Do or Duathlon… There is no Tri
St Andrews Triathlon Club pulls out the stops at East Fortune Duathlon
It takes a certain kind of madness to drag yourself out of bed early on a Sunday morning at the best of times. Even more so when you’re extracting yourself from the comfort of your sheets in order to venture out of our sleepy town towards North Berwick for a duathlon. However, this is exactly what eight of our fellow students did on 24 March to represent the University of St Andrew’s Triathlon Club at the East Fortune Duathlon, a new addition to the club’s calendar. I was lucky enough to catch up with some of the entrants to get their thoughts on the race as well as an insight into the minds of those with the enviable willpower to go for glory in a multisport event.
Newly elected President of the USTATC, Theo Murton, had never completed a duathlon before Sunday’s event. A seasoned runner and swimmer, he has been focusing on his cycling over the past few months, using a power meter to further develop both his technique and his power output on the bike, and in essence ‘catch up’ with his undeniable pace on foot. This focus seemed to be paying dividends on race day, but as Robert Burns so aptly put it, ‘The best-laid plans of mice and men’ and all that jazz… Having come out of the first transition with a minute advantage over his competitors, Theo rode into difficulties with his trusty steed on the bike leg. “About a third of the way through, my back wheel fell off!” Theo told me with a wry smile. A catastrophe that would scupper most professionals; Theo, however, was able to reinsert the wheel and finish the segment having only lost three places, and use the energy saved on the bike to cross the line with an overall second position.
Despite the troubles, Theo, no stranger to organising similar events, had nothing but praise for the organisers, saying, “The atmosphere was great […] having the entire race around one short circuit does wonders for the event feel”. Maggie Seward, in her first year with the club, echoed that sentiment, highlighting the event’s isolated location and vocal marshals. As a less confident runner, coming from a swimming and cycling background, specific training was key for her to adapt to running immediately after the bike leg and avoid the dreaded ‘jelly legs’. This doesn’t seem to have hindered her performance, however, putting in a personal-best performance to come home third in her age category.
Races like the East Fortune Duathlon are fundamental professionally run community events that introduce newcomers to multisport events and provide essential experience and confidence. Multiple competitors highlighted how exciting it was to see the investment in the sport both in terms of finances and volunteers. Its importance has been cemented by becoming an official Team GB qualification event in only its second year on the calendar.
The Triathlon Club is now looking ahead to the Cupar Triathlon in mid-April. As a local event that is the target for many of its members, things can only improve from the strong showing made in East Fortune.
Image from Rachel Parker