Anglian Water Duathlon 2013

[Sir Jibbenstein]

Where: Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire
Course details: Out and back gravel/tarmac runs, out and back bike.
Distance(s): 5km, 18km, 3km
Marshalling: Plenty where needed
Facilities: Shops, café, portaloos
Technical: Chip timing. Mass start.
Freebies: tee shirt

Where to start. Well, my head has been all over the place for the past couple of weeks. Coming off the back of 3 weeks build I felt amazing. I was posting amazing times in training and was pining to race. Then I had a rest day, and I felt shocking. I felt shocking in training most of this week in fact. Then I started questioning myself, I stood on the scales and started feeling heavy again. Damn those winter cravings. I knew I was in form, but my head was flipping from "you're in great form" to "you're slow and past your best" and back. Had I peaked too early? Or was it the fact I was experimenting with beetroot shots? Then I did my pre race set, and I felt good again, I was strong on the turbo, and felt good running. Added to this was the pressure of this being the last chance to qualify for the European sprint duathlon next year, it couldn't go wrong at all.

Race morning arrived. The usual stuff, breakfast, drove there with dad. Who pointed out the outside temperature was dropping as we neared the race. Registered. Questioned my clothing choice, so went and put tights on. Felt an idiot for forgetting my gloves. Then discovered I had remembered them. Went and racked and it was free racking, so I picked a spot opposite the mount line for easy reference. Walked the in/out with dad and questioned my strategy. That short run to the mount line, 20m, sharp right, 20m uphill, sharp left, bumpy track wasn’t going to be squirrel mount friendly. So went back and removed my shoes from the bike. Then killed a load of time as we had got there quite early. Ran up and down for a bit to get warm, heard the briefing. Went back to the car and stripped off the last of my warm clothes. Ran up and down a bit more then went and stood on the start line for the minute’s silence before the start.

The horn goes and everyone is off, except it is a tight track and I picked the wrong side. I’m held a little before it starts spreading and opening out. The first km goes by and it felt way to easy, damn, how much ground have I lost, then I see I did it in 4:02. Hmm, on target, but the field is spreading. Next km and it still feels easy. 3:59. I’ve picked a girl ahead from UEA that looks to be running well to pace off. Third km and it gets bumpy, 180° turn, and back. Felt harder, UEA slows I pass and take another few places. 4:22. Slow. Nasty uphill through the fourth km and I’m glad the turn point for the second run is at the top of it so I don’t have to do it again. Settled, feeling comfortable. Should I be trying harder? 4:01. Hmm, back on track. I’m scanning for the end now. Feeling OK, 4:09. 20:34 through 5k, goal of 20-21 minutes met. Bike time.

T1 goes a little slower than planned. I obviously tried hard enough on the run as I’m a tad wobbly on my feet. Helmet on, shoes off, shoes on, bike unracked and run for the mount line. Pick a clear spot to the left run over to it, pedals at the wrong angle, costs me a second but I’m on and clipped in.

I hear dad call as I begin to tackle to first lump out of transition. Left, bit congested here, trying to dodge potholes. Out onto the open road, I’m on the drops now and pedalling hard. Look at my Garmin, “run”, oh feck, press lap, “Multisport Complete” damn. Mucked this up. Obviously forgot to turn transitions back on after the hard reset the other week. Forget this as I power away frustrated. High cadence, piston like legs, into the big ring. Working my way through people. Holding 47-48kph (or 23.5-24 if the Garmin wants to give me half readings from the magnet) Slowed on the hills, then some guy in a pack of 5 pulls out on a blind uphill corner as I’m overtaking and I have to sit up and scrub speed. Idiot. Turn point comes, and I soon realise why it was so easy. I’m still holding 30-36kph back though, things have thinned out now and I’m just picking the odd person off now. By my calculations I’m 5 minutes behind the leader after 10K of the bike. Not too disastrous. Start wondering if I’ve gone too hard. Uneventful bike and I’m almost back, undo my shoes, ease through the turns to the dismount line, off, round and rack.

Helmet off, glasses ping off, shoes on, glasses back on and I’m off again.

Up the hill on tired legs. Feel like I’m running terribly here. Dare not look at the Garmin. I just focus on the runners in front and try not to lose ground. One guy passes me, but I keep him in sight. Don’t lose ground. Don’t lose ground. Willing the turn point. Round the cone, I try to work out how far behind I am, but fail miserably at landmarks/maths. Hanging in there with everything, the last 500m comes, uphill and I dig in, round down last bend and sprint for the line.

Run 1: 20:52
T1: 52s
Bike: 32:54
T2: 32s
Run 2: 12:13
Overall: 1:07:13

As I stood in the finish queue there wasn’t the usual feeling of disappointment. I didn’t know my true time, yet. I knew it felt like I’d smashed the bike. I given the run a lot and the first 5K was good. Eventually I got a time. 1:07:13 it said, no splits though and my AG placing was 14th. I found those out on the way home, and actually realised I had done alright. My instinct was right. I had raced well. I’d biked strongly, my run times, although my weakness, were actually good compared to my recent performances. My Average HR was 89% of max on the bike, and 93% of max on the run, so I clearly tried harder than it felt on the runs! Looking at the age group results there was no way I could have saved a minute to place 1 higher. Now I just need to come back even stronger next year.

[kfjatek]

Sounds like a great race for you, and a great form period too. Good stuff!

[Worrying Will]

Another cracker jibby. Great effort. Glad to see the good athlete mess up with the garmin to

[Bopomofo]

Great stuff, Jibby. Impressive times throughout.

I hope you can sit down sometime in the calm of the off-season and reflect on a really great year of racing. You have achieved a huge amount and you should be proud of yourself.

[wannabetri]

Cracking splits! Really impressive. Are you having a formal down period and off-season or training through?

[King Sad]

Well done Jibby

At last a report where you seem to be happy with the result Good man

[Sir Jibbenstein]

Cheers.
I always mess the Garmin up Will I put it down to the racing starving my mind of essential fuel
I'll appreciate how I've done at some point Bopo. Probably at Xmas when I think about the year that has been and read the hundreds of race reports I've written

I really can't fault those splits when I consider how my duathlons went at the beginning of the year, I barely scraped the 120% target, but on Sunday I managed about 110% in a stronger field.

I'm having some easy time until the Xmas, then coming back with a vengeance next year

[King Sad]

Sir J wrote

I'm having some easy time until the Xmas, then coming back with a vengeance next year

Excellent

[Jack Hughes]

Well done. Enjoy your break!

[gingertri]

well done mate! sometimes it pays to race on feel - you probably do time and speed so much in training you know where your HR is etc! def wind down some over autumn and winter and good to see your coach is helping you come good!