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Saturday, April 10, 2010 -- Bruceton Mills, WV / Coopers Rock State Forest
Mountain Duathlon - MASS Event #1 (iPO Event Id#: 12612)

[Details] [Coverage] [Photos] [Overall Results] [Results by Class] [2009 Results]

Duathlon Doubles in Size

Photos by Maria af Rolen and Jason Chastain with story by Julie Black

MASS Duathlon photo by Maria af Rolen
See more event photos!
West Virginia is in the news a lot these days, especially with Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution taking place in the southern part of the state, airing every Friday night across the country.

But in the north the University city of Morgantown is booming with events that encourage healthy lifestyles, and West Virginia University (WVU) is at the heart of many of them.

It was the second year for the Mountain Duathlon, but the first for M.A.S.S. (Morgantown Adventure Sports Series).

MASS is a new collection of outdoor adventure competitions that gives participants the option to race in six events over the course of a year. At each event, racers are eligible for awards and earn performance based points towards overall series awards.

This year's title sponsor, Dynamic Physical Therapy (www.dynamicpt.org), really helped to make the Series a reality.

Hosted by WVU's College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, all of the events are close to home and within a stone throw from Morgantown, WV.

Participation was nearly double what it was in 09' suggesting that this type of event is catching on. Most people raced as individuals, but a few teams showed up to challenge the course together. Set in Coopers Rock State Park, the terrain is rolling, but rewarding.

MASS Duathlon photo by Jason Chastain
See more event photos!
Bookended by two 2-mile runs, the challenging 8-mile bike course proved to be 'grueling' for some. One racer, Josh Drake, joked, "It 'seemed' like the course only went uphill! The final 2-mile run really put the icing on the cake of pain."

Another racer, Mark, said, "This was my first race of the year and it was a good way to test where my off-season training got me."

The top five overall men were all experienced thirty-somethings. Dennis Fisher led from the start with the fastest time in the 1st run, huffing in just less than 14 minutes.

He was followed by Bob Nedley who trailed him by less than a minute and Jason Cyr, nearly a full minute behind. But Cyr made up for the slower run time with his fast mountain biking skills. A sponsored Cannondale rider in 09', Jason left a gap in the bike leg that no one was able to close. It ultimately won him first place with a final time of 1 hour, 12 minutes, and 34 seconds.

Nedley and Fisher kept it relatively close, but Nedley cranked out a faster bike leg and 2nd run time (16:37) than Fisher. He took second with a total time of 1:15:52. Fisher claimed a respectable third.

The top women were also middle aged athletes and the field was fairly spread out the entire race. Kellyann Green was untouchable in her field, finishing in 1:29:16 as the first individual woman. Traci Rodosta (1:32:35) was second, and Lila Marie Thomas (1:40:36), third.

MASS Duathlon photo by Maria af Rolen
See more event photos!
Leroy Hunter and Mike Hines were the top male relay team, finishing 12th overall with a combined time of 1:26:22. The top male/female relay team, Megan Dejesus and Timothy Williams, crossed the line just after them in 13th with a combined time of 1:27:49.

Karen Hayes and Laura Kelley won the female relay team division in 1:46:01.

Not everyone thinks they're capable of doing a mountain duathlon, involving trail running and mountain biking, but MASS makes it appealing to first timers (as young as 14) and experts a like. These events have a solid group of volunteers and organizers, well-marked trails, and plenty of drinks for participants.

The next MASS event in the Series is "Get Lost! Orienteering Competition" Sunday April 25 at Coopers Rock State Park. Each racer/team will receive a custom race map, but bring your own compasses. Delicious post-event food and beverages will be provided at the post-event party!

"Get Lost!" is open to participants age 16 and older for the solo division. The minimum age for the 2-person division is 12 years old with one person over the age of 18 also on the team.

Get the full list of events on the official MASS page at: cpass.wvu.edu/mass


Special thanks to the MASS Sponsors

Dynamic

This year's title sponsor, Dynamic Physical Therapy, is committed to improving the lives of our patients, staff, and professional colleagues by exceeding expectations in our pursuit of excellence in the field of rehabilitation.

With five Dynamic locations in WV, there's sure to be one near you.

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