Dartington Duathlon, sprint distance, 3rd event

Sprint distance duathlon on 29 March.  5k run/20k bike/2.5k trail run.  Needed to set my gear up before the 8.15am race briefing and clocks went forward last night, so it felt like an extra early start.  Not done a multi-discipline event for a while and forgot how much paraphernalia you need.

Comparatively, this ought to be one of the easier events - it's shorter.  However, the lead up was not ideal, just got over a late seasonal dose of man flu that wiped me out for a fortnight and last night there was a loud storm which kept our 2 year old awake.  A lot.  As day broke, the wind fulfilled the promise of my BBC weather app which had forecast 45mph gusts.  Far from ideal cycling weather.

Nice to see friends from Plymouth Tri Club and Plymstock Road Runners who were competing or supporting.

Reasonable, but not racy 5k in 21:19, careful to keep some in reserve, but difficult to decide quite how much as I don't do many duathlons.  Just avoided a wipe out on a 90 degree left turn, but otherwise uneventful.

I'd dithered over what to wear before the race started.  Running gets hot.  Cycling can be cold.  Ended up shrouded in a significant part of my wardrobe which came in handy as it threw it down during the bike leg.    An abbreviated 3 lap/15k cycling course through the Dartington estate due to road works on the normal course was a welcome relief.  Tentative on the downhills - horizontal rain obscured my vision, had to ditch the shades.  Squeeze the brakes and not much happens.  Took it fairly easy and instead pushed it on the climbs (spinning helped with that).  Even got into a bit of a race off with someone who kept catching me up; otherwise the ride was a little like a neutralized section, steady average speed.  35:26.

Glad to get on to the final trail run and this is where Monday night's brick sessions helped me avoid the usual wobbly leg syndrome of transitioning from bike to run.  Slippy down hill, then muddy and twisty near the river, before picking up on the climbs and even overtook a few people before the end.  12:07

1:10 overall.  37th out of 149.

Big ride coming in 2 weeks...