Castle Combe Duathlon

Well that was a lesson learnt......

First race of the season for Team Vitor, and I had chosen to race a sprint duathlon.

Why did I do that for???

Well I was getting excited about the season and decided to enter the Castle Combe Chilly duathlon. I had raced it many years ago and must have forgotten how painful a sprint duathlon was. The distance was 2 mile run, 10 mile bike, 2 mile run, all which was around the Castle Combe race track so was going to be fast and flat.

So it began, I turned up rather early to the race that morning as was super excited and nervous at the same time. As my race bike for the season wasn't ready I had borrowed a friends TT bike with a disc wheel, I had never used a disc wheel before but thought I would give it a go. It was super fast!

My bike was racked and ready to go, I then did a little warm up and I mean a little warm up. I soon realised once the race had started that I wasn't warmed up at all and sprinting off at the start of the race wasn't a good idea.

I found myself at the start line near the front and thought I was in a great position to start. The gun went and everyone sprinted off like it was the 100 metre sprint, I stupidly got caught up in it and after quarter of a mile I had burnt out. I was then past by 2 women in the race and felt like I was running backwards. I decided to try and ease back and at try and get to the bike without being sick. My legs were battered before I got on the bike, I was relieved when I got into transition to grab my bike. My transition was good and headed off to do 5 laps of the race circuit.

The first lap I took rather steady probably too steady but needed to find my legs again. 2nd, 3rd and 4th laps were getting faster, I could see the leading lady up ahead to really wanted to try and catch her before getting off the bike. I couldn't seem to catch her, I could see her all the way but just didn't get any closer. I knew then that I wasn't going to win but still wanted to hang on to 2nd place as I had already past the other girl in 2nd on the 1st lap of the bike.

Coming into transition with the bike was nice and quick, I then ran out to complete the 2nd run. I could only find one pace and couldn't go any faster. I had definitely hurt my legs too early in the race.

Going over the finish was great as one of my friends Kevin Bexley was racing too and decided to try and have a sprint finish with me, of course he won.

After the race found out that the lady who won was a professional triathlete and had recently been training in Lanzarote. I was disappointed I hadn't won but also kind of relieved that the winner was a full time athlete. I have to remember I only started running again this winter after having 3/4 years off and I am not a full time athlete, although I would like to be.

I must also remember that I am not training for short distances, I don't know that many people that are good at sprints and ironman distances, usually one or the other.

Looking forwards, I have learnt that I must warm up properly and start the race at my pace and then build into it.

Next race is this weekend, which is Bourton on the Water 10km road race, my goal is to get a sub 40minutes, I have never done this before so its going to be a challenge.

I will send an update next week to how it went!

Bye for now x