If only the race had ended at T2 - 28-05-2009
Claire Hitchings represented GB in the 2009 Budapest ETU Duathlon European Championships –
a 10km run, a 40km bike and a 5km run. Claire ended the race 5th in her age
group and 24th female. Her tactics were to take it easy on the first run,
hammer it on the bike and try and finish strongly on the final run. It was all
going to plan...a 43:09 on the first run. Not too bad. Time to have fun on the
4-lap closed road bike course – nice and flat. 1:08:54 later (fastest in age
group) and Claire was in T2 in 10th and in silver for her age group.
Only a 5km
run to go...and the body went on strike. Add stomach cramps as well and a not
too happy Claire shuffled to a 25:23 final run. Perhaps a total running mileage
of 8 miles in the past two months to rest an inflammed bursa may not have been
the best preparation!
Overall a great experience and an honour to wear a GB vest. Biking on closed roads was great fun. A few days rest to reduce the DOMS and then roll on the World Sprint Traithlon Championships in Aus. Best get some running training in!!
Claire in transition
Claire on the bike
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