Paulina Lake Mountain Duathlon

Sunday June 29th, Bend OR

Meet at 6am, Horse Butte Trailhead

Join The Balanced Athlete community for the First-Ever Paulina Lake Mountain Duathlon!

Strap your trail runners to your MTB pack and get ready for an epic day of movement, mindset, and community in beautiful Bend, Oregon!

This isn’t your average ride-and-run. The Paulina Lake Mountain Duathlon combines mountain biking and trail running in one of the most stunning parts of Central Oregon—and it’s more than just a workout. It’s a celebration of the power of sport to support mental health, and of mental health journeys that, in turn, fuel performance.

If you’re an endurance athlete who uses your sport to stay grounded—or if you coach, parent, or care about someone who’s on that journey—this event is for you. Show up, bring your awesome sauce, and let’s move with meaning.

💡 Why This Event?

I’m using this event to officially launch The Balanced Athlete blog and website—an idea born over a year ago when I began pursuing a Master’s degree in Sports Psychology. Since then, I’ve been applying those insights not just to my training and mental health, but also to how I support my patients as a pediatrician.

The core belief behind The Balanced Athlete is this:
“Your sport can help heal your mental health—and your mental health journey can transform your sport.”

Whether you’re pushing through a foggy season or riding a high, we’re here to support each other, learn together, and find strength in the struggle.

💡 Important Details

ROUTE: We'll start at Horse Butte trailhead and ride the Arnold Ice Cave trail and connectors to Paulina Lake Lodge. Fuel up a bit, then lace up your shoes and head out for a trail running spin around Paulina Lake. It's a moderately challenging run but after the mileage on the bike and in the midday heat, I'd describe it as "fun hard." If you don't want to do the run, consider kicking your feet up and chilling at the lake, it's gorgeous! After fueling up again, it's back on the mountain bike to ride back to Horse Butte Trailhead which involves mostly downward trajectory and some really fun swoopy descents. Total MB: ~65mi, Total run: 7mi [Note: this will be great "peak week" training for those doing High Cascades 100]

NOTE ON SUPPORT: this is an Unsupported fun-oriented group ride event, not a race. Look out for one another on the trail and I encourage group and 1:1 conversation along the way. Think carefully about your fluids. It's not the hottest time of summer but in central OR it will be hot in the afternoon and you need to plan accordingly. Last time I did this route I took 3L fluids, carried a bottle around the lake, and took 3L back, and I'm pretty sure I drank it all. You'll have a great water source at Paulina Lake Lodge and there is also a snack shack that I encourage patronizing for that much needed Snickers bar + Gatorade combo (forget your fancy nutrition!)

See you at 6a on Sunday 6/29 in SE Bend ready to roll, run, smile and thrive!

Amidst the imbalance, strive for balance,

Jud

PS Click below to RVSP on The Balanced Athlete Strava Club, or feel free to just show up…