Trihard Yorkshire Duathlon Race Results

Race Date: Sunday 3rd April 2022

WHISPER IT – THERE’S MORE TO LIFE THAN RUNNING…..

….. there’s cycling too, and Yorkshire Duathlon on 3 April was the chance to combine the two.  It was both the Triathlon England National Age Group Championships and a qualifier for the 2023 European Standard Duathlon Championships.  If that wasn’t enough incentive, then being the only “Steel City Strider” on the start list meant pride was at stake.  Mind you, inspired by the McDonalds “Like getting your money’s worth?” adverts, I was racing in my former (Farnham) Triathlon Club’s kit.

A breezy and chilly, but dry, afternoon welcomed the 180 or so competitors as we lined up on the grid of Croft Motor Racing Circuit near Darlington for a mass start to the first (10km) run.  A couple of laps of the (mercifully traffic free) circuit itself was followed by a series of out and back spurs on hard surfaced roads and trails within the Circuit.   Excitement at the time about 10km PBs was dampened when the organisers subsequently confessed that they’d accidentally cut one of the spurs, shortening the course by nearly a km.

The first run ended in the transition area where – after donning helmets and swapping run shoes for bike shoes – we were off around the track on our bikes.  This time it was three laps before heading off onto local roads for just over half of the 40km bike leg and a final further lap of the circuit.  Quiet roads, yes, but it didn’t take long to realise that getting up onto a ridge isn’t the end of the ups and downs.  Nothing Sheffield-like, but still enough undulations to drain the strength and produce some jelly legs once the bike was back on the transition rack and the run shoes swiftly back on (courtesy of elastic laces) for the second (5km) run.

Although distinctly slower than the first run, with podium and qualifying places at stake, the competitive edge really kicked in.  The three out-and-back spurs provided chances to see who, in my Age Group, was ahead and behind me, and the incentive to ignore my legs shouting at me as I tried to hunt down and / or stay ahead of my rivals!

I did keep going well enough to achieve my main aim of qualifying for the 2023 European Championships, and an Age Group podium (bronze medal) position in the National Championships was a very welcome added bonus.

As always, the real camaraderie amongst the duathlon community came to the fore at this well-organised Tri Hard event (despite – or perhaps because of – the shortened first run).  Looking forward to next year!