[intro] Alex Paton: Come on, Hank, come on. I can't
get my shoes on. Mark Threlfall: Right then. We've found three
X pro cyclists that we know are always up for a bit of a challenge and a bit of fun.
We've got the GCN presenters in today and well, we thought it's about time that we put
them through a bit of a crash course on duathlon. Heather Fell: Mark and I have set up a duathlon
race for Hank, Manon, and Alex. They've been told to turn up with their GCN cycling kit,
their bikes, their trainers, and their "Always up for anything" attitudes. What could go
wrong? [music]
Heather: All right. I think we should crack on and meet our willing volunteers.
Mark: First up, we have Hank, the Energizer bunny who's always excited for any challenge
that's thrown at him. Then we have Manon, the dark horse, with a chilled attitude on
the outside with some serious grit and determination on the inside. Finally, Alex, the freshest
from the pro peloton. Could he be the one to threaten Hank?
Heather: Cool. All right, guys, thank you so much for joining us today. Now, I know
each of you, at some point, have mentioned you'd like to give triathlon a go. However,
it's a little bit early in the season so we're going to introduce you to a duathlon which
is the perfect intro for a cyclist into triathlon. Mark: Now, to see what we've got to work with
here, we thought we'd throw you straight in the deep end with an actual race. Now, we
do understand, obviously, you're not complete beginners, obviously pretty good at cycling
and kind of can run, right? We're going to find out.
Alex: It seems like we're going to find out. James Lowsley-Williams (Hank): I like running.
Heather: How does this sound? Does it sound all right?
Alex: It sounds amazing. Hank: I don't want to lose. I'm pretty competitive,
especially up against these two. I think I've got the running in the bag but is it--? What's
the--? Alex: Cycle then run.
Hank: Is it? Alex: Yes.
Hank: Is it two? Alex: Two instead of three.
Manon Lloyd: Yes, "du". Heather: Duathlon. Just to clarify things,
it's going to be a run, then a bike, then a run.
Hank: Three activities. Heather: It's two sports, three activities.
Manon: Can we not do a bike, a run, a bike because it will be better?
Heather: Well, you've got your trainers on. You guys look ready. I think it's time to
go and explain the course. Alex: Yes, these are mine. Can you notice
them? Heather: Then we're going to just let you
guys find out and learn on the job. Alex: What are the distances?
Hank: Yes, and where are the transfers? Manon: Transfers? Transitions.
Heather: We'll go and set you up in transitions. Hank: Is it transitions?
Manon: Transitions, not transfers. Hank: I haven't got my box. Have you got your
box on? Manon: You don't need a box.
Hank: I saw it on a triathlon. Heather: All right, guys. Just calm down a
moment. We're at the start line but it's going to be one lap to the run down to those cones
behind you, which I pointed out earlier. Then when you get to this line, you can cross over
it, go and get your bike. You've got to do two full laps of the track, which is 3K on
your bike. You must get off before that line then rack your bike again, and then you're
out onto the run for the final lap. When it comes to getting on your bike, you're not
allowed on it until you're past those cones. This is the non-cycling zone for the transitions.
Okay? Hank: All right.
Alex: Got it. Mark: Beyond that, we haven't really given
you much information which I think is going to be quite exciting. Then hopefully from
this race, we'll be able to go ahead and do some coaching tips.
Hank: I hope you have the time. This could take a while.
Mark: Yes, well, are you ready? [laughter]
Mark: Three- Heather: I've got the watch on.
Mark: -two, one, let's go guys. [music]
Mark: Here he comes, Hank's [unintelligible 00:03:45].
[music] Hank: Oh shit.
[music] Alex: Oh, I can't get my shoes on.
[music] Mark: Well done.
Manon: Oh my God. Alex: Your lungs burn from the cold.
Manon: Oh my God. Heather: All right, guys, first of all, congratulations,
that was an awesome effort, really impressed. Now got some good news, we are doing it once
more. Alex: Thank God, good news.
[laughter] Hank: I thought there was good news.#
[laughter] Heather: The even better news may be for Manon
and Alex is the second race is going to be handicapped. Manon has finished 1 minute and
20 seconds after you, Hank, so Manon will be going 1 minute and 20 first, then you were
46 seconds, and then, Hank, you are going 1 minute and 20 afterwards. That means that
whoever crosses the line first for the second race will be the winner and will have made
the biggest improvement. Talking of improvement, that's where Mark and I are going to come
in and we're going to give you some little pointers in a moment. First of all, I know
you've been chatting amongst yourselves. Alex: Did you pick up on any areas we can
improve in? Heather: Well, I know you guys have already.
Anything you've learnt from watching each other?
Hank: I couldn't see the other guys because they were behind.
Manon: Alex just spent about 20 minutes putting his shoes on.
Alex: I need to practice tying my shoelaces up. I feel I need my mum over there to do
them for me. Hank: I tried taking off my shoes while I
was riding, I thought that helped. I got that off YouTube.
Mark: Hopefully from our channel. Hank: Then I forgot to take off my helmet.
I don't know if I could have been disqualified for that.
Heather: You would have been disqualified but we're ignoring that today.
Alex: I tried to go a little bit easier into the transition so that I got there not faffing
around and panicking but I panicked anyway. I lost most of my time there.
Heather: Manon had the smoothest. Mark: Manon, yes, very clever. You decided
to leave your running shoes on. Manon: I did.
Mark: Which probably wouldn't work for a longer race, but you obviously did.
Hank: You left your trainers on? Manon: Yes, I just did it all in my trainers.
Literally, I flew through the transition. Alex: I wondered how you were so quick.
Manon: Nearly caught Alex up. Alex: I glanced behind on the run, saw I had
a gap, came out of the transition, I heard you go, "Oh, Manon's nearly caught Alex."
I was like, "Bloody hell." Mark: Smart for a really short race. How did
it feel physically as well? Manon: Awful.
Alex: Horrific. Hank: [unintelligible 00:07:17].
Mark: It's an old sensation going on to a second run, isn't it?
Alex: Getting on the bike after a run felt bad enough, but then getting off the bike
and running, it was like having jelly legs. Mark: Well, I'm not sure we can really fix
that today is such a short session but we can definitely give you some tips to help
you on the way. The technicality, some of those bits with the shoes we can definitely
head off, help you out. Heather: We've got a few little bits and pieces
as well that we might be able to lend you to speed you up along the way. Shall we go--?
Manon: Some fresh legs, I hope. Alex: Let's have a look, yes, go. Oh my God,
I can't stand up. Manon: Oh my God, I can't get up.
Hank: I need two more minutes. Mark: Right. I thought I'd start this workshop
by going through the pacing. Now, how do you think your pacing was?
Manon: Terrible. Alex: It got slower.
Hank: For me though, I need to go out fast to get a headstart and then I feel better
about it. Alex: Cor, you started fast, didn't you?
Hank: I have to because then you guys are behind and then I'm just like, "Oh, I'm winning
now." Mark: How about you, Manon?
Manon: I tried to stick with him on like the first half of the race.
Hank: Bad idea, that. Manon: It was a bad idea.
Mark: How did it feel when you got onto the bike?
Alex: Oh, it was dreadful. Manon: I couldn't really [inaudible 00:08:22].
Hank: I felt much better on the bike because it's just where I'm used to. The run, I felt
horrendous. Mark: I think you're an abnormality, Hank.
I think most people going really hard that first run. They get on to the bike--
Alex: I'll pay the price for it. Mark: Yes, then particularly, then you get
onto that final run. That is probably one of the biggest learnings from duathlon I've
learnt over the years as well, it's just that first run, yes you want to be in the mix you
want to be competitive, but keep a cap on it. Don't get too carried away-
Alex: Are you listening to this? Mark: -because you want to jump onto the bike,
feel strong, and then equally, again, getting onto that final run. You can lose a lot in
that first run essentially. Then another thing, I know you touched on
this, Alex, actually, when you're coming in off the bike, just start easing off and trying
to increase your cadence towards the ends of bike because you tend to run with quite
a high cadence and probably when you're churning out the power on the bike, a lower cadence.
Try and just increase that cadence, it's trying to get the legs ready and used to that cadence
to go off the bike. Hank: That is-- Mate, how do you know that?
Mark: I think it's just beginner's luck. Yes. Hank: Because I kind of take my foot off the
gas, got my feet out the pedals. Mark: Yes, that was good.
Hank: Which I've seen before, which has put me in good stead, shall I--?
Mark: Then just into a slightly lower gear, it doesn't mean you have to necessarily come
off the power massively but just a slightly higher cadence, just gets those legs spinning
ready for that high cadence as you run off. Alex: I could see you preparing your shoes
when I was just behind. I was, "That was a good idea."
Hank: What did you do? Manon: I can't remember to be honest.
Mark: You had your trainers on. Manon: Yes, I just go on with it.
Hank: You just jumped and ran? Manon: Yes, just jumped, dropped my bike,
and ran. Mark: I think that's enough for the pacing,
guys. We're going to pass over to the next stage of the workshop. Heather, she's going
to talk through some of the kit specifics. Heather: All right, guys, looking at transition
setup. We're going to have a quick scoot through each of your setups, and this is obviously
how you had it the first time. A couple of really simple things, and also, the rules,
you have to put your helmet on before you touch your bike or remove your bike from the
racking. If your helmet's ready, it's best to--
I'm not going to touch it yourself, but actually, we have a model one here whether that was
known- Alex: Oh, look at that.
Heather: -but Alex has left his helmet ready so that you would pick it up as is and it
would go straight on your head. You don't have to turn it upside down and get your straps
open. Straps left open, ready. That's tip number one. All right, onto shoes. Obviously,
Manon, you're going to stick with trainers again this time.
Manon: Yes, I think so. I was pretty-- Alex: It was quick.
Manon: Really comfortable in trainers. Heather: You were in and out. I think that's
Manon's transition. Hank: I'm tempted to do the same.
Heather: Transition sorted. Obviously, if you guys are going for bike shoes, in the
ideal situation, you'd have tri shoes and you'd leave them on the bike with some elastics,
but I don't think, Alex, you can get your feet in these very easier, but we do have--
If you did have some tri shoes, this is what they look like. They've got the tabs on the
back, as demonstrated by my assistant here. Mark: A lovely single Velcro strap that you
can pull open, lock open, and you'd attach those with some elastics, and you keep them
in a nice horizontal position so you can put your feet on them and whiz away.
Heather: Talking of the position on the bike, did you guys think about what gear you were
in for the start, and are your bikes left in the correct gear?
Alex: I thought about that. Hank: Yes, I went middle of the block, [unintelligible
00:11:23]. Manon: I was on my little ring.
Heather: Okay. Well, obviously, you want to look at the course, going slightly uphill,
so bear that in mind for our next attempt. Talking of time saving, I think Mark has actually
got some elastic laces. Now, if you are going-- Obviously, Alex, you took quite a lot of time-
Alex: Oh, I was so slow. Heather: -on that transition, and I think
you might be in luck here. Alex: What size are these?
Mark: They are a size 46. Alex: Oh, perfect.
Mark: UK 11. Alex: Are they going free today?
Mark: They may be going free, yes. Heather: Oh, there's a big advantage. I'm
seeing an early advantage coming here for this setup.
Mark: I can be bribed with a bit of chocolate. Alex: Oh, we can sort chocolate out.
Mark: Okay, good. All right, well that's [crosstalk]. Alex: I lost most of my time there.
Heather: I think that's pretty much it for the setup, making sure everything is ready,
thinking of the order that you're going in. If you are going into running shoes, make
sure they're laid out ready for your feet to go in to, bike in the right gear, and then
you just have to remember, Hank, take your helmet off, but you can't take your helmets
off or undo your strap until your bike is racked.
Mark: Can I add one more little bit advice here?
Heather: Please do. Mark: Now, if you really want to take duathlon
racing to the next level, as I'm sure you're going to after today, you can also come ready
with two pairs of shoes. Some people will race in a set of shoes, and they'd already
have a second set of shoes already-- The tongues nicely pulled out so they can slip their feet
in, talcum powdered up so they're ready and raring, really slick transitions.
Heather: Manon's got two pairs of shoes, but the fact she's using trainers for all it probably
doesn't mean you're taking advantage. [laughter]
Mark: She's covered all bases just in case. Manon: I had options.
Alex: You've got backup cycling shoes. Heather: All right. Well, I think that's pretty
much everything covered. Have you guys got any questions before we go around for round
number two? Hank: I want to know because it's short, would
I actually be-- Would I save time by not changing shoes?
Heather: It depends how much power you're putting out through those legs, Hank, and
whether you need the cadence for that. Manon: I don't think it made that much difference.
Alex: Yes, that's what I'm thinking. Mark: It's a good question. For a very short
race like this, you could-- being in running shoes--
Hank: I think I lost at least 30, 40 seconds. Manon: See, I did everything right really.
Hank: I don't think I can gain that-- I don't think I would lose that on the bike.
Mark: Then this is such a good trial for your duathlon career that you're about to embark
upon. Heather: We have given you guys the information,
the learnings. You can go now, prepare, take what you want from it, get yourself ready,
and see how much quicker you can go for round number two.
Hank: What's the forfeit? Alex: Forfeit?
Hank: Because we've got to have a forfeit of the loser.
Manon: You have to- Alex: Have to do a triathlon.
Manon: Yes, do a triathlon [laughs]. Heather: We'll have a race here on Saturday.
Alex: The forfeit is you have to do another lap of the run.
Manon: Oh God. Hank: All right, we're in.
Manon: No. Alex: Yes, we're in. Manon, you're in anyway.
Heather: All right, guys. We'll leave you to get ready, and we'll see you on the start
line. All right, guys, this is the final attempt. Are we ready? Manon's on first. Three, two,
one-- Mark: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
I've got one more thing. I know you're really embracing this multi-sport day, so I thought
we'd take it one step further. I've got trisuits for you guys. These are optional, of course.
Hank: Currently 5 degrees. Mark: Manon, I believe that is your one if
you want to wear it. Unfortunately, I've got one sleeved and one sleeveless.
Alex: Oh, look at those. You can have the sleeveless. Come on.
Hank: Oh, stop. Mark: You'll own it.
Hank: Stop. Alex: You can pull that off.
Mark: There you go. Alex: Ah, thanks. Look at this.
Manon: There's nothing to it. Hank: Mark, we've got no padding in this one.
Mark: It is a cold day. It is a cold day, so it's--
Heather: It's entirely optional, guys, but those marginal gains, they're there if you
want them. Hank: There's no shammy, Mark.
Alex: I think we've got to embrace it. Manon: No.
Hank: Yes, let's embrace t. Manon: It's too cold.
Hank: Manon, come on. Manon: It's too cold.
Hank: Come on. Manon: On your own.
[music] Heather: All right, Manon, you're going off
first and then we'll set these guys off according to the time. Are you ready?
Manon: I'm ready. Heather: Three, two, one, go.
Hank: Go, Manon. Heather: 35 seconds, Alex until you go, 1
minute 20 for you, Hank. Hank: No, I'm going to chase you down.
Heather: Come on, Manon. Pace it though. Hank: [unintelligible 00:15:18].
Heather: Five, three, two, one, go. Mark: Go, go, go.
Hank: All right. Heather: 20 seconds.
Hank: 20 seconds? Come on, Hank. Come on you're got it.
[music] Heather: Two, one, go.
Mark: Go, go, go. Heather: Here we go. We're off. We're off.
There's Manon. [music]
Heather: As Mark gave Alex a huge advantage with the elastic laces, I cycled up here so
I have given Manon a little bit of an advantage as well. We're the same size, she's got some
aero gains. [music]
Manon: Running is so hard. [bleep] hell. Alex: I did actually pace it incredibly well,
I think. Manon: To be fair.
Mark: Guys, well done. Heather: That was incredible. Massive respect.
The effort levels in that, and most impressively, you all took roughly 20 seconds off your previous
time and it's only 10 minutes in length, so I think that was--
Hank: Nice one, Manon. Heather: You took our coaching points on pretty
well. Maybe not the pacing so much. We kind of lost Hank, the racer.
Mark: Yes, the pacing on that first run, when you put everything into that first run to
catch Alex, which, knowing you, I absolutely expected.
[chuckling] Hank: It's written all over the face, isn't
it? Mark: Yes.
Heather: Absolutely huge hats off. I think now all we need to do is add in the swim next
time and make it a full triathlon. Hank: I don't think I'll be in the swim [laughs].
Manon: I think I'll be in the swim [chuckles]. Mark: Did you enjoy your debut?
Alex: It was amazing. Manon: I'm not putting joy as the right word.
It was very painful. Hank: I think it's enjoyable when it's done,
like any sport. Alex: I enjoyed feeling a little bit of progress
just in that one-- that second we did it. Plus, I love seeing Hank in his trisuit.
[laughter] Mark: Well, guys, it's been so good having
along. Thanks ever so much for being such good sports, getting involved, and also allowing
us to share some duathlon tips with our viewers out there. I hope you guys out there have
enjoyed today's video. If so, please do give it a thumbs up, give it a Like, make sure
you check out GCN's videos, but also, give us a follow on social media and subscribe
just down below. Heather: A big well done. Thank you, guys.
Manon: We need to think of a challenge for you now.
Hank: Are we part of the GCN team now for duathlon? Or have we got a way to go?
Heather: I think you've taken it. You can take it from me.
Mark: Signed up. Heather: 11 minutes from the start, so Alex--
Hank: Absolutely savage. I think cycling is easier.
[00:19:46] [END OF AUDIO]