Duathlon Advice

Mccraque

Got my first duathlon coming up in a couple of weeks....off road.

I enter the Gorricks from time to time but am not a lycra boy. I always have baggies, a hydropack with a couple of puncture tools in. Which is fine for a couple of laps on the mountainbike alone.

Question being.....for a duathlon, that's all going to take time. Anyone done one and faced a similar dilemma. Tips on transition and tips for what to carry on the mountainbike stage gratefully received!

Thanks

Greer_

How long/far? Will you be swapping from running shoes to spds? I did one a while back for the first time and loved it with no preparation. Had a water bottle on my bike, and I didn't bother carrying tools. Hydrate properly before the race because there isn't much time to drink when you're racing. For the transition, you can always practice it a few times etc but I didn't :L just make sure your bike is facing the right way, and it's in a low gear. Don't get on the bike till you're out of the transition area. There's a few more rules you'll be told but it's brilliant fun!

Mccraque

Sprint one as is first time. 5km run 12km bike 5km run....which seems to favour a good runner (which I'm not!) - Yes will be going from runners to spd's.

Greer_

Mine was 5km run, 20km cycle, 5km run. Just hold pace during the run, and blast them in the cycle, hardly anyone had any technical ability so it's where I managed to catch up and overtake a fair few people.

miss notax

Greer_ wrote:

Mine was 5km run, 20km cycle, 5km run. Just hold pace during the run, and blast them in the cycle, hardly anyone had any technical ability so it's where I managed to catch up and overtake a fair few people.

That's interesting. I have been thinking about doing one of these - i'm an ok runner (it's not pretty but i'm reasonably quick!) and would like to think I could whizz past a few people on the bike....

Mccraque

It's still open for entries as far as I can see.....no time like the present!

http://www.allabouttriathlons.co.uk/events_xtd-duathlon.html

steve_muzzy

I have done several, including a 120 km fecker with a 30 mile off road run

For the off road ones I rode flats and had a small bum bag with a mini pump tubes and levers (plus a couple of gels) and 2 bottle cages

Made transition a 2 second put your helmet on affair

The biggest issue you can get is leg cramps, if you push on the run the change in muscle uses can really cramp you up, so I advise lots of fluids

Did a road one couple of years back, experimented with a few ideas for transition including wearing death trap clips , eventually plumped for taking 2 mins to change shoes

As for clothing running in a chamois is not fun, so get used to riding without one and pick clothing you can run in easy enough but is suitable for cycling

It's a great thing to do, a real challenge and I reckon a fast cyclist and fair runner will do much better than the other way round

Mccraque

Thanks Steve - I'm really looking forward to it....although on my training plan I was supposed to be ramping it up this week but have been knocked out by a cold. argh! Oh well....the experience should be a lot of fun.

miss notax

Mccraque wrote:

It's still open for entries as far as I can see.....no time like the present!

http://www.allabouttriathlons.co.uk/events_xtd-duathlon.html

I was actually vaguely tempted but can't make that weekend (probably a good thing - I haven't doen any running in ages!)!

davenewcastle1973

Stupidly, as 2012's challenge, I signed up for the Kielder duathlon on the 6th October. All this talk of transition speed etc amuses me.

I have one concern - staying alive till the end and finishing! As long as I'm not last I'll be happy, although that is a distinct possibility.... :shock: