Meow...

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Last year, something new was added to the Growler family of events - the Meowler bike-run-bike duathlon. Ride out to the base of Skull Pass, drop the bike for a running tour of Aberdeen, then finish out the rest of the Growler loop. It sounded like fun, a different kind of challenge - but I was already committed to the Full Growler and the Meowler was on the same day. So there was no way I could do both. I also figured that until I didn't want to do the Full Growler, I wouldn't be able to do the Meowler. To my surprise, this year the Growler and Meowler were separated, with the Growler on the traditional Memorial weekend and the Meowler now the week before with the Sage Burner Trail runs. It would be possible to do both if I wanted to. That seemed like a lot of racing and a lot of travel, so I again put the Meowler on the back burner. My focus would be on the Growler, like it had been for the past few years.

Then my mother brought up traveling to do a marathon with her the weekend after Growler. Not the best time for a marathon, but that got me thinking. With all the running I've been doing, this would be the perfect year to try my hand at the Meowler. With the Sage Burner the day before the Meowler, there was a good chance that she would be interested in that. It was a 50k/25k trail run - something that she would be able to do.  Maybe... 

And yes. Time to change up my training just a little! Still doing the running workouts and the bike workouts for my individual races - Growler and Sheep Mountain - but modifying the schedule just a little so my single sport legs are ready for a multisport event. In addition to that, there's the logistics of the race to practice. Like carrying my running shoes and running gear - which pack? Everything fits in the Rev 6, but does the Rev 12 ride better? There's only one aid station on the run - do I need a better, more comfortable hand held in case it's a hot day? Which also means getting used to running with a hand held, something I'm not that good at. And the most basic of multisport things - comfort running in my cycling clothes! It's a fairly long run, but I need to get back on the bike right way, so some Tri-tricks won't work at all.  So many things to think about and prepare for! It's going to be a different challenge and something new. Here I thought I was done with multisport stuff...

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