Cirencester Duathlon
Well, the first race of the year is done and dusted. The Cirencester duathlon was moved to a new course this year so didn’t really know what to expect. What I definitely didn’t expect, primarily because I’ve been a fair weather biker this winter and the recent bad weather has passed me by, was the snow and ice covered course!
As usual the race comprised of two 1 mile laps running, two 5 mile laps biking and then another two laps running. All offroad on a combination of fields, woodland tracks and bridleways. It’s definitely a different beast to the endurance events we seem to favour. Go as fast as you can for as long as you can!
Personally, having stumped up with my ancient trail clogs, I was slipping a fair bit on the runs, not to mention getting a dose of calf cramp on the second run. Also found the snow quite energy sapping on the bike compared to my recent tarmac efforts. I don’t think I could have taken the corners any slower if I’d tried, although seeing a few of the slow speed wipeouts, I’m not sure there was a good way!
That said, still very happy with my 31st place, a fraction over 82 minutes. I would argue the relay teams where different people do the runs and the bike sections shouldn’t be included in the solo results list, in which case I would sneak into 29th place! Top thirty! With a bit of statistical work I reckon I can rule out a few others and make top 10!
Timmy Two Teams was again in his TBAS colours and I think raced home in 7th place. I didn’t see Dom, but assuming he was number 217 (checking the results), he was about 90 seconds behind me. And also Steve H was there flying the NextDayTyres flag. Another great performance from our 50+ gang!
Unfortunately Andrew missed out on the fun as he chose to stay home nursing his man-flu!
Will try and find some photos in due course.
Yep, I did 1:13:36, I am fairly pleased with that. I did look for you Mike. Don’t have a BF short yet!! I was pleased with 37 for the bike but not that pleased with 2 minutes longer on the second run
More training required I think! I loved the atmosphere, it was a great event. I was 40th overall and 11th on the 40+ category. Hey, are the relay results really mixed up in the main results? That seems a but pants! All the tris I’ve done they are always separate…I feel an email coming on!! 
…so can I get faster as I get older?!!?
Dom – results are here. http://www.dbmax.co.uk/assets/results/703/original/weblong.html?1329049111 And yes, relay teams for some reason don’t get put on separate list.
Super job there chaps! We’ll turn a blind eye to Timmy riding in a TBAS jersey, he must have put it on over the top of his Bigfoot colours when he needed an extra layer…
Sadly I fear my man flu may be the real thing as I do feel rather poop…
On other Tri New Lance is doing 70.3 Panama as we speak, currently in the top two with the second half of the run to go… (exciting stuff)…
http://live.ironmanlive.com/Event/Ironman_703_Panama
Work effort everyone.
Ian and I stopped off at Charlton Park on a road ride during the event, the car park was seriously snowy so I could imagine what the course was like. Unfortunately we didn’t see anyone in orange Bigfoot tops but everyone looked like they were putting in a lot of effort!
Andy, on a different note, did Lance Armstrong just complete an ‘Ironman’ in 3hr50min?? Blimey…. that guy still has it.
Top job all and some cracking results, well done
Yes, well done all.
That must be a half Iron man surely, a 70.3. I don’t think he’s done the big one yet!? He’d be still 7-8 hours for that, crazy!!
…Indeed it’s a Half Ironman, he came 2nd against some proper competition so I’ll be interesting to see how he gets on. He’s racing four half Ironman’s (70.3) and Ironman France to get enough points to qualify for the World Champs in Kona. He’s next Half Ironman is going to be his ‘home’ race in Texas, I think he’ll want to win that one
I have a half IM in September, trying to raise money for Acorns, blimey, I will be happy with sub 6 hours and there’s Mr A doing 3:50!! It’s unbelievable! He’ll do the Iron man in sub 8 hours?!?!
Dom – which race are you doing in September? Her indoors and m’self are doing Wimbleball 70.3 in June. We did it a couple of years ago but died slightly on the hilly course, we’re out for revenge this time
I’ve entered the one in the New Forest. I thought hard about London, same weekend I think, but settled for a less crowded affair. It’s my wife’s birthday weekend so we’re staying in a lodge in Sandy Balls (yep that’s the place!!)
– hopefully sporting a new BF shirt 
)
I am doing the Taunton Sprint (done it a few times before), then next is the one in Milton Keynes, an Olympic, then the 70.3…but before all that is the lovely 50K MTB ride on 11th March
Trouble with Tri training is that at the same time all I want to do is go MTBing…I think my favourite event would be an off road tri, lake swim, cross country run and MTB ride.
http://www.justgiving.com/Dominic-Whyte70
Dom – check out http://www.ukmtbtri.co.uk/ They do a series of mountain bike triathlons with lake swims. I was supposed to do one at Afan a couple of years ago but they cancelled the night before due to some problem with the lake. The events aren’t that local which is a shame.
EnduranceLife are doing a 90% off road ironman race if you’re feeling like properly killing yourself!
Perhaps they found a monster in the lake…
Those off road events look fabulous, such a shame they’re so far away but I’m very tempted by the April one, as can’t do HONC – away on 15th, but perhaps a trip to York could be on the cards?!
Hi Dom, the New Forest races are usually very well organised (friend of ours marshals there and we’ve done the Olympic early season race before). I’m signed up to do the Tristar 111 in MK as I like the 111 format (1K, 100K bike, 10K run) as there’s less running in proportion to the cycling
On a local tip I can recommend the Westonbirt Sprint Tri (and the Gloucester Sprint Tri too, although they’re normally on the same weekend…).
Funnily enough next year I fancied getting back to my roots with a season of MTB racing including looking around for some proper off-road tri’s; we’ll have to do some planning and see if we can get some club trips out…
Hi Mikeb and Dom, I’ve done the Sandy Balls half IM in 2010 and raced the XTerra at Afan so happy to pass on advice if you’re interested. The Sandy Balls half IM route was a killer! Very, very hilly and a nasty cross-wind so take a set of shallow rims as well as carbon deep-sections if you can. The Xterra was also very hilly and wet: wind drove the rain in horizontally across the finish, the start was a twenty minute mtb ride to the lake so by the time we arrived we were caked in mud and then had to climb into a wetsuit and stand around by the lake waiting for the off. The lake was absolutely freezing and involved getting out half way round, running across a bit of field and diving into another lake! The bike ride was a twenty minute climb off-road into the Welsh Alpes – and its the first time I’ve shivered and experienced teeth chatter in a triathlon! Still, I got my best ever result there so I won’t complain too much…