Duathlon Coming Up

Lisah8969

Hello!

I have my very first duathlon coming up in 3 weeks. It's a sprint...1 mile run/10 miles bike/3 miles run. I have been a runner (ok...runner/walker) for about 9 years now so I am confident with that part. The bike...well I just got one in January after probably not riding one (except a stationary bike) for at least 30 years. I have been putting good miles on the bike on the weekends (10, 12, 15 mile rides). When I train, I do my running first at the park and then go home and get on my bike for an hour or so. My question is, does it matter that I am not doing any training days that involve running, then biking, and then running again like the actual event will be? I am not expecting to set any record times for this and my goal is to finish.

Thanks for any help!

Lisa

Padzster

Hi.
I've never done a duathlon, but I did a sprint triathlon a couple of years ago. Doing the "bricks" training near the end of my training was really important. Your muscles feel completely different moving from one exercise to another. So at the moment you know what it feels like to go from running to biking but not the other way round. It would be advisable to just get some experience the other way round as well, but it won't be crucial to you finishing. You'll be on such a high on the day that it will push you to go further and faster than you ever would in training.
Good luck! You'll love it!

Lisah8969

Thanks Padzster! I will try bike and then run a couple of times in the next few weeks. There is the sprint triathlon going on at the same time as my race, but I couldn't talk myself into that just yet. Maybe in a year, I will try and add swimming as well.

jchite84

I've done a couple of triathlons. I would get a few bricks in. (Bike, Run, Ick). It will primarily help psychologically. Your legs will feel like sandbags when you get off of the bike and start running, it will take 1/8 to 1/4 mile to get accustomed to the feeling, and this can be really strange if you are doing it for the first time on race day. I also find the feeling of transitioning from 16+ MPH to 6+ MPH a little odd, running feels soooooooo sloooooow after you get off of the bike, but you still need to pace yourself wisely. EDIT: I did one duathlon, and I did not find T1 as difficult to adapt (running to bike). But, just for good measure, it can't hurt to try and replicate the event beforehand, but I would do it at 3/4 effort. You don't want to risk injury so close to race day.

justjess575

When I did my first triathlon, I didn't do bricks in my training and regretted it! I could barely walk when I finished the bike, let alone run. My tip is practice biking then running. It will help!

Lisah8969

Wow...thanks everyone! I will be doing a "mock duathlon" this Sunday then just to see how it feels...at 3/4 effort! Seeing as normally my next activity after biking has always been shower and then sitting in the recliner this should be interesting.

I am so glad I asked this question.