ASK THE DON
You’re a duathlon champ, what’s the big appeal of the run/bike/ run? What do I need to focus on in terms of training and kit? And how will it improve my tri training? Will Dickens
Well firstly, duathlon is way way harder than triathlon, hands down! I’m serious, it’s brutal. Especially over the standard duathlon distance of a 10km run, 40km bike and 5km run, compared to an Olympicdistance triathlon of 1,500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run.
GREAT FOR RACE PACING
But as you say, I am, or have been many moons ago, a duathlon champ (love that, thanks, ha!). But I’m still surprised that more domestic pros don’t race the duathlon events early season – most of the international pros are clearly far too cool to race a duathlon, ha! But it is a great way to do a race-pace simulation, work on transitions and, of course, your race craft as a whole.
100% LEGS, LEGS, LEGS
It’s basically 15km of running, but much closer to your 10km race pace with a hard bike in the middle – it’s 100% legs, legs, legs! So first off, I’d definitely recommend a weekly brick session in your build-up to an early-season duathlon, this is when you run and do a quick transition to the bike and then back to running again. They can either be on the roads or you can do a specific session on a static bike. It’s a great session to help your muscles adapt to duathlon racing and a great way to practise transitions for both duathlon and triathlon. They don’t have to be hard sessions either, just get the flow going.
EARLY-SEASON STRENGTH BUILDER
I think the fact that duathlon races are also early season means they offer a great opportunity to get in a hard race-pace session with a race number on – for me, when I pin a number on I find an extra percent or five! No, really. There are also plenty of them out there, and some are over the sprint distance of 5km run, 20km bike
and 5km run. The bigger ones starting with a 10km run are just brutal, but so good for early-season strength. They’re also a great way to dial in a set race pace and give you the confidence to stick to it as so many people run way too hard over the first 10km – the drop off on the 5km run after the bike is massive, but you really want the second run to be half the time you did on the first run of 10km. In an ideal world, of course – ha!
DON’T BACK OFF THE SWIM
When you’re training for duathlons I wouldn’t back off your swim training if the triathlon season is still your main aim. You get such a good aerobic workout from swimming as there’s minimal strain on your legs with it been non-weight bearing.
KEEP DOING GYM WORK
Still keep working on strength and conditioning, too – remember a strong athlete is more likely to be a consistent athlete, which should, hopefully, mean less injuries and illness.
CONSIDER CLOTHING
Remember you’re going to be running and cycling so it’s worth investing in clothing you can do both in comfortably, i.e. a tri-suit! Duathlons are often in the colder months but you may get warm on the first run, cool down quickly on the bike then heat up again on the second run. Try arm warmers and a cycle jersey or gilet over a tri-top with gloves in the back pocket so you can add and remove layers quickly. Having a second pair of trainers and socks in T2 if the race is wet is also something to look forward to coming off the bike!
BREAK THE WINTER DOWN
With long winters and open-water triathlons not starting until late May, and some pool-based triathlons being a lottery when it comes to swim times and lapping other athletes, etc., duathlons are a great way to break the winter down and make it more manageable. With a goal of a few duathlons, plus, say a 10km or even a half marathon thrown in for a bit of fun, your early season will whizz by, especially if a few of you do the same races and your build-ups are similar. Hell, you might even want to go to the world or European championships! I’ve been to both so don’t knock them or think of duathletes as triathletes who ‘can’t swim’! Do one and see just how hard they really are, and, more importantly, how they will benefit you come race season. Trust me, they’re well worth the effort and you won’t ever regret racing one.