Lee Valley Velo Park Duathlon February 2019
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It was just getting light when I woke up on Sunday morning. I woke up before my alarm which is always a nice surprise to me. It looked like it was going to be a sunny day which was great news for my duathlon!
I started the day with three slices of fruit toast and a big glass of water. Then I packed my bags and bike into the car and started the short journey to the Lee Valley Velo Park in Stratford, London.
I was excited to test out my new Sundried race suit for the first time. It felt super comfortable and I loved the way it fitted. I racked my bike, warmed up, and headed to the start line. The day wasn’t as warm as I had hoped and I was jumping around to keep warm, however the start noise went off soon enough and we were on our way.
This was a sprint duathlon. I started with a 2 mile run where I found myself the leading lady and within the first group of men. A good start! I kept the lead feeling comfortable and then hopped onto my bike.
Now I started the 10 mile bike course. The course at Lee Valley is fun. Constant hills, however where there was an uphill there was always a downhill! The men started to pull away from me at this point however I remained first lady. My bike is not as strong as my run but I powered through.
Finally, I reached the end of the bike, still ahead of all the other females. I racked my bike and dived into my running shoes as quick as I could. All I had to do was keep a good pace and I could win! The final run was only 1 mile so I gave it all I had. The final 100m to the finish line was the best bit! I gave a glance around and not another female runner in sight! There was lots of cheering and people saying I was ‘first lady!’.
My mum met me at the finish line and handed me a much needed bottle of water. Then I got some warm clothes on and did a nice cool down. Later in the awards ceremony I was happy to take first in age group and first overall female. Many thanks to Sundried for the fantastic race suit!
About the author: Holly Dixon is a Team GB triathlete and Sundried ambassador.
