Fearless Duathlon 2012

This year I decided to enter the Fearless Duathlon, an off-road event featuring a 7km run, 19km bike, and a 7km run to finish. All three stages were to be on mixed terrain within Llandegla Forest in North Wales. The bike leg using the red run. All sounded good. 


Having twice raced Tameside XL Triathlon, also organised by the team at Uberfit Events,I had an idea what I was in for having got a taste of Dave Q's idea of a race from the Tameside XL. Both times the weather had been foul. Competitors would be getting as wet and muddy as possible. 


I checked over the old steel framed Trek, which has been with me for some fifteen years now, and reckoned it was up to one more run out before being retired to a life of road touring. The race would be a good opportunity to test myself early in the season.

Transition and competitors receiving race briefing.

So very early Sunday morning, race day, the car packed with everything I could possibly need, I set off for Wales with excitement and a little anxiety. As usual I tried to play it down in my mind to settle the nerves. Having checked out the Llandegla Red Run the week before I knew where I was heading (Post race recce I had checked into the cafe to warm up and feast on cheese on toast and a brew. A must after any ride around the forest routes). 


On arrival this was was where I again headed, to register and collect my number. Here I was told of a change, the second run leg would be just the one lap, half the advertised distance. Bugger! It was cold, the car showing 3 celsius but it was dry, by which it was not raining. It was far from dry underfoot. It was going to be a muddy one. 


Having checked over the mountain bike one final time I headed for transition. Got chatting to a nice fella, a member with Glossopdale Fell Club, who had raced last year and was happy to share his memory and insight. Transition had a good atmosphere. Once set up I headed back to the car having plenty of time to fuss about before the start. After several visits to the toilet, always busy before a race, to off-load unnecessary weight I was set to go. Warming up involved a jog and stretch off close to transition. The nerves were building.

The ladies and relay'ers went off first. Fifteen minutes later, at 11.45, the siren rang out for the start of the main field. 182 competitors in all. I was off (nowhere to be seen in this photo sadly).

Running is something of a work in progress still. I had positioned myself, sensibly I thought, somewhere in the middle of the order but was still overtaken so much so it felt like I was nearer last place than first. I resisted the temptation to look back. I resisted the temptation to go off too fast. The 7km run leg was a mix of forest track and rough trail cut through the plantation. It was very good running. Nothing too strenuous or technical.


At the conclusion of the first run leg I entered transition. Everything was set, where I had left it. I have a somewhat irrational fear you see, one of several I should say, that another competitor will reach transition before me and take my bike and kit instead of their own. In error obviously. Not this time. Transition was smooth and problem free. I had opted for a change of shoes to ride cleated. A little more time spent in transition. Looking around I noticed how few bikes were left. 


Setting off on the bike leg I pushed hard to try and make up ground. The 18km route followed the old intermediate 'red' run around the forest. The first few km was on forest track and allowed for a good pace to be set. Making the most of the hardtail. Entering the forest there were several dodgy icy sections. At the top of the hill there was a rutted and stony roller coaster section. Good riding. Having passed plenty of competitors suffering mechanicals I had problems myself with the front mech slipping out of alignment. Nothing terminal thankfully. The riding was great. Fast and technically demanding. A mix of muddy and not so muddy sections over steep and less steep sections with a few jumps and drop off's thrown in. More the terrain for a full suspension bike so lost ground to better riders with better wheels.    

Entering transition again, which had taken on the look of a swamp, I shed more gear than I gained and headed off again. Bugger! My legs had stopped working. Straight into an ascent was tough. I had pushed too hard on the bike leg so I was spent. I just pushed through it as best I could. The 4km run was, thankfully, short. The top racers were just finishing whereas I had another twenty minutes running to do. The run was again a mix of forest track and rough trail, different to the first leg, making a circuit of the ice covered lake. Steady running except for the sadistic near vertical scramble not far shy of the finish. Fair play to Dave Q for being at the top of this work of torture which I assume he must take credit for.  


So the finishing line was reached. Great race. Great venue. Great support. Good result - 79th position in a time of 2:06:19.

Cold, wet, muddy, and well happy.