PhilDua Leg4 2016: The Hurt Locker

The Good:

1. Accurate distance for the Bike and Run2 leg
2. Well placed race marshals and aid stations
3. Nice finisher's shirt

For improvement:

1. Run1 exceeded by 1k (and that's a lot in duathlon!)
2. Bikes could not be released until the last duathlete finishes the bike. I don't understand this rule if the participants already wear the wristbands to identify themselves with their respective bikes. It wastes the time of the participants who would like to head home immediately after the race (like me).

My race:

I went into this race not in tip top shape (training wise although mentally I was prepared, hehe) so I just went right into the unknown as I had low mileage for run and bike for the past weeks.

 Surprisingly, Run1 went pretty well (6:40/km average for 11k) although in retrospect I may have pushed a little too hard for my own good.

The bike leg, well, was a mix of masarap and mahirap. Masarap because I enjoyed the high speed I attained in the descents and flats. Mahirap coz of the 2 long (but low elevation) climbs which you had to do twice due to the 2-loop course. I finished it in 1:29 for 40k but I could've done better had I logged the miles prior.

Run2 was where the title of this post is so apt. Km1 went ok but I slooooowed down by km2-5 as the heat avenged itself after days of rain. Everytime you wanted to walk, it was like a big magnifying glass was aimed at your back so much so that you had no choice but to jog ---in pain. I was very tired by this time that it was really a battle of wills if I were to walk the rest of it or jog.

I chose the latter....painfully.

What I like about duathlon is that you see who did well, pace-wise, by Run2. If you gave too much in Run1 and on the Bike, you will surely pay for it on Run2 as what I experienced immensely.

By the last turn to the finish I was so glad to see the finish arc and get that medal. Finished the race in 3:28 which is far from my 3:02 PR.

Still need to work on my pacing strategy, but I'm very glad overall to have finished a standard distance duathlon after a long while (my last one being in 2013).

On to the next one, the Bike King Duathlon, on Sep 25. Now THAT one, based on my previous attempts, will be another hurting experience by Run2. It is a 6-60-4 duathlon but the Run2 usually hurts based on my previous 3 occasions racing it.

But still, it'll be fun! 

;-)

Phil Duathlon Leg4: Pre-Race Thoughts

In a nutshell, I am mentally ready for tomorrow's race (10k-40k-5k) although my training logs show otherwise. 

The rains (and my laziness) contributed to most of the lackluster mileage deposits in my TrainingPeaks account, showing a sub-50 CTL rate (but TSB, obviously, at a 9+ grade which means I am very fresh ---or too fresh?).

Aside from the high TSB (which means training-stress balance btw), what I have going for me is that I still have that 7lb loss which *may* help me get through the runs and the ride. I have also refitted myself on the bike (using an IOS app which is pretty cool btw) after a long while so that could also help me be fresh for Run2.

I just hope that the weather cooperates tomorrow morning so that all of us can enjoy the race (afraid that they may remove the Bike leg completely if the rains pour too hard).

Let's see how this one goes, shall we?