Mark Kelly's Running Life!: First proper timed Duathlon

Last week was all about the RRR club championship and the Ron HIl Hyde 7 mile race, which I still can't believe I did so well with the 29km run two days before. So this week, I had the same dilemmas about training for the Marathon and racing in a crowded season.

Tuesday, I had one eye on Sunday's Manchester Airport Duathlon, so I did a 20-minute bike ride followed by a quick run which, if you read my blog, then a few weeks ago, I mention the virtue of doing brick runs.

The brick run aims to train your legs in getting used to the change in demand, with slightly different muscles used in somewhat different ways. It is definitely helping, and "jelly legs" were kept minimal.

I had booked onto the Hopwood trot, which is a 5.5-mile trail race. I had till lunchtime to decide whether to race or not; I can't really load my body so much; my sarcoidosis seems to be making my lungs suffer at the moment, but nothing like a flare-up, thankfully. So on Wednesday, with a heavy heart, I did a cheeky 5k instead at marathon training pace. Watching the Strava notifications coming in and giving out kudos to what can only be described as a quality set of runs in a downpour. Not racing when your mates are... very hard to take.

Thursday, I had what is becoming a rare thing to run with the RRR group B, given they mainly had been racing the day before, I insisted we do just 10k and not at a hard pace. We finished the run and went into the clubhouse for the monthly social "Pint" it was great to catch up after so long, keeping distanced!

Friday morning was my re-arranged Long Slow Run (LSR), usually done on the weekend, but they have to shift with races and still be done. Once you start Long Distance training, you have to keep at it. Each session helps your body and mind adapt to the pressures of being out for such a long time; your feet must harden and better to get blisters now than when you are racing. I often describe it as getting hobbit feet, they get a bit gnarly and rough, but this resits the blister and toenails dropping off when you really don't want it.

So at 6:15am I trudged out and started my way around Tandle Hill Country park to get onto the canal. I have decided all my LSR now will use the same sort of route mainly because:

When using roads, my lungs suffer from car emissions and it makes running super hard
When training for a race, try and emulate the elevation and surface, Manchester is pretty flat, so is the canal towpath!

It went well, and my comfortable pace is getting a little quicker, sooner rather than later I need to fix my marathon pace and train shorter distances at that pace. I even managed to miss most of the rain, and it was cool, perfect running conditions.

Sunday was race day, the weather was atrocious. I was seriously considering not doing it. My wife, ever the pragmatic and supportive person said just go, and if you get there, it is terrible you can always come back. Sound advice and when we go there, it started to ease up.

The race is about 4k run, 34km bike and 2.4km run again, I was in the first wave of 10 and set off, the guy who eventually won was like a rocket and soon was out of sight. You have to head up the pedestrian path that goes under the runways at the airport, do a deadman turn and head back, the roof leaks for no respite from the rain as such and puddles to jump through.

Back into transition, I got the bike out and headed to the "mount line" it took way too long, and it is something to work on, I was at the far end of the transition area, so that's just unlucky and further to amble!

The bike route is two laps, I only shoved one gel in my pocket as I couldn't find the other. Ideally, I wanted more energy but managed without. I pushed hard on the bike, but I don't have the "aero" packages and often describe myself as a "Runner with a cycling problem"; my mate Bernie describes himself as a "Drinker with a Running Problem!". But Rochdale Triathlon Club is training me well and the bike skill nights are paying off for sure.