Yorkey's Duathlon Race Report

Last Saturday afternoon at roughly 4:30 in the afternoon just over 12 hours before race start I decided to do the Yorkey's Knob Duathlon after it changed from a triathlon due to stingers in the water. 

I wasn't really keen to race and I woke up wanting to go back to sleep. I got up anyway and decided to give it my best shot knowing that I could potentially get the win. The race start was delayed and that stuffed up warm up which wasn't much as it was. As the start hooter went off I pushed the first 5km as hard as could trying to race as close as I could to my PB time. By the turn around at half way I felt flat and as though I had already used up my energy. I kept pushing knowing that my mate was on my heels and thankfully I was able to break him with about 2km to go. I started to ease up coming into transition knowing that I had a lead. 

As I got onto the bike I got comfortable and for the first time took the first 5km easy. On the way back to the half way turn around I was passed by one of cairns' best iron distance athletes and I knew that if I wanted to win I was going to have to go with him. From this point the pace picked up and we increased our lead over the other competitors. We got off the bike with an average of 37km/h and I knew that the next run was going to be a really quick 2.5km if I wanted to win.

I left transition with Sandy hot on my heels and my leg turn over was super quick. As I got to the turn around I had increased my lead but I was struggling and the pace of the bike ride was starting to catch up. With 500m to go I started to cough and I felt like vomiting but nothing was coming up. I knew that the race was almost over and once I reached the last water station I knew I had the win. I ran up the finish chute and felt so relieved that it was over. As I crossed the line I almost fell over but I was filled with joy that I was able to take my second open win in a matter of weeks. 

I ended up running a 30 second PB in the first 5km to run 17:34. It was such as great race and it gave me confidence going into states which I am currently at. I just qualified for the final in the 800m and 1500m which is on tomorrow and Sunday. Times have been fantastic and an update of that will be up during the next week. 

Yorkey's Knob Duathlon 2014

A video that I put together from yesterday's duathlon that I won. A full race report will be up this week.



Enjoy!

What's happening with me

I haven't really done too much blogging over the past month and this is only due to the fact that I haven't had any races on. I'm now in my completely under the guidance of three coaches and it seems to be working really well. My training has stepped up signifcantly and I'm doing more double days than ever before. So I thought that today I would give a bit of an insight as to what's coming up and some of my goals that have been planned.

State Athletics

Next week I'm off to Brisbane for State Track & Field with my main events being the 800m and 1500m, possibly competing in the 3000m. It has been in the last few weeks that I have been feeling really tired with the increased work load of training. I'm either swimming in the morning and then backing up with the run in the afternoon or I'm riding in the morning followed by a run session later that afternoon. Despite training twice a day I have been able to back up and train just as good in the afternoon. I've been running some really quick times which makes me feel confident knowing that in Brisbane I'll be running on fresh legs, so I'm very interested to see what I'm capable of. I can tell that I'm running good when just yesterday I started my session off with the 2:49 for 1km and then followed it up with 3x 300m running my last in 40 seconds. This puts me in a good frame of mind leading into next week.

Triathlon Season

The triathlon season has begun in Brisbane and while ours draws to a close in the far north training has been increasingly hard. My first triathlon will be in November and this is for selection into the regional team to compete in Hervey Bay next for States. Unfortunately there has been a bit of a mix up between the triathlon club and some other people which means my race will only be an enticer rather than a sprint distance race.

Next on the calendar I might go down and race all schools in Brisbane which is the equivalent to our regional trials except there will be more competition. I can't get selected for a metropolitan team though because I don't go to school down there. If I don't end up going to that I am thinking of going to a draft legal race in Penrith. The idea of travelling south to race is good because it will give me the opportunity to race some of the best athlete giving me a good gauge of how my training has been going in the lead up to States in February.

Cycling

In December one of the local bike shops is sponsoring a three race criterium series. There will be prize money up for grabs so I am putting a bit more training in on the bike to try and be strong enough to contest a few wins at the races. I would like to be able to go well there but I'm a little worried about a rider from the Tablelands. He is super strong and I need to make sure that I can hold his wheel for as long as I can.