European Duathlon ChampionshipsEuropean Duathlon ChampionshipsEdinburgh June 16th 2007
Penny completed the first run (10k) in 40:40, the 40k cycle section in 1:26:19, and the final 5k run in 21:52.
Her strong running marked her apart from the others in the 50 -54 age group, with second pace two and a half minutes behind.
Here is Penny's account of the event
I qualified for this event at the Cambridge Duathlon.
Unprepared as usual, I downloaded the bike profile about a week before the race and decided I should have done more hill work. As a member of the GB age group team, I received numerous e-mails from 'Gary' the team manager. They seemed to imply that there were three essential items: Passport (!), BTA card and GB polo shirt. Having already forked out over £50 for a GB one-piece tri-suit I decided against the polo shirt and hoped this would not ruin my weekend.
I traveled to Edinburgh by train, arriving early afternoon on Friday. Spotting a man with a bike box and wearing the ubiquitous GB polo shirt I suggested we share a taxi to our university accommodation right next to the race start. I was slightly taken aback when the cabbie took one look at my bike and said 'I canna take that in here' [hackney cab, big enough to take at least 3 bikes....] - but he did.
After the race briefing, during which the door nearly got blown off by a gale, I attended the opening ceremony. This consisted of bagpipes and Scottish dancing, both of which seemed to me to be more exhausting than the impending race.
The race was scheduled to start on Saturday morning at the civilised hour of 10am. The weather was not promising: grey, wet, extremely windy, cold.......I was collared by Sarah Springman who advised me to put on another layer.
The race consisted of a 10k run (2 laps), 40k bike (4 laps round Arthur's Seat) and a 5k run (1 lap). The run was a delightfully rural affair through an ancient village along cycle paths and a former tow path. The bike section was technical but not as bad as it had looked from the profile – or it wouldn't have been, but the excessive wind made it almost impossible for me to keep my bike upright. The descent was quite terrifying especially as men were overtaking me without knowing that I was not in control of my bike! The entire bike section had to be ridden on the RHS of the road – whether this had anything to do with it being a European championship, I don't know. Suffice to say, I ended up with a numb right arm and foot, presumably because these parts of my body were on the outside of the circuit and got even colder than the rest of me.
As I was finishing the 4th and final bike lap I spotted a J on the leg of the woman who had just overtaken me, and realised she was in my age group. She entered transition a few seconds before me but I managed a quick turnaround and maintained my lead throughout the run.
I had a leg massage while waiting for a batch of soup to be brought out.
I'm afraid I didn't watch the elite race because I was already cold and really couldn't face standing still in driving rain. Instead I did a quick walking tour of Edinburgh and got back just in time to head over to
'Our Dynamic Earth' – a strange millennium-dome type building where the awards ceremony took place. The elites were all given bouquets and bottles of whisky with their medals, and all this was accompanied by the relevant national anthem each time. After enduring tedious tales of bike race successes narrated by the man I found myself sitting next to, I returned to my student room to pack.
The next morning when I went for a short run before catching my train I came across some women who were finishing a 'moon walk' in aid of a bread cancer charity. They had set off late the previous evening.
Official
Results
Article by Penny Edwards
Page created: 9th July 2007.