Tuffman Duathlon 2011

[Sylv]

Last in series, venue was Pippingford Estate Manor, home of Southern XC rounds, and National MTB Marathon Champs this year.

Another 200-odd entries for the duathlon event, usual suspects podium hopefuls but this time no Colin Dixon last round's winner, instead we had the awesome Sam Gardner, semi-pro triathlete fresh back from a training camp in Lanzarote, and a fast Frenchie Cédric Lassonde who's doing an Ironman this year. France vs UK!

This course was hillier than the Iceman, 590m for 25km vs 450m for 33km. Also a whole lot muddier with the fresh rain. I'd taken off the spikes earlier in the week but put (most of) them back as i didn't think there's be any tarmac sections. Run started frantically down a muddy field, then up into some boggy marshes, ankle deep in mud, feet soaked within minutes. Good course though, 4km loop with a long draggy climb finish section on fireroad. Cédric built a gap followed by Sam, then a few of us Jim McConnel, Jez Cox and me, both of whom on the second lap I managed to get ahead and was gaining ground on Gardner, I couldn't believe it! Went in transition in 3rd position just 21s behind him, and 1'08 behind Cédric.

I'd also dug out the elastic shoe laces with quick release in order to minimise my losses in transition, these work well but make the shoes pretty tight, it's ok in a race as you're hurting everywhere else anyway. Did well in 47s, better than some with the quickest being 41s. Hopped onto bike for a first 7km lap, and soon realised I had the wrong tires on. Should have left the mud tires I had last round which would have been perfect, but had fitted more racy tires that were a handful on the surprisingly muddy course, most of which seemed to be on an off-camber on the side of a hill with ponds at its bottom. Went down in a mud bog that had looked harmless due to the amound of dead leaves on its surface, banging my bad knee hard on the top tube. Feared the worse after the race but it's better today.

I knew Sam would be unbeatable on the bike, but wasn't sure about Cédric so tried hard to chase him, but wasn't feeling as fast as I should be. On the second, slightly shorter lap we had to overtake all the riders on their first lap, I could see some sliding down in front of me and hear some doing the same behind me. Some of the course was the same as the run course, so with 400 runners going round twice, plus 200 cyclists doing the same, some of it was looking worse for wear, pretty slippy. On the long climb I could see Cédric in the distance, had made up only a few seconds on him, and so getting back to him on the final run looked doubtful.

Transition #2 and putting back my tight and muddy run shoes was not so easy, could have done with a shoe horn. In my rush I left with my helmet on, realised just before exiting so dropped it on the side. Didn't suffer any abnormal pains on that run, showing I'm getting used to the transitioning. I knew I was well clear of anyone behind me. Course was properly muddy, in places the spikes didn't make any difference. Towards the end on the climb we encountered the cycling course, so I was overtaking riders, weird! On a section where the course backed on itself I caught a glimpse of Sam for the first time in ages, and worked out he was way way ahead.

In the end I came 3rd, 1'23 behind Cédric, and a whopping 5'30 behind Sam, most of which I lost to him on the bike, despite being very close to him on the run. He did have adequate tires, but 5min is a lot of time to lose in 45min, gotta start doing some training - Frejus can't come too soon. Still, got the 2nd fastest bike time, and my last run was decent 3rd fastest, despite not pushing it to the limit. 4th was Jim 2'25 back, 5th Paul Davies, 6th Dafydd Hollis, and 7th Jez Cox - we all went to the pub after. More vouchers on their way, so I'll be entering the Ballbuster for cheap, and wonder what colour of shoes to get this time??

Race Photos courtesy of Anthony Bliss
[img]http://humanrace.co.uk/images/stories/gallery/2011/asicstuffman/vsig_images/SSP_2011-02-05_AB_0019__800px__580_393_100.jpg[/img]

[img]http://humanrace.co.uk/images/stories/gallery/2011/asicstuffman/vsig_images/SSP_2011-02-05_AB_0085__800px__590_377_100.jpg[/img]

[img]http://humanrace.co.uk/images/stories/gallery/2011/asicstuffman/vsig_images/SSP_2011-02-05_AB_0130__800px__482_393_100.jpg[/img]

[img]http://humanrace.co.uk/images/stories/gallery/2011/asicstuffman/vsig_images/SSP_2011-02-05_AB_0163__800px__590_393_100.jpg[/img]

[img]http://humanrace.co.uk/images/stories/gallery/2011/asicstuffman/vsig_images/SSP_2011-02-05_AB_0257__800px__590_337_100.jpg[/img]

[img]http://humanrace.co.uk/images/stories/gallery/2011/asicstuffman/vsig_images/SSP_2011-02-05_AB_0471__EH__590_393_100.jpg[/img]
Sam Gardner

[img]http://humanrace.co.uk/images/stories/gallery/2011/asicstuffman/vsig_images/SSP_2011-02-05_AB_0633__EH__487_393_100.jpg[/img]

[img]http://humanrace.co.uk/images/stories/gallery/2011/asicstuffman/vsig_images/SSP_2011-02-05_AB_0792__EH__590_393_100.jpg[/img]

[img]http://humanrace.co.uk/images/stories/gallery/2011/asicstuffman/vsig_images/SSP_2011-02-05_AB_0894__EH__590_393_100.jpg[/img]

[Marek]

Well done, that is awesome, you are flying.

Cheers

Marek....

[Marek]

Sylv, in relation to the locking laces do you find they give you pain across the top of your feet after you run with them in. I wore mine for a half marathon today and wore them earlier this week and got quite back foot pain on the top since changing to them. Think I might have to change back to the normal ones.

Cheers

Marek...

[Sylv]

No. My Achille's heels had gone bright red though, but that's not the laces.

I would only wear them if I have to change shoes in a race.

[Marek]

Yes, me too, although I put them in because the laces that came with my nike free runs are absolutely useless, they are made of some kind of material which is very slippy so they just keep coming undone. Will try to get some normal laces.

Cheers

Marek....

[Sylv]

Double-lacing, always.

[Andrew G]

You're [quote]a fast Frenchie