Having just got back in to training it was already time for me to take on my first race. I'd entered just days before so was far from being at competition fitness. Even still I used the experience to get some competition in my legs and to try my first transitions.
I woke up at 6 in the morning on a Sunday. It's been a long time (thankfully) since I've been up that early for sport. As I set off in the car with mum it was still dark and I had no idea what to expect. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous on the ride over. When we got to Leatherhead I was met with a largely empty transition hall, save for a few keen athletes. They were clearly here for business with some really expensive bikes. Ah well, I wasn't there to win. Time to learn from the pros. I picked a spot near the entrance to transition and set my bike up. Then I warmed up, listened to the briefing then headed over to the start line of my first (sprint) duathlon. I was to muscle through a 5km run, 26km cycle and finally a 5km run.
As we lined up the ominous clouds that predictions had said would rain on us started to clear. Thankfully they held off for the duration of the event, but they had been busy through the night. This made for slippery roads and a muddy cross-country run route. But that aside it turned out to be a lovely morning for my first duathlon. After posing for a photo we had a count down and an air horn started us off.
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| See if you can spot me |
Turns out I was rather ambitiously keen. I started rather more close to the front than I meant to. I was sixth over the line to start. I went out hard to get my heart rate up, and for a couple of km I held off most people behind me. Then once I was comfortably into the race I settled to my sustainable pace and held that for the rest of my run. Being as slow a runner as I am I got overtaken by about 30 people in the course of the run. This certainly wasn't helped by the hill we had to manage. Although the course was advertised as flat there was a long slow drag up a road during the run followed by a wet muddy descent. Each 5km run was also made up of two laps of the same course. Boy did I not love the hill on my second pass.
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| Far more happy after 5km of running than I should be |
Soon enough the run was over and I came to my first ever transition. This went much more smoothly than I had thought it would. I got to my bike, first helmet on, then change shoes. And now grab bike. Exactly as I had practised in my head. I ran out of transition and before I knew it I was on the road.
The ride started up my favourite hill from the run. Only on a bike it seemed much less deadly. I quickly started to move up places, picking off those who had overtaken me last and were weak cyclists. Oddly though my cycle computer wasn't working. Then it dawned on me; I'd put my front wheel on the wrong way around. Not a big issue, but I knew things had gone too smoothly thus far. Not a couple of minutes later I approached the first turning, close behind two other competitors. They both followed the sign and eventually ended up on the pavement and, having followed them, so did I. Seems mishaps were multiplying. I quickly realised our error, got back on to the road and followed the roundabout on to my course. I even obeyed the legal and correct way to navigate the roundabout, unlike the other two racers. Though after my bike crash in March at a roundabout I've always been rather cautious.
The rest of the ride was pretty straight forward, if lumpy and unpleasant. I did have a bit of a problem as I entered the longest descent. No sooner did I get up to speed then my saddle bag made its bid for freedom Turns out I'd caught its catch in transition (thank god for velcro straps). So I had to pull up once the descent was over. Otherwise the ride went well (if a little slowly for my liking). Back in to transition.
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| Great pose by me, but nothing comes in the way of heart rate data |
This transition went equally as smoothly. Looks like I might be okay when it comes to August, but I think more practice is always good. I don't remember a lot of the final run. Only that it hurt and that I had to do that blasted hill twice more. But eventually it was over and that was it. I'd finished my first duathlon. Just under 2 hours. 28th of 52. So not exactly inspiring for my standards, but you know what I managed it. Added bonus it came with a sweet medal.
Then it was time to get a lift home and there just time to stop off at mcdonalds for a recovery Chicken & Cheddar Classic. I have to recommend it, it was just what I needed. Now for some more training before my next race.
Jon
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