After the Smiths Falls race I took some time off for a vacation, then came back to training and was able to execute a solid 5 week training block leading up to this race. I felt good about what I accomplished during this period - I put in some good work and was confident that I knew what paces I was capable of during the race. Unfortunately I had the double whammy of a baby whose first teeth broke through 4 days before the race and a head cold that ripped through the house. I was taking vitamin C and echinacea and eating raw garlic cloves in an effort to stave off the cold, but the lack of sleep meant I really didn't stand a chance. Scratchy throat started friday and congestion caught on saturday. I still wasn't feeling all that bad for race morning on sunday, and though I was definitely sick, I don't think it affected my race all that much. It hit me like a sledgehammer after the race though - if I had woken up on sunday feeling like I did on monday morning, there's no way I would have raced.
Run #1
At Nationals last year I was too conservative on that first run. It was probably the smart move to err on the side of caution given that I had no idea how to properly pace a Du, but looking back at the race stats, a bunch of dudes put time into me on that first run who I then outran in run #2. Looking at what other duathletes seem to do in races, it looks as though the real competitive folks take that first run pretty hard and then hold on for dear life in the second run.
So my plan was to take the first run (2.5km - a single loop of the run course) at a relatively aggressive pace. My interval training on the track had me honing in on about a 3:55/km pace, so that was my target.
It was a small field (25 competitors) as is usually the case with duathlons. Right away a group of about a half dozen dudes went out at a brisk pace. I could feel right away that it was likely a little faster than what I was aiming for, but I envisioned myself at the pointy end of the field on this one, and so figured if I want to race those guys, I've got to be with those guys. I didn't want to let the race get away from me in the first 200m. That little voice inside my head reminded me that I had a race plan, and that I should execute it. I looked down at my watch: we were running at 3:35/km pace. I knew from my track workouts that this was not a pace I was going to be able to sustain, so I backed off. Ultimately it was not a pace that most of the other runners were going to be able to sustain either - they were chasing the race leader Marco at this point, and I think he was the only one who was actually running within his capabilities. A small gap started to open up between me and the lead group and I let them go. By 1km they were well ahead of me but had started to string out - my first km clicked by at 3:53, so pretty much right on pace. Although I was letting a bunch of guys put time into me, I felt confident I could take it back once out on the bike.
New run course this year that goes through the fancy new Brockville railway tunnel. I was sceptical about this - having a short course (2.5km) with athletes from the 5k, 10k, Olympic Tri, Sprint Tri, Super Sprint, Try-a-Tri, and Du running through a tunnel seemed like it could cause congestion problems, but in the end it wasn't a big deal. The tunnel was wide enough to pass even with traffic going both ways. And it was pretty sweet to have a cool, shaded run complete with water dripping on you. The light show was kind of trippy too. Running in the tunnel of course means that GPS doesn't work, so half of each lap had to be paced by RPE, and the stats from my Garmin are all wonky.
It was during this second km (that went through the tunnel) that I started making up ground on the guys in front. I passed one on the way up, and then another 3 on the way back down, coming into T1 in third spot. This was the first time I've ever lost my bike in transition. I ran right past it and thought for sure someone had taken my bike. I did find it but this mistake probably cost me around 8 seconds, during which time another competitor passed me, so I exited T1 in fourth.
Run #1 + T1: 10:34
4/25
Bike
Out on the bike I had a plan to hold between 90-95% of my FTP. My NP for the ride ended up being a little close to the lower end of that, but I felt good about my effort level and am the happiest with that ride out of all my races this year. The bike course is rolling hills so you're always changing gears and your cadence is all over the place. This makes it hard to hold steady power. My other experiences with this race were racing the Olympic Tri, which goes off well before the other races, so you have the bike course to yourself basically. With the Du, there were already lots of other athletes on the course, so passing was the name of the game here. I was really conscious of trying to hold a good shrug/aero tuck, but it's hard when there's people just up the road, some passing each other, that you know you're going to overtake soon. I think I did the best I could under the circumstances, but ideally I would have like to have kept a better aero position.
I passed two of the guys in front of me during the "out" section of the bike course. Not too long after moving into second place I saw race leader Marco heading back the other way. He was moving, and after seeing his run, it seemed pretty clear he was on another level and I would be racing for second. Based on run #1, the two guys I had just passed were solid runners, so the question was: could I put enough time into them on the bike to be able to hold them off during run #2?
As a side note here, this was the first time I've ever tried to adjust my bike while racing. I had a brake rub issue that somehow got worse and worse as the ride went on to the point where I could hear it and feel it slowing me down. Without stopping I reached back and messed with it until the rubbing subsided and then rode out the rest of the bike leg without issue. It was slightly sketchy but worked out fine.
I came into T2 in second place, over 3 minutes down to Marco and only about 20 seconds up on third place and about a minute and a half up on fourth.
Bike: 35:18
2/25
Run #2
This was the heaviest my legs have ever felt starting a run. I really didn't feel the effects of the first run on the bike (I had been concerned that running too hard would have a negative impact on my bike legs), but I think the combination of run #1 and the bike took its toll on run #2. I figured if I could hold a sub 4:15 pace I'd be okay with that. The first km clicked by at 4:13 and my legs were starting to loosen up. Back into the tunnel and I knew that after the turnaround I'd get my chance to see what was happening behind me. Third and fourth were still a comfortable distance back, but I knew I was running slower than I had in run #1, and wasn't sure what they had left in the tank, so I stayed on the gas. Halfway around the Blockhouse Island loop of lap #2 I looked over and it appeared that the gap to third was growing. I finished the run strong but didn't empty the tank like I often do in the final km of a sprint. In the end my T2+Run#2 time of 21:50 was the second fastest of the day and almost a minute faster than the next fastest runner, who finished in third with a one second margin of victory over fourth. I didn't see that final sprint to the finish but it would have been exciting.
T2 + Run #2: 21:50
2/25
Overall I was pretty satisfied with how the race went. I executed my plan well and in that sense it was my best race of the season. It was also a very enjoyable race as the weather was a little cooler than it normally is and the tunnel run helped with that as well. The usual fish and chips recovery meal followed along with another trip through the tunnel with my girls. A nice end to this year's race season.
Final Time: 1:07:42
1/1 M35-39
2/25 Overall
Lessons Learned:
1) Duathlons are fun. I think there's a bit more strategic thinking that goes into them than the typical triathlon, and you have a clear sense of what your position is the whole race. Also, the transition set up is much simpler.
2) You can indeed go hard on the first run and it won't cook your bike legs.
3) Race dynamics are worth considering, but know your limits. Last race report I lamented not deviating from my plan in order to stay with a competitor who was going just a little faster. And I did consider trying to stay with that lead group during run #1 this time, but I knew the pace was not sustainable. There's something to be said for having the confidence in your plan and your abilities to know that sticking to the program will get you your best result. And the results bore that out as I reeled in most of those guys over the course of that first run and early on in the bike leg. It's also interesting to look at how much each of us slowed down during the second run - that's probably a decent indicator of who went too hard early in the race. Here's a breakdown of the top 5 and how much slower each was on the second run:
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