Bushbaby Duathlon In Mukono, Uganda

This outing is the Bushbaby duathlon in Mukono, near Kampala. Let’s be honest, when Thies (Bike Shop Uganda) told me that a duathlon was happening the following day and that I could hitch a ride to the event with Francis (reddirtuganda.com) I said “sure”, without actually knowing what I was volunteering for. Once home I found, via Wikipedia, that “a duathlon is an athletic event that consists of a running leg, followed by a cycling leg and then another running leg in a format similar to triathlons. An off-road version uses mountain bikes and dirt tracks.”

This is a quick post about how the event. I provide details that include maps and facts as well as links to additional details, photos and videos. Follow the Maps & Facts link to dig deeper into the adventure.

My opinion. The only thing harder than an off-road duathlon is an off-road triathlon;-)

Bushbaby Duathlon Cost: See Event Page

The following day I got my ride to the event (with my mountain bike on the roof of the van) and wandered around getting a sense of the activities and amenities. I had already decided not to participate (I was still recovering from the prior weekend’s MCU ride) and just wanted to do a bit of country cycling. Nothing competitive or complicated.

I was impressed by the organization and format of the event and even more so when I found out that the proceeds would be donated to a local charity.

Once the event got underway, I couldn’t help pulling out my phone and taking some casual shots and short videos before heading off in the opposite direction on my bicycle. Then as the day progressed and I kept crossing paths with the event participants I continued to stop and take shots with my phone.

The route, participants, course marshals and locals made the day super fun and irresistible to camera opportunities. I had a great day of casual riding and shooting and ultimately decided to stitch together my shots to create a 3 minute adventure episode just for the fun of it.

Click to watch Video

I enjoyed the day and maybe next year I will be a participant…NOT. It was so much fun. Why make it hard? I leave that for the young and very young at heart.

Photos