Tales of Tendonitis

Posted December 20, 2011 in autumn barlow, duathlon, training

The recent post about duathlons got me thinking about my recent decision (whim) to have a go. Mixing up my cycling with a bit of running is appealing. Unfortunately, the idea of running is tainted by a lot of bad memories. Yes, all the usual school nightmares. But there’s more. In the early spring of this year, while I was living in Morecambe, I decided to start running. I was cycling to work on the pootling little shopper that I had at the time, and it wasn’t enough. Suddenly my body starte... read more...

Choosing running shoes

Posted December 20, 2011 in duathlon, John Wood, triathlon

People dislike running for various reasons… hurts my ankles/knees/back is a common refrain. Some of this comes down to personal imbalances and weaknesses - and if this is the case, it shouldn't be a barrier to running and enjoyment of being on your feet. But it might be worth speaking to a respectable coach or sports physio who can recommend how to strengthen the affected areas so that you can prevent the pain. There are plenty of blanket exercises that you can do to strengthen the right mus... read more...

Why do we choose triathlon?

Posted December 20, 2011 in duathlon, John Wood, racing, training, triathlon

15 years ago it was running marathons and half marathons. Now its doing all manner of triathlons, from super sprint introductory races all the way through to Ironman. What is it that drives us to take on these events, these challenges of superhuman efforts? For some it’s a drunken bet or agreement with a group of friends. For a few, it’s a different way to lose weight. Occasionally it’s to try something completely different. Possibly most importantly, it’s a challenge with yourself. Triathl... read more...

Improve your running off the bike with these brick sessions

Posted December 20, 2011 in duathlon, John Wood, training, triathlon

Note from the editor – this is the first post by our newest Daily Cycle author – John Wood (pictured above). John is an experienced cyclist, runner and swimmer as you will quickly discover. His triathlon and duathlon skills make him an excellent addition to the team. Read more about him here. Anyone who has ever competed in (or trained for) a triathlon or duathlon knows the horrendous feeling of heaviness in the quads and the jelly legs as you leave the bike rack and enter the run. Your f... read more...

10 Reasons why you should sign up for a Duathlon today

Posted December 20, 2011 in duathlon, racing, Tim Bland, training, triathlon

This weekend I took part in the London Duathlon 2011. I did the ‘Challenge’ event which is comprised of: a 10km run (6.2 miles) a 25km cycle (15.5 miles) a 5km run (3.1 miles) Here come the excuses; I was suffering slightly from a virus I had picked up the day before, it was very windy and also, it turns out that Richmond Park is somewhat hillier than you might expect. In any case I suffered immensely so was pleased with my overall time of 1hr 55mins. Thanks to those who supported me, ... read more...

Insoles and Orthotics for runners and cyclists

Posted December 20, 2011 in andy brodziak, duathlon, training, triathlon

Editor’s note: what follows is another guest post from Andy Brodziak, you can find him at www.andybrodziak.com Having worked with feet and insoles in a leading London custom footwear store for 6 years, I have been fortunate enough to meet some Olympic & Commonwealth athletes over the years  in different sports which has given me some real insight into injuries. But it’s the shear number of everyday athletes that have come in, from who I have learnt the most. From rugby to golf, tri... read more...

Valdora Tri/TT 2011 bikes – first look

Posted December 20, 2011 in Cycling Gear, cycling gear, duathlon, triathlon

Hopefully Daily Cycle is going to get the chance to review these weapons soon, but until we do here’s a quick ganda at the 2011 version of the awesome Valdora Tri/TT bikes. They are available through bikesales4u.com if you live in the UK. Here’s what they have to say about the bikes: The Valdora PHX frame is made from high strength carbon fibre composite utilising proprietary OCRR technology yields a frameset that is free of flex while absorbing vibration effortlessly. Every tube of the PHX ... read more...

Everything you know about winter cycling is wrong!

Posted December 20, 2011 in duathlon, I Cyclist, Pro riding, Pro Tour, racing, Tim Bland, training, triathlon

Photo via the Daily Cycle Flickr Group. Added by The fixed factor. Every magazine article or website I read with advice about winter cycling tells me that it’s time to take it easy and start to build my base level endurance (*yawn*). Well, I’m here to tell you that spending all winter peddling slowly in the freezing cold is not only unnecessary it’s painful, boring and most importantly – not the way to get fast on your bike. If you think that I’m going to spend 6 months, trudging out into... read more...

Running, toilet stops and shiny things

Posted December 20, 2011 in duathlon, racing, rob ellis, triathlon

picture credit As a cyclist, the world of the long distance runner is somewhat of a mystery to me. Or at least it was, until this weekend. A few months back I’d been bullied into entering the New Forest half marathon by my dad, who was signing up for his 5th run of the full marathon. At the time I thought it sounded like a good idea, a chance to get back to my routes as a runner and a new challenge to work on. However, as the 26th of September began to draw closer, the fact that I&rsqu... read more...

My Cannondale Slice 105 2010

Posted December 20, 2011 in Cycling Gear, duathlon, racing, Tim Bland

So I’ve waited about 4 years to purchase a carbon fibre bike. With my recent interest in duathlon, and my occasional dabble into time trials I thought it prudent to purchase an awesome bike which would fair me well in these disciplines (predominantly duathlons). Behold my Cannondale Slice 105… Now, in my mind, unless you have about 5 grand to spend, you either get a good bike with good kit and wheels or you get an awesome bike with mediocre kit and wheels. I always opt for the latter. I wou... read more...

My first duathlon – post race review

Posted December 20, 2011 in duathlon, racing, Tim Bland

Well Saturday was a glorious day. The sun was shining, there was no rain, not a cloud in the sky. It actually felt like spring. Sunday, however, was race day. It was zero degrees and bucketing down with rain, and fairly breezy to boot. Despite this I got up at 6am and made my way to Dorney Lake for my first  ever duathlon. I have to say, despite the weather I absolutely loved it. I was thoroughly underdressed, leggings would have been much better but there you go. The actual race flew ... read more...

My First Duathlon is just 4 days away!

Posted December 20, 2011 in duathlon, racing, Tim Bland

picture via paynedesign Suddenly it’s upon me. How does this always happen? I have an idea about entering a race months before it starts, and in a moment of madness I sign up for it. Well it’s now just 4 days away. The weather is set to be cold and raining. Not much I can do about that. But am I prepared? Well, it’s just a sprint duathlon (2.5km run / 12km bike / 2.5km run) so the distance is no problem, however the speed might be. I think I’ll be ok on the bike, I’m fairly competitive over... read more...

Choosing the right training regime

Posted December 20, 2011 in duathlon, training

I’ve read a lot of different training schedules both for cycling and for duathlons. I think that whilst they are all useful, you should really do what works best for you and adapt it to meet your goals and of course the weather conditions. Here’s my current training routine in preparation for my novice duathlon race that is coming up in February… Monday 5km run on the treadmill, followed by 20 minutes of stretching and then 20 minutes of ab work. Tuesday A spinning session followed directly b... read more...

Duathlon progress report – cycling no problem, what about running!

Posted December 20, 2011 in duathlon, racing, Tim Bland

So as mentioned in my previous post I’m planning on trying my hand (or rather – legs) at some duathlons this year. My first one is already booked, it’s on 21st February at Dorney Lake in Eton. I’m doing the novice race which is just 2.5km / 12km / 2.5km (run / bike / run). But I feel it should get me started, and give me a feel of Duathlons. I intend to do one in July which is a bit longer and is at Silverstone race course – I’m sorry but the thought of racing my bike around Silverstone is ... read more...

Targets for 2010 – Becoming a dad and doing a Duathlon!

Posted December 20, 2011 in duathlon, racing, Tim Bland, training

I guess it’s that time of year when people start thinking about New Year’s resolutions. I’m not really a believer in New Year resolutions because the only one I ever managed to achieve was giving up smoking (about 5 years ago). Granted that was a massive achievement but I think I was going to do it anyway, it just so happened to coincide with the New Year. Next year is however, going to be a pretty big year for me. I’m going to be a dad! She (yes we know the gender already) is due in March.... read more...

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