Running + Rock Climbing = Duathlon Redefined
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Here’s a workout combination you don’t see every day, trail running and rock climbing. The Tour de Hyalite, held in Bozeman, Montana, combines both events for a one-of-a-kind race. The Bozeman Daily Chronicle describes the event “is like a duathlon”:
…consisting of trail running – a trip to Hyalite Peak (10,299 feet) and back – and rock climbing. Each climb is worth a number of points. The harder the climb, the more points earned. Competitors count points from their top five climbs, then subtract that number of minutes from their run time to get their final result. People can compete individually, participating in both sections of the race, or as a team of two.
Though the Tour de Hyalite is hardly a serious competition one has to wonder how to train for such an event. On one hand you have a 14-mile trail run which is obviously aerobic and fast-paced. And in the other, rock climbing is generally anaerobic and depending on the rock, can require more focused and deliberately slower movements. Like a winter biathlon combining cross-country skiing with rifle shooting, the Tour de Hyalite is surely a test of fitness and accuracy.
You might even think you would be fresh for both sporting events since running primarily uses your legs and climbing is done with your arms. On the contrary, using only your upper body for rock climbing can make you tired quickly. Hats off to the competitors of the Tour de Hyalite who conquered two very different disciplines of running and rock climbing.