Up..and up....and a bit more up...at Glentress Duathlon

Having had a week largely off (training-wise)- mainly as I've felt drained of energy..and also as I knew I had Glentress duathlon on the Sun 1st Mar...here I am at the start, not knowing quite what to expect. I put myself right at the back, not wanting to get in the way!

So off we went up the first of what felt like hundreds of fire roads..soon dropped by most of the rest of the field, apart from about four of us. Actually, that first mile or two was the hardest - after that travelling upwards constantly felt normal! With the odd bit of downhill technical single track, and a couple of very slithery, muddy off track sections, thrown in here and there for a change. What I was pleased with was that I feel fairly strong going uphill now - in the sense that I can keep going without totally finishing myself off - not fast it has to be said. But there a couple of others who walked most of the up bits..one who I stayed ahead of as, unbelievably, I was actually faster going down the techy bits, the other who always zoomed past on the downhills, only for me to catch up again on the ups..unfortunately he didn't do the run.

So I eventually, about 1 hr 40mins later, made it to transition, at the same time as the leaders were finishing (biking slower than they were running!). The run, for the first half hour, was constantly up, often steeply - to the top of Spooky Woods, at the very top of Glentress - where we had to retrieve a peg to prove we'd survived the 10 mins sometimes knee-deep, mud-wading approach to the top. The first 10 mins of the run was such a struggle - until I relaxed and realised what a beautiful walk it would be even if I didn't manage much running! Stunning views, and the sun had come out following lots of rain - so it smelt very earthy. Any bits of running on this section felt a bonus. But after that, I enjoyed the running..apart from the last 10 mins, when my body had had enough! But it was worth it for the Easter egg at the finish..

I wouldn't have been able to do this event this time last year. Tired today but not overly stiff. Did some warm up exercises from cyclo-warm - surprising how few folk do though, so I feel a bit silly - especially when I'm so relatively slow in these events - they seem to attract some amazing mega - athletic sorts - and not many of us lesser beings..it's mind-boggling to be struggling around at the absolute limits of what I can manage, and know that a hundred people are way ahead - amazing.
Had Hammer Heed in my little 1.5 L Camelbak - it wasn't enough - ran out early in the run. Also had a bottle of Hammer Perpetuum (is that what it's called, or am I getting mixed up with the Latin words in the Lauridson that I was rehearsing in choir on Sat?)...3 scoops..I knew I'd take about 3 hrs, but decided on 1 scoop an hr rather that 2, as it's disgusting! Found it quite hard to physically use the bottle on a mountain bike when either going up or down - much harder than on the road.., but managed most before the run, as didn't want to carry the bottle. Managed the not eating for 3 hours before..and had recovery drink of heed and whey mixed after, along with a visit to the Hub cafe, which didn't have much left by the time I got there! (also couple of the vitamin pills) And some stretching after..