FKT: Winston Mueller - Aspen Butte Duathlon from Klamath Falls (OR) - 2020-06-17

My effort began at 10:20am on Wednesday, June 17, 2020.  I had been itching to get out on this route for the last few days but weather had kept me off the bike.  Sunny but cool conditions yielded a fairly pleasant approach.  A bit of a headwind and some grinders climbing on the road with 45mm tires.  First bike leg went down in 2 hours, 23 mins, and 47 seconds with was a bit slower than projected.  A sloppy transition of 11 mins and 13 second had me in the runners and hitting the trail at 12:55pm.  The shortest and fastest route I to follow the Clover Creek Trail for 3 miles then take the Clover Creek Cutoff to the Mountain Lakes Loop Trail.  The distance to the Loop Trail is the same from this junction but the Cutoff spits you out a mile and a half east on the Loop Trail, closer to Aspen Butte.  Huge amounts of deadfall and winter debris hid the trail at the junction and I blew right past the Cutoff not realizing this for a mile or so.  Was able to take find the Cutoff on the way back, although this time maybe wasn't much faster due to the log hurdling aspect.  Made it back to the bike in 2 hours, 34 mins, 35 second, far behind schedule and threw down another sloppy transition of 11 mins 25 seconds.  Back on the bike at 3:40pm and rolling into the parking lot of the finish start 1 hour, 58 mins, and 36 seconds later, finishing in 7 hours, 18 mins, and 24 second, just before 5:39pm.  

Splits Recap:

Parking lot-TH - 2:23:47

Transition to run - 11:13

TH-Summit - 1:27:16

Summit-TH - 1:07:19

Transition - 11:25

TH-Parking lot - 1:58:36

Tons of wiggle room on this time, especially once there's no snow on the Aspen trail.  Nutrition was as bad as its been all year so that was fun. Better bike time is inevitable with two people, drafting would be huge.  Skinny tires would be a huge advantage on the road but I think that they would slow a person down quite a bit on the total of 8 miles on gravel.  Maybe smaller than a 45mm would still do well, but its pretty loose.  Super fun route.  Times will only get faster now that it's on the board.