Duathlon

RAFValentina

Hello all! So,

I'm a runner by nature, but cross train on a gym bike and elliptical. I've fancied my hand at something combining the two sports, and thought of Duathlon.

I've been out and about on real bikes before, predominately mountain bikes... I decided that I prefer the pedalling aspect of biking to the going downhill over lots of rocks/around trees at warp factor snot and almost taking myself out...

I've just put down the deposit on my first ROAD bike... its a CUBE Aerial 2011 (from the performance range -entry level bike cost ~ £700 when it was current season but I've bought it for less that £580)

Just wondering, how on Earth/where can I join a Duathlon club (or do you join a tri-club and be a duathlete within?) and where is a good website/place to find out where all the duathlon events are and when?

I really hate swimming with a passion, I'm not a water baby, I freak out a little bit in water especially when out of breath. I can swim, but I'm not exceptionally good at swimming and have no desire to be. I can get by and even trained as a lifeguard, but basically, I get absolutely NO enjoyment out of it!

Ideas? Suggestions? General advice about getting into the "sport"?

Thanks in advance, greatly!

Valentina x

Dizzle_65

Tri clubs welcome Duathletes especially as they tend to do Duathlons in their "Off Season"

Human Race do a lot of Duathlons, and you can fine some on the Triathletes World website

I'd highly recommend the off road Duathlons though. Great fun for the none serious competitor (like me)

RAFValentina

Thanks for the response! I shall look further in to that!

fimm

Given that you're saying £ and not $ for the price of your bike, I shall assume you are in the UK, and suggest that you look on the BTF (British triathlon) website for lists of races.

I would guess that most people racing a duathlon are people who also do triathlon, though there are people who just do duathlon, and people who are basically runners or cyclists who fancy doing something a bit different! Certainly a tri club should welcome you along.

bstamps12

I am doing my first duathlon this summer as part of a Triathlon Series and I know several of the triathletes and tri clubs in the area are doing it as well, so I would assume tri clubs in other areas welcome duathletes as well. Most people I know who do duathlons cite the same thing you did: they do not enjoy swimming at all and would absolutely be miserable training for the swim part of a triathlon. I don't know a triathlete who would not lend a hand to someone strictly interested in duathlons.

RAFValentina

Sweet, thanks for the advice guys and info. And yes, British gal, through and through!