Historically our premier fundraising event has been the Mohawk Towpath Byway Duathlon. Last year it was canceled, because we could not assure a safe, wholesome environment for our competitors and cadre of volunteers during the pandemic.

Should we try an eighteenth duathlon this fall? Some have suggested August 22 when the weather is apt to be better than mid October. October 17 brings the peak fall colors and provides an attractive season ending event for our returning serious athletes.

Do we have a mass start like we have had in the past or spread out the field of participants with an individual start? What about our post race feed: the Chicken Bar-B-Q along with the awards ceremony? These large group gatherings seem to provide a unique social atmosphere for novice participants and serious athletes alike. They also each involve a certain risk of disease transition.

Our sanctioning body, USA Triathlon provides a library of information and guidelines, all of which are helpful, but don’t address what individual athletes and our hosting volunteers will be comfortable with later this year.

Yes, we are planning a Duathlon. Early registration will be encouraged with a liberal refund policy. The format and details will be worked out as we go through the sanctioning process and build confidence among our sponsoring businesses and organizations.

Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated either as a comment on this post, as an email to the event director, or as personal contact with one of our officers or directors.

At 6:40 AM I realized I was kicking frost as I scrambled to get out the parking signs in Isabel Prescott’s back yard. The sky was mottled with “wave clouds” each illuminated by fiery red light anticipating dawn.

This would be one of the coldest starts to the Duathlon in our 17 year history.

For a few statistics:

• 92 people registered (down from previous years)
• 55 individuals finished
• 9 teams finished (an all time record!)
• 18 Byway volunteers most are members of the Friends of the Byway
• 9 Radio operators provided great communication
• 5 Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Volunteers
• 2 deputies from the Saratoga County Sheriff Department
• 1 NY State Trooper
• 1 extraordinary I T person
• more than 3 staff from the Town of Clifton Park
• the fantastic crew from Riverview Orchard
• the print shop crew from Modern Press
• 3 timing crew
• 11 sponsors for which we are most grateful
• 11 event patrons
• 2 Bar-B-Q caterers with scrumptious culinary results.

They all made a memorable event, assured that we all did it safely, and cleaned up before the showers.

For all these folks we are most grateful and share in the satisfaction of a job well done. Thank you!