On Friday I told you that I was entered in the Real Womens Duathlon being held at Orewa (Auckland) and that I was attempting to do this event wearing cleats (big step for Ms Scared of all things bike related) 😉

As well as aiming to not cause major calamity out on the bike course, I had two BIG goals which were to;

Complete the course in under an hour AND
Catch all the girls in my support group who were starting in the waves before mine.  (Which was all of them since I was in the last wave).

I arrived at the venue at 6.30am to complete the registration process.  I attached numerous race numbers to myself, my bike and my helmet and then went and set up my space in the transition area.   You were assigned a rack according to your wave number and then it was just first in first served so as the bikes came in they went up on the rack, which I guess is “fair” but it makes finding your bike a bit more of a mission than if you chose a spot.

Anyway the race wasn’t due to kick off till 9am so I had a load of time to kill.  I ate breakfast, drank coffee, browsed the stalls, purchased much “needed” cycle gear from the sub stand and walked around in circles trying to find my friends.

Incidentally this is hard when every single person is wearing the event t-shirt (well except me – I deliberately wore another color so James could spot me as he was coming late). The photo above shows the warm up – I did my own, not because “I’m too cool” but because “I’m too unco to do aerobics” lol, after the warm up we were put into our waves and then just waited our turn to start.

Run 1

The first run leg was 3.5k’s and started out with a run across the reserve to reach a bike path which we then followed till the turn around point. Being in the last wave meant you had to go around all the slower people in the earlier waves, but everyone out on the course did their best to make room.

I caught up with one of the girls on my way to the turn point but didn’t see the others ..

Goal = 21 minutes
Completed = 19:27

Bike

Next up was the bike leg.  It was a flat course of 10ks.  I had been out on Friday night and had felt really good at the end of the wee practice session, so although I was a little apprehensive I was pretty sure that I would manage to get around the course and stay in one piece and you know what …

I LOVED IT!

Didn’t spot any of the other girls ..

And look photographic evidence that at the end of the bike leg I was in one piece and had unclipped at the dismount line without causing major carnage! 😉

Goal = 30 minutes
Completed = 29:17

Run 2

Then it was back out running again .. a quick 1500m sprint.  It was an out and back course and when I hit the turn around point I literally yelled out my thanks to the lord above ..

I put my foot down on the gas and headed for home.

Goal = 9 minutes
Completed = 7:10

Did you or didn’t you?

For those of you whom are furiously toting up the times to see if I did under an hour and reached goal one .. yep I sure did!

Total time 55:54

And .. I chased down every girl in my support group .. it was a good day in the “office” Incidentally the woman who came in 1st did the event in 43:47 – how quick is that!

But the best part? ….

My cheer squad!

The kids even warmed down with me .. although I’m not sure that stretching should really be a group activity.

Miss Isabelle pretty much stuck to me like glue after I crossed the finish line (as per the main photo), she tugged at my hand and when I knelt down to her level she said to me

“Mumma” ..
“Yes Baby?”
“You run REALLY fast”

If she wasn’t my favorite .. she is now 😉

The sum of things ..

This is the first time I have done an event in the Real Womens Series and it will definitely not be my last.    Not only was the event really well run the atmosphere is amazing.   The event is all inclusive and you have women of all shapes, ages, sizes and abilities and every single person out on the course is cheering each other on.

This was just the confidence booster I needed after coming away feeling pretty meh about things after last weekends triathlon.

They have one more event in Auckland this summer and they have an option to do an extended bike leg (20k’s) so I’m thinking I will do that .. I can use all the practice I can get on the bike.

If you are in Auckland why don’t you join me – the event is on Sunday 29th April.  Don’t have a bike?  No worries, they have a 5k run/walk event too my friend Deb is even making it her first EVER event – so proud of her!

Till next time