Busted!

Knowing what I'm like, I was worried that if I didn't have some sort of an event to aim for in the autumn, I wouldn't have the motivation to train regualry, which for me is the important thing to be doing at the moment. So in a moment of stupidity I entered the infamous (for good reason) Ballbuster Duathlon, that took place yesterday. The Ballbuster has quite a reputation as a tough Duathlon, and is one of the South East's signature events on the multisport calendar, so I was looking forward to tackling it, having been a spectator a couple of times in the past. For those that don't know, it is an 8 mile run, followed  by a 24 miles bike, then one more 8 miles run for luck.  The sting is in the fact that the course consists of one 8 mile loop round and up Box Hill in Surrey, so 5 times up certainly tests you.  Box Hill is notorious in cycling circles, not hugely steep (about 5-8% gradient) or hugely long (a couple of km), but a solid test of the legs, especially if racing, with a cycle friendly cafe at the top, which, in all honesty, is probably the main attraction!

So, at 8am (on my wife's birthday - going to be paying for THAT oversight for a loong time!) the hooter sounded and we were off! There was a good pirate turnout and I ran a little way with a few of them, before the better ones pulled a couple of hundred yards away, and one or two slower ones a little behind. A couple of weeks ago I'd run the loop just for experience and it had taken 1 hour 15 minutes, so I was pleased if not totally surprised, given race adrenalin and people to cheer us on, to finish the first run in 1 hour 6 minutes. Kanga, BHflyer and Slimshady, fellow Pirates, had been about 100 yards or so ahead on the run so  Iwas surprised to find myself coming out of T1 with them. That suited me fine and I tucked in behind them and set off at a good, sensible pace. Very frustratingly, as I hurtled down the fastest part of the course I could feel something wrong with my front wheel, and after 30 seconds or so it was clear that it was a puncture. Til now I've been very lucky with punctures, having probably only had 2 or 3 in my (admittedly short) cycling career, and always I'd had others with me to help me. Because of this lack of tyre changing practice I took about 9 minutes 50 seconds to change it, the trouble being getting the tyre back on after replacing the tube. Ultimately this lack of skill was to cost me my "Gold" time of sub 4 hours I think.

Having lost a bunch of time and my fellow pirates, I cracked on a little aggressively in hindsight with the first bike ascent, then  calmed down over the next 2 laps, which passed a little uneventfully, except for the fun of drafting a bus for a mile or so.

One of my goals in the race was to unlap myself but with the speed of the winner andthe puncture, I was at the bottom of Box Hill about to start my 4th ascent when Wayne Smith crossed the line to take his (third?) win. I did manage to unlap all but the top 6 I think, finishing the bike in 1 hour 43 minutes.

Once off the bike the fun started. The first mile or so of the run is a gentle uphill which felt OK, but it was clear quad cramps were on the way. I switched into a run-walk strategy that kept them more or less at bay until the water stop after 3 miles where I stopped completely for 45 seconds or so to stretch more properly. From there the next 3 miles are all downhill, which I typically speed up on, so whilst I still had to run-walk, it was more out of fatigue than serious muscle issues. Finally there was just one more ascent of Box Hill to do...it wasn't pretty, but I was able to pick 3 other runners off, which was good for the soul and took my mind off my mashed legs.

The last few hundered yards I could hear the crowd clapping, and it was great to see a friendly face or two, as well as the assembled Pirate ranks cheering me in for a final lap time of 1 hour 15 minutes, as quick as my practice run last week, which surprised me as I thought I'd been going a lot slower with the cramp stops and walking. My final time was 4 hours, 10 minutes and 12 seconds, so I finished inside my original estimate of 4.15. Without the flat I like to think I would have broken 4 hours, but that's one for another day perhaps.

I'm chuffed I finished what is a tough race, feel it stands me in good stead for the upcoming Ironman training, and helped me focus my training to date. Next up will be the 2nd January Tadworth 10 miler or perhaps even the 1st January Knacker Cracker 10km up and down Box Hill. Who knows?

So, leassons learned? I must learn to change tyres better. I must get fitter. I've had quad cramps coming off the bike at Swashbuckler and Ballbuster now. I'm reasonably confident it's not nutrition based, so not sure what else I can do except do more cycling and running!