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Duathlon advice

Alicia ChaseAlicia Chase
in General Training Discussions
Okay, so I'm racing a local duathlon in a week--2.5 m run, 12 m bike, 2.5 m run. I've never done one before, though I've done plenty of sprint/mini tris. I know it's going to be about how badly I want to suffer, but wondering if anyone has any advice about how to race, especially that first run leg. Thanks.
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Comments

  • Robert SaboRobert Sabo
    I haven't done one in a while but you are going to want to be a little conservative on the first run.  By that I mean that you should be thinking 5mile to 10k pace as opposed to the second run which you should try for 5k pace.  If that is too much suffering than jump it up to 10 mile pace 1st run and 10 k pace on the 2nd. 
  • Doug JohnsonDoug Johnson
    Just before I read Robert's reply I was thinking exactly the same thing...10k pace on the 1st run and aim for 5k pace on the 2nd run.  Depending on how strong you are on the bike and the elevation on the course I would aim for FTP power or just a tad lower on the bike.
  • Alicia ChaseAlicia Chase
    @Robert Sabo and @Doug Johnson the course is flatter than flat. For 12 mi on the bike, I could prob ride it at around 97-98% ftp. I'll shoot for 10k pace on the first run and see what happens. Thanks!
  • Peter GreaggPeter Greagg
    I use a more conservative approach. Since you are going to run 5 miles in total, I would use the usual triathlon rule of pacing the run at double the stand-alone distance. In this case, I would use you 10 mile stand alone pace.
    Remember that for a half iron (with its half marathon run), we target your full marathon pace.
    Just sayin....
  • Alicia ChaseAlicia Chase
    Thanks, @Peter Greagg, For sure, this is going to be an experiment. I know I'll be able to make up time on my competition on the bike, and I don't want to be blown for the 2nd run. 
  • Alicia ChaseAlicia Chase
    edited October 9, 2017 12:37PM
    Thought I’d update in case anyone is curious about how it went so they can apply my experience to future races. It was a small, local race—about 40 individuals—so big fish in small pond kind of thing. I was 3rd female, won my AG, and 8th overall. My plan was to run around an 8 min mile or just under for the first run leg—running by HR wasn’t going to be useful. I went out a touch too fast and did the first mile in 7:51. Found a friend who was running a pretty steady 8:00 and ran on his heels, and did 7:56 for the 2nd mile (plus .5). HR was 157. Went for it on the bike, my plan was around .95IF and I finished with .97. I had the fastest bike split for the women. Both transitions were added into the bike time, but I basically maintained my run effort, and avg HR was also 157. The 2nd run my avg pace was 7:52 and my HR was 164. I had less than 2 min total for both transitions. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Have to say, I loved the duathlon format. Not having to swim is such as bonus for me! The most fun I’ve had racing in quite a while. And I won a raffle—a local bike shop cap with two Zipp Tangente tires!
  • Mike WestoverMike Westover
    Congrats, Alicia! It sounds like you paced the run just right.

    I've also enjoyed mixing in some du since the swim is my weak spot. It's a different experience to start the bike near the front vs. mid-back. And the EN approach of staying within yourself early on applies even more in du where a lot of people go out too hard on the first run. 

    I have noticed that du can get some really fast runners (like a local race with sub-5:40 / mile pace for men over 9 total miles) who may not show up for a tri. That's faster than a lot of our local 5k and 10k races!
  • Peter GreaggPeter Greagg
    @Alicia Chase well done, and close to perfect execution.
  • Paul HoughPaul Hough
    @Alicia Chase - concur with Peter ... perfect execution ... congrats!!  I had a sprint tri this weekend that was converted to a duathlon due to red tide in the Gulf.  Race ended up being 2.5K run - 10 mi bike - 5K run.  I have du experience and aim to run the pace I would if the 2 legs were combined.  I gave up 61 secs on the first run to my strongest competitor and beat him by 46 seconds while running the 5K at 4 secs per mile faster than the first 2.5K.  I was fastest 60+ in the race.  
  • Alicia ChaseAlicia Chase
    @Mike Westover Thanks, and agreed, many lessons to take away from a duathlon to apply to triathlon. If you don’t pace a du correctly, there isn’t much room for recovery. And yes, I could see fast runners who can put together a decent bike dominating. The fastest runners at this race were on teams, thankfully.
    Thanks @Peter Greagg and nice job @Paul Hough, way to be patient and pace yourself and reel that guy in, congrats!
  • Brenda RossBrenda Ross
    Because I know that some of you will do a duathlon again - http://www.220triathlon.com/training/duathlon-12-dos-and-donts/11991.html
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