National Duathlon Championships – Athlete Number 9
With the first month of training complete, I thought it would be a good idea to compete in the National Duathlon Championships. As a
beginner, the Sprint Distance is the race I had to enter because unfortunately
they didn’t allow me to enter the shorter distances which were reserved for the
kids. Sad..
What is the sprint for a Duathlon you ask? A 5km run
followed by a 20km bike ride and then ending with a 2.5km run. Barring the ‘Carnival
Keep Fit’ I did about 3 weeks ago on Sunday March 16th (which was a
smaller version to this), this would have been the first time I
completed/competed at these distances in this order. I tried not to think about
it because then the butterflies would step in and take up residence in my stomach
to the point of paralysis. So…full speed ahead.
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| Ride Portion around the Savannah |
The course was simple. Within the savannah, they marked out
a 2.5 km loop. The distance around the savannah on the street was just about 4
km. So my task for the day was 2 loops, followed by 5 loops of the savannah and
end off with another 2.5km loop
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| Run loop within the savannah |
On the day, Team SPORTT was in full effect. Mikey and
Gershwynn also signed up for the race. All of us possessing different goals for
the race and looking towards certain outcomes. With Mikey being the resident
Team Captain, he was using it to gauge his level of preparation to date.
Gershwynn is the established cycling specialist, so this was a test of his
running skill. Me…my goal was strictly survival. Try not to pass out on the
ride trying to be a hero. Just finish..and not die.
When the race began, I exploded out of the gate like a prize
horse in a derby, determined to give a good showing of myself. The start was admirable
but caused me to learn a serious lesson and an area of improvement. I have to
PACE myself for the race. I started the 5k at a rate that a 400m coach would
have been proud. Sadly..it was a 5k and not a 400m so you know that could not
have ended well. Slowly but surely, the ‘engine failure’ light came on and I
felt like I was running in reverse. With each shortened step, other runners
were passing me with a regularity that I wasn’t entirely happy with but could
do absolutely nothing about.
By the time I completed the first loop, I had lost more or
less any advantage I worked so hard to gain in the first half. Be that as it
may, I had to maintain my breathing and just keep working. Nothing does wonders
for your confidence in a race like a competitor (in this case a lady with quite
impressive dreadlocks) using your forward progress as a monitor (sarcasm). She
would slow to a walk..and I would trot on by and then she would decide she had
enough of it and run pass me again. Again, I had no say in the matter, so just
had to press on.
So on completing the 5km, I got another valuable lesson and
learned another critical aspect of the duathlon/triathlon events the
‘Transition’. This is the time where you go from running mode to cycling mode.
As a newbie, I haven’t acquired any of the skills of transitioning so I took my
royal time. It is a whole mix of confusion trying to catch your breath from the
run and then telling your brain to put on your cycling shoes. So that took some
doing. Midway between I wish I had a little stool so that I could have a seat.
Rules also dictate that you have to put on your helmet BEFORE you touch your
bike or else you would have been penalized. Eventually I got it done and was
off to ride.
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| Transition after the 5Km |
The bike ride was pretty constant. Just ride hard and try
your best. Gershywnn gave me a bit of advice before the start of the race that
proved invaluable. He advised me that on one of the sections, there is an
uphill portion which also has a fair bit of wind so the tactic is to drop down
to the lowest gear, almost as if you were going up a hill. This helped me out a
lot. With each lap I will need to yell out my number to the race wardens so
that they know I completed the requisite number of laps. I completed the 5 and
then was left to tackle the last portion.
The 2.5 km run would have been a test of mental toughness. I
just expended myself on the bike ride and then now to complete this last
section. Again, my transition was awful. My helmet REFUSED to come off my head.
My only relief came when I decided to just pull it off. I am not sure if it was
a combination of my extreme tiredness or the fact that I had on a beginner’s
helmet, either way, it was very difficult. I slipped back on my sneakers and was
off.
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| Please come off..pleeeaassee |
But wait…my body said immediately, where do you think you
are going?!?! Now, if you haven’t experienced it there is another instance of
extreme muscular confusion going from the ride to the run. Your legs are more
or less cursing you out because of the switch. This curse out is manifested in
the bambi-esque walk you try to muster. I got over that after the first few
steps but then had another problem on my hands. As if to revolt that I was
putting it under exertion never before experienced, both calves decided to
protest in the only way they know how..CRAMP!!! First in the right and then in
the left. It was the same thing that happened at the Keep Fit. Luckily I was
able to hobble to a water station and get some water. I poured it over both
calves and was moving again making steady progress. Metre by metre I was completing the race.
The end was in near. I started getting in a bit of a
rhythm and resolved to finish strongly. About 200 m ahead of me I saw one
competitor who seemed to be in a worse state than me. About 50 metres ahead of
him, was another competitor. I made up up my mind, that I needed to catch and pass them both.
Slowly but surely, I maintained my stride. I caught the first guy right
after the last turn of the loop for the home stretch then passed the other guy
soon after. My mini victory gave me renewed energy. Out of nowhere I decided it
is time to finish strong. In a burst of speed with sprinting form that Ato
Boldon may have found admirable, I galloped home to finish. I was cheered on to
the end by my other SPORTT colleagues who came to support which made it all the
better.
So there it was, my first Duathlon under my belt. Not too
shabby all things considered but it let me know exactly how much work I have to
do if I am to complete the Triathlon. I finished in a time of 1:26:34. The
journey has just begun and I think I am up for the challenge.
Thanks to Team Manager Gina Richardson for all of the lovely photos.
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| From Left - Mikey, Gershwynn and I posing with our medals |
