March Madness - Duathlon

Started running with my coach for the first third of a mile before I let her go she was flying so decided to cut back.

Good run I finished top 5th of the field if you count the wide tire people as well.

I could have gone a little faster, but I didn't want to push too fast. My arse was sore, even though I don't think it really impacted on this first leg of my run. I have only been averaging 10 miles a week running as been concentrating on swim and bike which are my weaker legs. I start speed training next week and I will go a lot faster on the run in a couple of months time.

Transition was a mess very tight, my coach warned me about this worst race she has ever attended for tightness. First mistake here. Prior to the run I took a landmark of a sign as a reference point and then counted across the number of racks. Good plan right? Except I did it facing the opposite way from where I came into the transition. So when I came in I saw my sign and counted across 4 racks facing the opposite way and ended 2 racks away from where my bike was parked. Realised my error and just ran perpindicular to the sign saw my bike (Lost 30 seconds). Then as I was fairly high up in the run there was bucket loads of bikes I had to carry my bike over other people's.

Got onto the road, Did a flying mount onto my bike managed to get my left foot in my boot then hit the hill, cycled up the hill with my right foot on top of my boot. Now for the drama. I have cycling boots not tri boots When I leaned down to get my right foot in I couldn't grab the tongue to slide my feet into as my fingers were too numb from the cold. Fished around until by luck managed too slide my feet in. By this stage I had seen about 30 people fly past me.....and I had lost at least two minutes. I thought damn can;t do much about it and I woudl pass them on the run later.


A long list really.
1/ Get some tri laces for my shoes.
2/ Actually do a warm up and practice coming in and out of transition.
3/ Buy some Tri Cycling boots with the one strap.

I lost a lot of places on the cycle, I was completly prepared for this. I am a fast runner and new I would get caught by a lot of cyclists. I worked on the middle chain ring and 15 on the flats and kept my cadence over 110 and really attacked the hills. My cornering and gear changing I felt was really good, I was agreesive on the bike but controlled.

I would gestimate that 80% of the people who passed me were on better bikes than me and with Zipps.(People have too much money in NY)

The first 6 miles were good I rode pretty well my bum and hammy were saw but I didn't feel it impacted me to badly.

I got passed by a lot of people Cervulos PS2's & 3's at mile 7-8 or so this didn't bother me at all as I thought Lossers If you are passing me this late in the ride when you are riding a $7,000 machine with Zipps vs my $1,500 SCOTT Road bike with cheap Shimano Wheelset you have no chance on the second run.

It all started going wrong for me at mile 9, I started getting pains in both legs and in my bum and hammy junction felt like the seat was cutting me in half. I carried on as hard as I could but new my pace was dropping. This was tough for me I was so sore, I was really worried this was only a short race, Why was I so sore? I think the answer is the bike shop moved my seat when they serviced my bike, also my seat is like concrete, I have been advised by my LBS before that Scott seats are really bad for comfortability and I should change it...













1/ I am going to change LBS shops my current shop is a Roadie shop only. I don't think they are looking after me as well as they should do.

1/ Buy a new Seat.

3/ Buy a Tri bike and a decent Wheel set.

4/ Don't do a 2 hour ride the day before a race, I was fatigued from this ride.

Ok flew into transition with my feet out of my boots, flew off the bike in a running dismount and ran through into the racks passed three people "yeah". Lost my transition spot again for about 30 seconds.

Went too put on my trainers and found I could not bend as I was in agony both of my hammys cramped and were aching. Fell on the ground to put my shoes on, and then I couldn't stand up. I thought right then I was going to DNF. I have done half Ironmans before and had less localised pain than this. I was in agony. Managed too pull myself up on my bike, sucked some gatorade and a GU, and then shuffled out onto the run. Forgot to take my helmet off so had to toss that on the side of the rode.




Oh where to start......All I think related to bad bike fit.

Got out of transition saw the hill and my legs could bearly shuffle, two people went pass me, that was it I had had enough I started Swearing and cursing and telling my legs they were Fu*ing useless and they weren't going to let me down, did this for about 30 seconds.(I Apologise to those spectators who have small children) I passed the two people that passed me within a 100 yds and then procedded to reel in people through the run. I lost track of passing people at about 40 odd and only had one person pass me. Last half a mile I could see a group of 4 guys all within my age group, they were about 100 yds ahead of me. I just talked to myself just repeated "that I would get these guy's I could do it, I was a faster runner than them". Managed to get three of them the 4th guy looking at the results was 6 seonds faster than me and was in my age group...damn.

Not sure this was a slow run for me, But the first 1/2 a mile I could hardly get my legs to work, I got steadily faster as the run progressed. Considering I was in agony I was happy with this run.

I couldn't warm down I could not bend or sit.


1/ Numerous transition errors, great let's get em out of the way now.

2/ Bad bike fit, I have been riding my bike since September and have had no issues and have ridden a lot longer and intense sessions in training. The agony I was in was undescribable...

3/ This is my first season back competing after a 9 year abscence from the sport. I have lost 24lbs since September I am lacking the musculature strength from competing and training on the bike over multiple seasons. I am now going to be into speed training so will get faster on the bike and run. I am going to do a lot of hill repeats during Apr/May to try and strengthen my legs.



All in All I had a very good first race. Finished easily inside the top half for age group. A few less errors and injuries I think I could have gone 3 - 4 minutes faster. Next year there is no reason I couldn't top 10 AG this race with new bike and a good season behind me...

Oh some other good news my coach one her AG in 1:07hrs...






I would do thsi race again.