The recently concluded Dimsum and Siomai Duathlon held last night was a smashing success. It was a run – bike – run format that proved to be challenging for the only participant that joined the event. It was composed of a 4 kilometer run, 20 kilometer bike and a final 2 kilometer run. It was held at the Ateneo de Manila Campus and an astounding number of zero spectators came to witness it.

I might be over sensationalizing my training session from last night but it was a big eye opener for me and my body. Even though it was just for training, I ran and biked it like it was a real race.

I started off with an easy 4 kilometer run around the campus. Since I had a good 2 kilometer route planned out already, that’s what I ran last night. I wanted to go all out in the first run session because when it was time to bike, I could easily just let the bike roll on its own if I got too tired. I ran all out. I completed the 4 kilometer run after 20:10 minutes. An amazing time. A blistering pace of 5 minutes per kilometer. Not bad. I need to make it faster though because I plan to do a sub 23 in the Unilab race on March 7.

I ended my run walking to my car. I opened my trunk and I started assembling my bike. Rear tire first and then the front tire. I put on my helmet and my cleats and I was off. I was stuck in transition for 4:04 minutes. Quite long by real duathlon standards because if it were a real race, I wouldn’t have needed to assemble my bike anymore.

I started off my bike by going around the campus. It was still busy around  the campus with all the cars and tricycles going around so I took a lot of caution. I started off pretty fast. There were times where my cyclometer would read 30+ kph and after a few seconds, I’d be out off breath. One thing I learned is that going over 30 doesn’t really help me right now because I can’t maintain it. Going up to more than 30 just takes too much from me and I’d need a lot of time to recover. I slow down. If I were just cruising at around 20-25, I would have traveled a little bit more with a lot less effort and a lot less panting. As expected, I was able to catch my breath from the run when I hoped into my bike. I finished the 20 kilometer ride around the campus after 54:52 minutes. Looked good to me because I was at least able to maintain a speed over 20 kph.

It was transition time again. I hopped off my bike and headed straight to my car. My legs were a little numb from all the biking but they got a little better after a few meters. I opened my trunk, disassembled my bike and I gently put them back in. Total transition time was 3:03 minutes. It could have been shorter because I tried to look for a water fountain before I started to run.

It was the final stretch at last. It was a very short and easy 2 kilometer run that separated me from becoming the first ever winner of the Dimsum and Siomai Duathlon. I started the run very slowly and cautiously. I have heard stories of legs turning into jello after long bike rides. I guess 20 kilometers aren’t enough to make my legs feel like jello or I must have taken too much time in transitioning that I somehow got some rest. I was slower in my run this time compared to the first 4 kilometers that I ran. I was tired and exhausted. I was spent and all out. Part of me wanted to walk but I didn’t want to disappoint the zero spectators that were waiting for me at the finish. After an agonizing 13:09 minutes, I finally finished the 2 kilometers and words alone could not express how tired I was after it.

It was a great run and bike for me last night and it sure proved to be a fun one. I am hoping to do better in an actual duathlon this March. Wish me luck guys!