Hermione Halman

Last night I attended my first ever duathlon, with a 2.5Km run, 15km cycle and a 2.2 km run. It was an excellent experience and I was extremely happy with my finish time of 1 hour and 9 minutes. 

The first run was comfortable, running at my own pace and not getting influenced by other people. I’m used to this distance and from training for my half marathon that I completed in May, I learned how to understand my endurance and find a pace I can maintain. 

The cycle: getting on a bike after a run is an interesting feeling. While dodging cramp in my hip flexor while untying my laces in transition, it took a few seconds to get the rhythm back into the legs. A personal best for the 15km, working on cornering effectively (with the help of my boyfriend who attended with me) and then shakily attempting to change my shoes back to my trainers. 

The final run leg: ouch! Running form was not as it seemed to be in the first run. What felt like a forward version of the moonwalk/ some kind of shuffle; every muscle screaming at me for the first lap. Left quad and both calves threatening to cramp, I finally got back into my pace to finish the remaining 1k.

All other competitors were very encouraging which was lovely and no doubt helped the performance. 

My body isn’t feeling to achy today which is reassuring and I am definitely looking forward to the next event.

Things I would consider for next time: 

1. Warm-up for a little longer before racing.
2. Concentrate on nutrition before to ensure my energy levels don’t drop too soon.
3. Practice transitions 
4. Train longer distances on the run and ride. 

Don’t be afraid to achieve new things, it won’t ever get old. 

Take Care,

Hermione