Clumber Park Off-Road Duathlon
17th October 2015

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Official Results

  5k Trail Run 16k MTB Bike 3k Trail Run Total
David Elliot 21.09 45.19 13.40 1.22.25

 

 

First time doing a Duathlon Great fun
 
Booked this up a little while ago thinking it would be a fun way to keep hold of fitness over Winter. Combining two of my sporting loves, being multi sport and Mtb. 

Packing my gear friday night really wasn't feeling this event. Not completely sure how to set the gear up it wasn't the comfy routen of Tri had to think what was required and what wasn't. Clothing was the biggest worry, would a Tri suit be enough if it was cold or Tri shorts and jersey? In the end went for Tri suit Long socks and option of arm warmers. Faffing done van loaded, cheeky beer drank, it was off to bed at 9.30 for the 5.15 start.

The trip up was clear as you'd expect at 6.00am on a Saturday morning only gripe was that the event was very well sign posted. The post code given took you to a hotel with no Signs for the event. 10 minutes of wandering around found it but still a little poor. 2 sighs would have been enough to get you to HQ from the A1.
 
Having allowed and hour for set up I was still there with plenty of time grabbed my race pack and T(quite nice one too). Pulled on my Tri suit and realised i had brought one arm warmer and one leg. Still chilly would have to go without them. set up in transition is so easy for Duathlon compared to Tri. Sling your cycling shoes an helmet with your bike and at it. Bonza. 

Brief was...brief(don't die) and we all shuffled off to the start. Legs a little stiff from a hard week's training didn't bode well for a fast race. 
BANG! and we're off as predicted as I tried to push on the first 5k my legs simply where not instrested. felt slow as most of the field flow pasted me, well it felt that way. the trail run was just that. Nothing techinal fairly smooth hard packed tracks with a little boggyness round the back. Slow running and to my dismay the runner behind me called 'Mate your shoe lace has come undone'. Blast slow became slower as I had to stop to tye it. 1/2 mile later came undone again...frustrating. Finally got back to transition trying to rip shoes off to get to the bike, really regetted not fitting eleastic laces to my trail shoe. 
 
Out of T1 on the the bike, what i'm all about really. Steaming out an passing people the out leg was quite open so could really work. Soon as you hit the loop went to single track and overtaking became more diffecult. Cursing CX bikes and non-technical riders had to smash though the undergrowth mor then once to get by people. Not a hard course some hills but nothing harder then Chicky with some twisty single track. Techy and rooty enough that was a Xc course and CX rider where at a real disadventage. Manage to find Bramble bush somewhere on the course and some Stinging Nettles. Don't know where but was stung and blooded by then end.   T2 was no better then T1 need elastic laces...


The final k run was and in and out affair tried legs complained as I tried to turn them out but I pushed on. The whole out leg was slightly up hill so after 1.5k of grinding up the hill turn and started to spin home. By the finish line just about kicked the bike out of my legs, suppose that sprint events for you. Over the line 37 overall not to displeased really on tried legs and about 1 / 1.30 minute lost to laces. 

Would I race an off road Duathleon again, yes! It was great fun despite the stingy and bloody arms would like to go again. Next one on the 7th