elevation Gain	Rough Completion Time
30	9:30AM	1,131ft	2 Hours
60	8:00AM	2,500ft	4 Hours
100	7:30AM	6,867ft	7 Hours

Race Report : First ever Duathlon : 3.6 M Run/22 M Bike/1.8 M Run

A couple months back I decided for no reason to train and race in a Duathlon.  I knew I wanted to do a muli-sport, knew I wasn't a competitive swimmer, and settled on a Duathlon.  A duathlon is a two-sport race hence the name where you run, bike then run again.  Not to be confused with a bi-ahtlon that combines cross country skiing and shooting things with a rifle!  There are various distances just like in a Triathlon from sprint, Olympic to full. Read official distances here.

I consulted with a talented triathlete I know named 'Jim' who recommended a local race held by 'Wolf' in the San Pablo Dam area, Orinda, CA.  I knew the area was hilly,  beautiful and given the next race was a month away jumped at the chance to race it.

International Marathons : When there's not enough crazy locally

Tired of your local marathons and want to trick the significant other into a runner destination race?  Then here are some international marathons for you to consider, their ballot dates and fees to consider.  Three of these are all part of the World Marathon Majors (WMM). Link here.