This 'Surfing the net 'lark is a bit dangerous as i,ve just entered the Bolesworth duathlon on a whim and so now i'll have to sort out a bike from the back of the garage plus buy a helmet .Any advice would be most welcome as this is my first and probably last thlon with transitions and what clobber to wear plus the worry that everyone else will have the latest lightweight bikes etc and i'll a Halfords cheapy.

Rob, I have absolutely no advice whatsoever! But I would like to say well done for entering, your 'give it a go' mentaility is much to be admired! Have a good race and all the best of luck. P.S. I would imagine there a fewer sports than cycling that require aficionados to gain such hights of gear geekiness. So any dodgy looks at your halfords bike, remember, your steel frame dropped on their latest alloy could do a lot of damage! P.P.S. Don't borrow Doc Martin's cycling lycra, I'm still recovering from the sights during the 4 villages half!

Rob - having done 4 or 5 triathlons I am still none the wiser as to what to expect with this one, being mountain bike and off-road running based! I will just cycle and run in exactly the same kit, though, except maybe leave an additional top in transision for the bike in case it is a bit chilly A little word of warning, don't cycle in new running shoes as the pedals can damage them a bit. Might be OK for more rugid off-road shoes though. Well done for entering - 4 Tattenhallers in now! Sally, the organiser, is lovely by the way - just drop her an email if you need to know anything specific.

Oh by the way - as there is a 'novice' distance (not sure which you have signed up for) shouldn't be too serious a race.

Yes it is the Novice race i've entered and seeing its not too serious it should suit me just fine,may have to dig out the old speedo's if i ever do a triathlon though. Just been on the website and the race starts at 10 from Harthill.

I know i'm a bit late with the story of how the event went but i had to wait for the results from the Tri club. Sunday morning was gloriously sunny when Heli picked me up at 830 which was really 730 with the hour added and got to Harthill for 850 to be greeted by my worst fear which was the sheer expance of VERY expensve bikes and equipment which seems to make up a typical thlon. After parking next to the only pile of dog muck for miles around which Heli duly walked in we offloaded Helis very Butch bike and my cheapo and met up with Sue Ellis and Kath Stott whose son Ewan was doing the novices race too. At the registration we were handed a cracking Tshirt,our race numbers for both front and back of our tops plus sticky numbers for bike and helmet,we then had to get the bikes to TRANSITION where we parked them on lengths of scaffold poles along with helmets,gloves,sunglasses etc and then went back to the start for the race briefing which Heli missed because she was in a Portaloo powdering her nose or something woman do.The run started by going up the hill alongside the Mountain boarding course over the stile through the woods then back to Harthill to get the bikes,there to greet us were Dave and Chris Oldfield plus Stotty all busy taking photos,heeding the shouts of the marshalls it was Helmet on before you touch your bike but disaster stuck when i tried to ride off as i'd left the bike in a low gear and couldn't get going so i had to get off adjust the gears then jump back on.The course went through the Farm on the lane we've run loads of times towards where Alison climbed over a stile even though there was no fence to navigate, the hill was very steep and i nearly came off when i hit a hole on the way down which made me think twice about doing that again.I think you could call the course Multi terrain with mud aplenty ,the worst bit was about a hundred meters of corregated track with bricks and rocks mixed with the mud,i ended up getting off and running with the back of the bike bouncing along.Loads of people passed me in the muddy bits but amazingly my bike came into its own on the roads as the skinny tyres made for speed so i then passed a lot of the people who had got me in the muddy sections the only problem being the amount of mud flying off the tyres everywhere into my face,chest and past my ears,through Bolesworth castle out onto Dark lane i thought' Great home turf' left into Burwardsley road then first right into Birds lane then right again into Carrs lane or the Fisheries as we know it when disaster struck for the second time when i couldn't get the chain to go onto the smallest cog on the front sprocket so ended up with 14 instead of 21 gears,up the hill to Burwardsley post office then the Pheasant i ended up getting my backside off the seat and used my weight on the peddles to get up the hill passing riders with their legs a whirl but not actually going very fast ,back to Harthill to start the second run Dave,Chris and Kath were there again shouting me on so this time it was STOW BIKE BEFORE YOU TAKE YOUR HELMET OFF!!!,at the finish line hey were there again and i found out that Sue had got 1st female home and Ewan 2nd male which was fantastic ,Heli came in shortly after me but didn't get a time as she started in the open class but finished in the novice class'don't ask'.Back at the car it was the Car Boot Cafe then the prize giving with Sue getting a FIFTY quid voucher for a bike shop which sponsored the event. Times were as follows Ewan Stott 125.09 Sue Ellis 134.06 Me 144.52. If anyone fancies a crack at a similar event or just waits til next year to have a go then if i can get round with my limited equipment/skill then anyone can,its a brilliant event and i will be having another go next time.

Sorry but i forgot to mention that 28 started the novice race Ewan was 2nd,Sue 6th[1st lady,me 11th. Jen C was down to do it too but sickness forced her to withdraw,hard luck Jen,

What I didnt get a time.....OH BALLs.....I thought they ALL understood what I had done...!!!! LOL.... Great write up Tank.....I would recomend this race to everyone...I giggled the whole way through..!!! I was in the loo, but also in my Dolly Dripmat mode, as I had landed from a 9 day Bankok trip the morning before..!! totally disorganised, I got to the top of the hill and saw the signs saying Novice this way Open this way....but as I was at the back and was following I just thought they were all having to go the same way as me.....that was untill I saw a load of skinny speedy boys throwing themselves down the hill to my right, it was at that moment, I thought shit I think I should of gone left......then a pal of mine ran past me and I shouted to him I have gone the wrong way cause there is noway that I should of been infront of him... Got to the transition and told them to swop me to the shorter route but I think I confused them all.....!!! the mountain bike route was great, not sure about the mud it scared the hell out of me to the point where I think I have blocked the memory out of my mind, cause I dont remember the bricky muddy section....the marshall at the open/novice turning shouted to me...come on lady in pink you are stil doing the long one....I shouted back...Oh no, I now know I am a NOVICE....LOL.....and took the shorter route, 10km bike seemed a lot longer than normal..... The next transition I was in a pickle at what to take off first or when to get off the bike so I just kept saying to the marshalls AM I DOING IT RIGHT.....!!! Think I entertained Dave and Chris Oldfield who were cheering me on lots...( thankyou ) The second run seemed easier..??? not sure if it should......I did fall over twice...not sure what on, but the second fall was right infront of a guy think the site of my bum in the air woke him up..!! cause he kept saying my legs are knackered....but he seemed to pick up after seeing me fall.....LOL... Thanks Rob for providing the incar refreshments.......and for any of you that own a dog.....please take them away from parked cars to have a S.....t......!!!!! I spent 5 minutes warning Rob that there was a load of S....t.......by the side of my car.....and I bloody well put my foot RIGHT IN IT....!!!!! it wasnt there when I parked up....... Well done Sue and Ewan so proud of you both..x

Wooppee Doo.....I did get a time, I have just had a cheeky look and noticed my name was there.....I wasnt last...yippee....!!!! Came in at 23.... 1.58:17 When can we do another one...!!???