Pembrokeshire Duathlon - Neyland

26th March 2010

Report by Gethin Mills

 

5k run     -  OK, done that before, no probs.

22k bike  -  No problem, do lots of cycling.

2.5k run  -  Half the distance of the first run. Easy!

It was a glorious morning as the dog and I enjoyed our walk at 06:30. I can never understand why something so small can run at those speeds in any direction, over any terrain all day long and never hit the wall. Life is easy when all you need to perform is food, sleep, the chance of smelling something awful in the hedge, a belly scratch and a poo (not too dissimilar to me after all, minus the hedge thing). Then suddenly it came to me, is there anything in the rule book that says “relay teams cannot have dogs as members”? (One to check Alex). I think Kip (our Springer) would give me the edge on the run. The idea left as soon as it had come when I realised the fatal flaw in my plan. Too many people to have belly scratches from, and too many hedges with potentially awful “tasty” things to inspect.  I would have to do it on my own.

Mrs Mills had been collected by the Family Munn at 06:15 for marshalling duties. All that could be heard was calls of “why did nobody tell me there were two six o’clocks in a day” as they disappeared over the hill.  I followed closely, arriving at 07:15 to a virtually full car park.

Conscious that last year when Pete and I marshalled, Mrs Mills and Mrs Munn competed, and before they set out on the run provided Pete and I with coffees. It was time to keep my head down or I would have to do the same!

Race briefing, cars pass through the competitors, race briefing, cars pass through, race briefing, cars pass through, we’re off!

If you compare runners to vehicles, Luke, Oliver and the other guys are like BMW M3’s where I comfortably sit in the “38 year old tractor” camp. Big, slow, difficult to pass on narrow tracks. To this end I started the run from the back of the field, and still people passed me. The run was great, up the cycle path at my steady pace plodding away. Soon my optimism faded when Luke, Oliver, Dougie and others shot past in the other direction. Dougie, you don’t move that fast in work!

Transition – “Passage from one form, state, style, or place to another”, according to the dictionary. Well mostly true, my state was past changing at this point, style – ha, place to another, well the shouts of encouragement from all, certainly made sure that standing about was not an option.

Out on the bike, this is ok. I can feel my legs after running though, but this bit is normally my strongest. Passed 8 bikes on the way up the hill (teach you for running past me). Along the mad mile towards Sentry cross roundabout and Ian marshalling.  Past another few bikes, and off to Honeybourough roundabout. Cow bells, must be Jonesy. Round the roundabout and past Rich Pullin and the clip board “what number” was the shout, (nice hat). Jonesy and his cowbell again “Allez, allez, allez” and managed to pass some more bikes. Another loop, back on the mad mile and down to Mastlebridge. Past a few more bikes. Spotted the “flying Munn” ahead, I had managed to catch Karen, pass her and beat her into transition – “Passage from one form, state, style, or place to another” you get the picture.

Hang on where’s Karen, she’s gone!!

The elation of catching and passing bikes was short lived as I realised that someone had borrowed my legs, for these I was trying to run with were certainly not mine. Someone else’s legs and I set off on the 2.5k run.

2.5k run  -  “Half the distance of the first run. Easy!”  came back to haunt me. As my blistering time shows, running after cycling is a little different to just running.  Back to tractor mode “not one of those JCB fast tracks either”. Plod, plod all the way until the finishing line and a total time only 22 minutes behind Luke.

A great day, as all Neyland Duathlons have been. Tea and a bacon roll (ah that’s why my run time was so slow).  Well done to all the competitors and fantastic Marshalls.

 

Results for Club members:

 

Pos. Overall                                              Run 1                    Bike                      Run 2

1     01:03:51  Luke Watson  OM M                         0:17:53               00:36:17              00:09:41

2     01:05:08  Oliver Simon  OM M                         0:18:35               00:36:30              00:10:03

4     01:05:55  Scott Patrick  OM M                         0:19:46               00:35:49              00:10:20

6     01:08:46  Jack Lear  JM M                                0:19:19               00:35:51              00:13:36

11   01:10:12  Rhys Thomas  OM M                        0:21:17               00:37:43              00:11:12

12   01:10:14  Mathew Pritchard  OM M                  0:20:20               00:38:49              00:11:05

21   01:13:47  Kirsty Murray  OF F                          0:21:30               00:41:01              00:11:16

25   01:14:32  Claire Davies  F40 F                         0:21:28               00:41:36              00:11:28

29   01:17:14   Phill Thomas  M40 M                       0:22:04               00:42:07              00:13:03

30   01:17:58   Sian Williams  F40 F                        0:22:18               00:42:58              00:12:42

35   01:20:11   Karine Davies  OF F                        0:21:45               00:46:05              00:12:21

42   01:22:07   Karen Thomson  OF F                     0:23:29               00:45:58              00:12:40

49   01:23:39   Karen Munn  F50 F                          0:25:01               00:45:23              00:13:53

56   01:26:08   Gethin Mills  OM M                          0:28:13               00:41:21              00:16:34

80   01:48:57   Dave Harriers  M40 M                      0:35:07               00:55:18              00:18:32

       DNS          Mark Jones OM M                         (scared when he heard I was doing it)