I'm doing this, my first duathlon next weekend. A 12k cross-country run, 20k MTB ride and 6k run again. The course is part hard pack or peaty/rooty stuff through the woods but mostly sandy – very sandy in places. The weather's looking like 6 to 9 degrees, overcast (possibly raining) and windy.

I'm not sure what to do. Do I run in cycle shorts or cycle in running shorts? I'm also thinking that it'll take me ages at the transition to get into my cycling clobber and strap into the SPD shoes and, while I'm riding, my running shoes will be sitting there, already wet and getting cold, so that they'll be properly manky when I come back from the ride.

Should I run in running shoes and ride in SPDs or install flatties and riding in my running shoes? I don't particularly relish the idea of using flats but it will make the transitions faster and, perhaps most importantly, I won't have to put on a pair of already wet, cold running shoes after the second transition.

Cheers

Ian

i did my first off road triathlon last year (Eireman X) and from looking at the time splits, as you said it the transitions are really where you can gain or loose masses of time. Rather than keep changing shorts have a look at tri shorts. They have light padding to ease the pain but are comfortable enough to run in. You could go the whole hog and get a proper tri suit!!!

As for shoes i cycled in my running shoes as there were several over waist deep river crossings on both the cycle and run so little point in putting dry shoes on. Additionally the triathlon i did was through some sand dunes with some sections that we were forced to get off the bikes so the running shoes were handy for sprinting up the dunes.

Hope this helps and good luck with the race

When I did my first one last year I basically had all my cycling gear one bar shoes for running. Then comes cycle time, I put my SPDs on. Although this took a minute, I think I gained that with the extra power and fast i'm used to SPDs and hate flats.

All the same good luck mate. Sounds a hard one for your first!!

I use flats on the cycle. The fact that it is 20k. Though in some races it can be an advantage, but as Will says if spds is where you find the power then have a plastic bag with a change of socks ready for the 2nd run. Put your trainers in that. I usually loose a lot of people from the 1st run transition to bike by not changing and then keep the speed on the bike even overtaking 😯 But maybe it is because I run slow but always win in the transition time!!

Flats, running shoes and cycle shorts for the duration here. So far it has served me well.

I like to try a duathlon sometimes , as long as the bike is a MTB. Where is your event? Do you have a website with all UK duathlon listed, particularly in the South West? (Somerset/Wiltshire/Hampshire?) Thanks!

Thanks all for some good advice. If the snow melts, I'll go out on Sunday and ride/run the course and see how it looks. I think I'll ride it on flatties with my off road running shoes on and, if I don't get on with them, I'll do the race in SPDs.

I'm a runner and occasional MTB racer – just not on the same day! I think it's going to be pretty tough as it looks like the equivalent in effort to a half-marathon.

Gilles – try Runners World's Event Index

Cheers,

Ian

Or vlaevents.co.uk in October, oh, about 24th October 😉