Race Recap: PhilDuaSeries Leg2 2015

The good:

1. Good venue, race route
2. Accurate distance
3. Sufficient hydration stations
4. Good number of race marshals
5. Improved bike-check in (no more waiting in line, yey!)

For improvement:

• Had to wait for over an hour after I finished the race to claim my bike and other stuff. I think the wrist band system should already cover possible theft so there's no need to wait for the last participant to finish the bike leg.

Race plan:

I missed 3-4 days of training 2 weeks prior to the race due to work related matters, so I had to limit my performance on this one especially on the run. Plan was to run tempo during Run1, ride tempo to hard, and then see if I can run on empty by Run2.

Race performance:

The 2 loop course on Run1 was a share of flats and short to medium climbs. I was able to keep my pace on target, finishing it on 6:28/km and 150bpm average.

Lookin' good at Run1

I rate myself as between "good" and "very good" on the 4 loop bike leg, managing to ride the false flats on my big ring. I got worried at one point as I might pay in Run2 for all that heavy lifting on the bike, but I just said to myself that Run2 is only 3km so I think I should be ok. I finished the bike leg in 1:09 and 26.3kph speed. Btw, the switching of pace/HR monitoring from my Forerunner 410 and Edge 800 and back was seamless, so I was able to monitor my bike parameters during the ride (cadence included).

My legs were still feeling good at the start of Run2, so I took the opportunity to speed up and take on the struggling runners one by one. I doused my head with water at every aid station. HR was high, as I weirdly expected (HR ave on Run2 was 160!). I guess this proved to be the result of the lack of run mileage and hard run workouts (tempos, intervals, bricks) that my body has not become used to lately. I have to improve on that. Run2 ended at 6:14/km which was quite good given the non-preparation for this race.

I looked at the race clock as I crossed the finish line and it read 2:14 and change which is a 2-minute PR from last year! YAHOO!

I was actually clapping on another participant who wouldn't allow me to beat him on the line. Good sprint anyway! Hehe...

I think that good showing on Run2 helped a lot. But then again, the PR could've been better than 2:14 have I done the needed training 2 weeks prior.

Next duathlon is on July (Clark), again by the org team of PhilDua (now Leg3). Improving my weight is a must by then, as my race pics just show how sluggish-looking I'm in. Still envious of those other athletes without abs, but hey I heard #Dadbod is becoming a trend? Hehe.

This weekend is the Alaska Cycle event and I'm excited for my 2 boys who'll be joining the kid race on Saturday morning. I'll be racing the next day, Sunday, on the 40km challenge so I hope to do good there as well.

Now, back to training....