Duathlon – Just “Du” it!
I recently participated in my first Duathlon in Central Park, New York City. What is a Duathlon? It is a competition that is composed of running and biking. The usual format for a duathlon is run-bike-run, meaning you start with a run, then transition to the bike, then transition back to running again. My race was: 2 mile run – 12 mile bike – 2 mile run. Duathlon ‘s are suited to anyone who enjoys biking and running and, much like a triathlon, caters for all age groups. It is the perfect endurance sport for those who are less inclined to swim, as a form of cross training. I decided to challenge myself to this task in hopes of “getting in shape” but I took away much more than just fitness. It was both a physical and mental challenge. I’m sharing my experience in hopes of encouraging you to set your own challenges!
When starting to train, consider your strengths and weaknesses in running and biking. Then focus on your needs. For me, I was not a runner so I spend most of my training time focused on the run. Just a few short month’s ago I could not run 1 mile without taking a break, now I am able to run 2 miles without issue. Remember to not train at a high intensity all the time; it’s equally important to have adequate recovery time build into your schedule. Your body will tell you how much you should train and how much you must rest. Listen to it. There are many duathlons in our area, check out the <a href=”http://www.trifind.com/gs_duathlon/DuathlonRaces.html?state=ma”>Trifind website</a> for more info!
<strong>24-hour countdown to race day (If your race begins at noon, this is what the preceding 24 hours should look like):</strong>
<em>24 hours to go</em>
If you can, travel to the race venue the day before to avoid any surprises. Make sure your bike is in good working order.
<em>18 hours to go</em>
Dinner the night before the race. There’s no need to try to eat your body weight in carbohydrates.
If you already eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, stick to what you are comfortable with. Try to avoid food that may take a long time to digest, such as large portions of red meat or too much fiber. Be sure you drink plenty of fluids (not beer) to stay hydrated.
<em>3 hours to go</em>
Time for breakfast, a nutritious carbohydrate breakfast is a prerequisite, (i.e. bagel, granola bar, muesli, toast and peanut butter, bananas.) Avoid fatty foods or lots of fiber.
<em>1 hour to go</em>
Arrive at transition, find your spot and sort out your kit. Check your bike is in an appropriate gear for leaving transition and starting the ride. Check that the tires are properly inflated and make sure you stay hydrated. You can also have an energy bar or similar to take in those last few preferred calories. Now is also a good time to go for a 10-min jog to warm up.
<em>20 mins to go</em>
Avoid further carbohydrates, as you will not be able to digest them prior to the run start.
<em>1 min to go</em>
Get ready, get steady… and you’re off! This is the moment you’ve trained for. Enjoy it! I certainly did.