the best first duathlon....

Hi all,

 I love running but would like to try a Duathlon, run @ bike, but i am completely new to it and dont really know where to look or start, does anyone know a good starter event to have a go at?

I am 39 and run at 7.5 minute mile, i was also told that there are vet triathlon events which incorporate the same diciplines but over less distances.

Links and advice would be appreciated, just fancied giving it ago as well as my normal running as well i like to ride.

Regards

Comments

  • PhilPubPhilPub ✭✭✭
    Gary,

    I'm not an expert but just wanted to recommend giving it a go having recently done my first duathlon. I don't know where you're based but I did the London Duathlon in Richmond Park - lovely venue and very well organised event.

    The British Triathlon Federation may be a good place to check listings, and I'd also recommend asking over in the triathlon forum here.

    http://www.britishtriathlon.org/

    I've been warned it's a slippery slope from dua- to tri- but quite frankly I think I'll give open water swimming a miss for a little while longer...image
  • Thanks Philpub,

    Had a look will look into it again when i have a spare moment, but it all seems a bit biased towards the elite and big fast and pro events anf runners, but i guess its just a case of turning up and having ago.....which is fine. dont mind coming in last and me bikes not quite top of the range either.

    Just get the feeling that maybe duathlon and triathlon event organisers are for the more accomplished runners out there rather than the newish people.

    I will try and get an event in the new year in am based out of Nottingham at present.

    Cheers again. image

  • Feb march and spetember october are the Du season.
  • Hi Gary

    Mud Sweat and Gears at Sherwood Pines could be a start if you fancy an off road Duathlon, if it is run again next year.

    Organised by the peeps at One Step Beyond, this year it was held in April (April the first for all the fools image)

    Have a look at One Step Beyond as I believe they are local to Nottingham. I have taken part in 3 of their Tri's and can say they are exceptionally well organised (I would expect their Duathlons to be of the same standard).

  • I'd recommend the Marlow Duathlon (www.marlowstriders.co.uk).  It's a new event for next year (we ran a pilot event a couple of weeks ago) and despite the GB Duathlon Champion turning up for, and winning, the pilot event it will be very beginner friendly.

  • Which part of the country are you in?

    Try Running Word magazine events - there's some there.

  • Cheers Muzzy and all,

    The sherwood pines idea sounds the perfect event for me, and April i can do that.

    i will look into it, thanks again for all of your help.

    Gary

  • They should re name the event though i enter.

    Mud sweat and tears......heheh...

  • Gary,

    the British Tri Org website is not only for serious/elite athletes.  The Event search returns the Chilly duathlons in March and November at Castle Coombe, which I do and I am not Elite nor serious.

    I do not finish in the top half.. but someone has to support the faster part of the fieldimage

    Colin

  • Hi Muzzy,

    That website is excellent - One step beyound - and exactly what i am looking for so thanks alot, i know that area a little as well and all of there races are near or around me.

    So thanks again just spot hence the reason for starting the thread in the first place.

     best get me bike ready then, where is that old shopper gone ......

     gary 

  • No probs.........

    ..I'll look out for the shopper (or should that be Chopper) practicing around Sherwood Pines. image

  • Can I also suggest a company called F3 events - wesbite www.f3events.co.uk

    They do a series over the winter at Dorney lake, but have other areas too. I've been running, but not very fast for nearly 10 years now and did my first tri last year. I'm now completely hooked, and husband wanted to do one too, but he's not a great swimmer. He's getting REALLY into the duos now and has realised that he's a MUCH better cyclist than runner! It's also helped stop the recurrent achilles injury he gets from returning, so it's great if you're a bit injury-prone. He doesn't finish first, and if you already run & cycle, you certainly won't be last!

    I have found that particularly for the shorter distances, you'll always get a few people who are out for a laugh!

     Word of warning though - say bye-bye to your drinking money - once you start, you'll want all the kit.......!!! ( Not that I have tri-bars, and a heart-rate monitor on my Christmas wish-list, or anything.........!   image)

    Have fun, and enjoy!

  • Hi Gary, I am a triathlete mainly but will be doing my first duathlon this November at Caslte Coombe race circuit near Swindon:

     http://www.tri247.com/event_3772.html

    I generally do sprints, am 39 and usually finish in the top third but believe me there are lots and lots of people out there having some casual fun riding some pretty funny looking stuff sometimes. A lady I saw in my last race was riding a Raleigh shopper with Basket included in the fun tri! The british triathlon web page is a good resource however not all of the events are endorsed by them so you may miss out on some of the smaller more light hearted affairs. Triathlon 220 is a great mag and has all tri events in the UK listed usually upto two months in advance...

    A warning for ya tho, once you have tried multisport nothing else will be good enough!! Most people seem to get the bug including me. I started running and now use road races as training for tri's rather than just for the event itself. I just did the Barnes green half at the weekend as a training run for my Hawaii ironman next may so be warned...

     good luck and have fun

     Neil 

  •  thanks again to all,

     E - that is a great link i have saved it as a favourite and will consider it as although i am in Notts my Ma lives down south in Kingston upon thames so i can drop in on her for the weekend. So thanks for that great stuff.

    Neil walker 9 - great a good Mag, i was thinking i would need to get a mag and now i know which one, a shopper bike  huh ha ha ha, well i only have a mediocre at best MTB front sus only, but i guess it will get me around.

    I think your right about getting hooked, maybe it s the variety of the events and maybe people think that gives them a better chance of a good placing? dunno, but i like the idea of different terrian and disiplines being the key to really getting into it. I think i will be stronger on the bike than the run but then again i havent raced a good biker yet so better keep stum at the mo.

    Thanks again to all.

     Gary

  • well i only have a mediocre at best MTB front sus only, but i guess it will get me around.

    There are off road du's as well. Off road tris also, fecking hard!

    Aero, aero? Try that on a single track MTB course.....................

  • If you fancy a bit of off road, I'd really highly rec  "The Boneshaker", 5 km, 20 km, 5 km almost all off-road and taking in some fantastic scenery on the Ridgeway near Wantage (just South of Oxford).

     It's only in its 3rd year, but is a fantastic and very friendly event suitable for all abilities.  It is held in September so plenty of time to get in training (the second run is very hard after the first two events).

  • PhilPubPhilPub ✭✭✭
    E - thanks for putting up the link. This is obviously fate because I was scanning the events page earlier today and came across the Dorney Lake duatlon details. That settles it - if my cheque book is on the table at home where I think it is, consider me entered.

    (The bike's normally in storage by end of September but I should really be less of a wuss about riding in cold weather!)
  • Ha ha see ya there philpub.

    first Q that comes mind is 'do you still use checks?'......and what are they...heh heh.

  • Hi PhilPub - And there are 2 left in this series - November 25th & December 23rd (get's the metabolism up ready for feasting hahahaha), then another set of 3 in the spring. See you there maybe?

     Off road? Did the xtreme terrain tri at Camberley barracks a few weeks back. Duo, aquathlon & 10K run there as well. They weren't joking when they said 'xtreme'. the site is www.allabouttriathlons.co.uk

    I remember coming out of the water at my first tri (did the Women's Only one at Dorney last year) and I was bouncing around like Tigger on speed. It's such amazing fun. Anyway, signed up for Windsor & London next year now!

    gary - my parents live in Kingston too - it's just over an hour's drive to Dorney from there so no bother in the morning!

  • They weren't joking when they said 'xtreme

    E, I looked into that race but raced xterra the week after. Looking in 220 it did't look that xtreme? Was there nasty shocks in there?

  • sod it i have entered that one philpub...cant wait. , i understand what you mean by paying by cheque now - thats all they accept.

    Cornish bumkins. ha ha. still trading/paying with salt down there.

  • PhilPubPhilPub ✭✭✭
    E, 'Christmas Eve Eve' is traditionally the day I wake up and realise that I've got five nephews and none of them have a Christmas present yet. Although I notice it's on a Sunday this year so maybe I will be a bit better organised.

    I'm going to enter the November one for now and see how that goes. I might have to invest in some more substantial gloves. image

    Gary - see ya there!
  • I might have to invest in some more substantial gloves. image

    I worry about you southen lot!image 

    Just get some thin gloves and put your MTB ones over the top for the padding

  • you'd think it was a knitting club ....
  • Well I got to get my gloves from somewhere and knitting helps!
  • Looks like the 23rd dec one is cancelled now so we're all of the hook. Ah no, that means I've got a 10k race with my sis-in-law.

  • A woman did the Bala Standard on a shopper type thing with a very large basket  (full I believe ) and it had a stand. 

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