2015 National Elite Duathlon

For those of you who follow my Social media you will realise that race day was not going to be pretty. Well I say that, I was pretty grim. The weather was wet and windy, so windy in fact that transition racking was being held down by officials, even with 60+ bikes on it!

 

Prior to the race my regional manager had set some time on an academy training day to set out a race morning plan. Now in the past, I have turned my dirty great big nose up at the thought of planning. I don’t really know why but this time I was willing to actually listen to my coach and I went away and planned everything from 24 hrs before race start. It made my time before the race far less stressful and not having to make decisions or think about when I want to do what really helped to keep me calm and relaxed going in to the first race of the season.

 

THE RACE

So on the start line we all are. The wind was blowing, rain was falling and the countdown had started. We all charged off down the pit straight of Rockingham Motor Racing Circuit, accurately negotiating the twists and turns of the inner track. Pacing was key for this first lap for me – I was looking for about 8.40-8.45 and I came through in 8.33. I was pretty happy with that. The second lap was a tad slower but was still decent. Somehow I whipped through T1 quicker than you can do jazz hands, mounted my bike and the shoes were on! Off on to the bike I went.

 

Bike packs were being easily blown apart by the high winds and the wetness of the track made it tough to corner fast. My technical riding was being pushed on each corner. I just had to get my head down and time trial style, chasing all the people I could ahead of me to get as high up as I could. At the end of the final lap, coming in to T2 I had made up about 15 places over the 20km bike. On the final 2.5km run I managed to hang on to a top 20 finish and as it stands on the provisional results I finished 17th. Overall I was happy with my performance as I finished 31st in 2014. Winter progression as been going well but there is still a long way to go.

 

NEWS

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