RACE 42 - LONDON DUATHLON - 11 September

David Millar, Giro d'Italia 2011, stage 21

Well - a week off! No races the previous weekend so I  
had to fill the time by going to two parties. So that's what a social life is like? Not having to worry about getting up early the next day to do something energetic. It could certainly become a habit! 


This weekend though it was back to something like normality. A game of hockey on Saturday and an event on Sunday. Rather than launch into the event I thought I'd start with an interesting cycling story. David Millar ( ( ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Millar ) set an unofficial record on the course I'll be doing (as reported in Cycling Weekly by Nigel Wynn, 09/06/2011) which caused a bit of a forore as he broke the speed limit in doing so. The park is often used by cyclists for practising and there have been "differences" with motorists heeding the 20mph limits (or horror of horrors going even slower) whilst looking at the fantastic views and herds of deer.


David Millar set this unofficial time trial record for a circuit of Richmond Park in London, by clocking 13 minutes and 35 seconds around the 6.7 mile circuit on Tuesday. 


Millar was in London this week to attend the launch of his new autobiography, Racing Through the Dark: The Fall and Rise of David Millar. Whilst the Scotsman was in London, he decided to organise a time trial around the park with his 'private cycling club' along with several other local cyclists from various clubs. Millar's time means he completed the loop in just a shade under 30mph - 29.595mph (47.63kmh). Impressive, but also faster than Richmond Park's road speed limit, which was lowered to 20mph in 2004. Millar completed the ride using his full-on team issue time trial machine, a Cervelo P4, using the same set-up that saw him win the final individual time trial in the Giro d'Italia in May.

Bell asked Millar whether he thought his record would be beaten. "I don't know, I don't think so. There aren't many pros that ride around here, are there," replied Millar. BBC's Graham Bell took part in the challenge and filmed it for the BBC website [which the BBC has now removed  from its website].

Millar is taking a short break before taking part in the Tour de France where he will assist his Garmin-Cervelo team in its attempt to win stage two's team time trial and lead out American Tyler Farrar in the sprint stages. Millar became the first Briton to wear all the leader's jersey in all three Grand Tours during the Giro, having previously lead the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana.

Cycling Weekly spoke to Millar Friday lunchtime about the ride. Now back at his home in Girona he explained that he had since written to the Royal Parks. "I apologised profusely, and explained that it was all down to my naivity. I had no idea of the rules." Neither did Millar expect Graham Bell to turn up with a video camera. "I explained that I'd lived in France and Spain for so long, where this wouldn't be a problem, that I didn't even think to check."

see http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/528550/millar-sets-richmond-park-time-trial-record.html

Anyway getting back to the point, it was one of the races I did last year and really enjoyed. Being able to cycle to the park, having the stunning Richmond Park free of traffic, running alongside a rather startled deer, and the sheer scale of the event - all made for a memorable day out. From the London Duathlon website it states that "The London Duathlon is the world's largest duathlon held annually in Richmond Park, south-west London, combining running or cycling. Within the confines of the Royal Park, which is closed to traffic for the day, it offers athletes of all abilities the chance to race in a unique environment." Which somewhat underplays it in my opinion. It goes on to state that "starts are staggered through the day to spread competitors out on the roads around the Park.  You will start in a group of 10 based on your race number, which will be allocated 3 weeks before the event." I was allocated a start time of 10:40 - 10:45. However as so few are starting at any one time it meant that pacing would be key and it would be unlikely that I would find someone exactly my pace in my 'mini' wave of starters. Also that "a range of abilities take part in the event, the following are average times" which for the Challenge Distance (10k run, 22k cycle, 5k run) I was doing was 44 mins; 49 mins; 24 mins - total 2:00 hours. Last year I managed to complete in just a smidgeon under two hours mainly as my bike split was faster. Seeing the averages is a bit daunting as a 44 minute 10km is pretty fast - in fact only a minute over my personal best.


Sunday, race day dawned bright but rather windy. It was the first day that the Hurricane Katia (that battered northern Britain) was felt. We had nothing like the 100mph+ wind speeds but it was pretty "breezy" all the same. Got all my kit ready, including new socks, race belt (I've lost my favourite one) and aero-race bottle. One piece of advice that all the pro's give is never use new kit on race day and I was to rue not taking their advice as each new bit of kit let me down in one way or another.


Tyres pumped to race pressures (120psi) it was off westwards into the wind. It took about 40 minutes to get there as I wasn't pushing too hard conserving my strength for the race and ironing out some aches and pains from the two matches of hockey I'd played the day before. The nearer i got to the park the more traffic there was as increasingly annoyed (predominantly) 4x4 owners having ignored all the signs saying that Richmond Park was closed to traffic found that it was (believe it or not) actually closed to traffic. They had to turn round and go around the park resulting in wry smiles and smug satisfaction from cyclists - me included! It's nice to get one over the "Chelsea tractors" one day of the year.

Registration was easy and pain-free being very well organised. One minor plus point was that our race numbers for helmet and bike were plastic so not only were they waterproof (which proved to be important later in the race) but they peeled off afterwards easily without all the sticky residue that paper ones leave disfiguring my nice new (expensive) helmet and bike. A real 'competitor friendly' detail. Then it was to transition to mark my spot - luckily right near the end of row R (18th row). Then a wander around, pre-race stretch, take some photos and generally chill-out until we were called to the start. 

It was a bit of a production line with a constant series of small starts every 5 minutes. It did spread everyone around the course so there was little in the way of congestion but the downside was that with so many starts (and competitors already finishing from earlier rows) it lacked a bit of the drama of the mass starts of most races. Also it meant that there was no race briefing/banter from the starter getting everyone fired up for the start. The race information available on the web was so comprehensive that they dispensed with the briefing all together so we missed out on such gems as "for hundreds of years Richmond Park has been home to herds of Red and Fallow deer, currently numbering more than 600. they may stay well away from the race route however given that they are not adverse to crossing the road when cars are travelling along the road, they will not consider cyclists and runners an insurmountable obstacle. Competitors must give way to deer. In the event that they do choose to cross in front of you, give way and do not attempt to move them on more quickly, as they may react aggressively if they feel threatened".   

 A whistle and we were off. The 10k was a single lap anti-clockwise around the park. It started with a steady climb into the wind from Roehampton Gate to Richmond Gate (one side of the park to the other) following the road which was coned-off as the cyclists were coming the other way down the hill with the wind. Something to look forward to later on! Passed the rugby pitches where they were holding the children's races (so there were quite a few families supporting the runners/cyclists at this point) and past the 5k course turn off.  Then it was south to Ham Gate - still going uphill on the cycle route. Then it was off on our own towards the Pen Ponds and the White Lodge in the centre of the park, mainly flat with only a hint of uphill in sections but with the wind which made all the difference.Then a great downhill wind assisted bit as far as Robin Hood Gate and then back along towards the race village watching the cyclists coming towards you struggling into the wind, and past the majority of the supporting crowds including the MacMillan Cancer Charity supporters who gave me a huge cheer. During the run, two things had become instantly apparent. The race belt was rubbish as it had a tendency to move around a lot and migrate under my top. So I was constantly having to readjust and loosing my rhythm. The socks rubbed so I got a blister on my little toe - ah ..... bless! 

Then off on the bike. The course was a clockwise, two laps  of the carriageway around the park. Described in the information as "quite technical" which basically means there are several climbs and descents where care is needed and some steep corners where you have to slow down. pretty normal cycling in other words. By the way the photo of me on the bike was purchased at an eye-watering cost (don't ask!) not because I'm looking good or anything like that but it is a nice one of the bike showing the deep profile wheels, aero bottle etc. Out of transition, southwards into the teeth of the wind (or that's what it felt like) towards Robin Hood Gate. Fairly hard work as had pushed it fairly hard on the run so legs were a bit 'jelly' and took a while to get up to speed. The advantages of the of the aero position became quickly apparent as even the cyclists on good (that is expensive) sportive bikes were struggling. Slight digression, another reason why I like this race is the wide variety of people that take part. Even at the longer distance there were people on mountain bikes, a couple of people on the sit-up-and-beg shoppers - one even had a front basket on with all his gear, including running shoes still in it! Another person actually had his panniers still fixed to his bike, while the number with locks still on, adding considerable weight was almost beyond counting! It did mean that accidents, punctures or mechanical difficulties apart, there was no way I was coming last.


Following Robin Hood Gate, "there is a steep climb up Broomfield Hill and then a steep descent down past Kingston Gate". I'm glad I have two chain rings as I had to use the 'granny gear' to get up the hill (39/22 ratio if you're interested). This is where some competitors on their tri-bikes had problems as they only had the one front chain ring - mainly as a weight /aerodynamic saving set-up. A number of people were actually getting off and pushing while this was also the point that 'mechanical problems' became apparent for some competitors. It was a short brutal hill leaving me gasping at the top but mercifully followed by a lung recovering downhill. Into top gear and pelting down to be faced with a buttock clenching acute-angled corner - pulling on the brakes to scrub off the speed, before a long drag back up hill. One thing about carbon wheels is that they don't stop as well as alloys; to such an extent that some manufacturers have carbon wheels with alloy braking surfaces (v. expensive). However although mine don't stop as well they do create a howl like a banshee which is quite impressive and does make cyclists in front look back over their shoulders!


Really getting the cadence up by this point I was able to 'overtake' (well I passed them ~ couldn't be sure though which lap they were on or even which race they were doing) a fair number on this undulating section which apart from a few rumble strips in the road was great fun. It was here that the third piece of kit failed me. Normally I use the bike leg to rehydrate and take on energy drink. Unfortunately, however hard I sucked on the straw I just couldn't seem to get any liquid (that's why in the photo I still have a full bottle). I found later that the straw had some fiddly locking mechanism - duh!


Past Ham Gate to share the carriageway once again with the 10k runners, and downhill to Richmond Gate. Another banshee squeal on the brakes around the 90 degree corner (protected by straw bales so they were obviously expecting one or two to be going too fast) and then a fantastically long downhill section back to transition/ Roehampton Gate. This was obviously top gear, down into the tuck, and go as fast as my little legs could carry me. Two distractions - neither of which were Lycra-clad! Firstly the views towards London were stunning. You could see the Shard (London Bridge); the Gherkin (the City); Canary Wharf and even St Paul dome. The temptation was to just drink in the view but this was hampered by the second distraction. There was a nasty cross wind, which played havoc with the deep profile wheels knocking me sideways. Therefore it needed full concentration to keep it going in a straight line.

Second lap - repeat the above. Felt I went a bit faster as I knew what to expect but the cycle splits aren't up yet. However this might be because my legs were tired. Then it was back into transition, gulp down half the contents of my drinks bottle - not a good move in retrospect, and off on the final 5k. Legs were really like jelly and it was uphill into the wind. Although I felt like I was dawdling, there were others in a far worse state which along with the cheering supporters  really helped. At this point you could kind of work out how well you'd done as if you were passing someone with a lower number than yourself then it was good, if a higher number was overtaking you it was bad, whereas if it was a lower number re-overtaking then it was a "who knows?"  Also in the run up to the White Lodge a guy past me and I thought 'that's my pacemaker!' To be honest a girl had also passed me on the hill up to White Lodge but there was no way I could keep up with her! During the second run, approaching the White Lodge, the heavens opened. While initially refreshing it did cause the slight problem of washing the sweat into my eyes causing them to sting and water. Fortunately as it was raining it didn't show that i seemed to be running in tears. it was a short sharp shower - to be repeated as I neared the finish. So managing to keep pace it was through the middle of the park, passed White Lodge - so named because its painted white - and rejoining the last bit of the 10k course at Pen Ponds. Downhill all the way now, or at least flat with the distant view of the race village making a welcomed sight. Not much of a sprint finish but did manage an increase in pace over the last 500m or so.   
That was pretty much it rain-wise until I'd made it home and then it turned really nasty so I pity those racing that afternoon. 


Having finished, collected my medal and did a little bit of kit buying (CompresSport socks with 3D pressure points - or some such) I made my way back to transition to pick up the bike and the rest of my kit. While in transition I was amazed at two things.  Firstly the number of people that seemed to get lost while racing. They had no idea where their bikes were (I've some sympathy with that having had that problem years ago in one of my first triathlons); they hadn't checked where they had to cycle/run out; they didn't ask the marshals so it was up to us to shout and gesture wildly. Secondly, as I was packing my stuff, a lady came in off the bike leg; carefully racked her bike; put all her cycle kit carefully away, proceeded to brush her hair and reset her hair band - before jogging off on the run. Her transition must have taken about 10 minutes! (But at least she did look good)


Then it was off home for a leasurely cycle along the south circular. Well it started out like that but the problem is that when I see a cyclist in front I've just got to see whether I can catch/overtake and with the wind behind me as well.....  Let's just say it was slightly quicker getting home that getting to the race though I'd admit, I paid for it later even with the CompresSport socks with 3D dimples.  


How did my bike split compare - well I took something like 39 minutes to do two laps - averaging around 21 mph. Compare that with David Millar who did it averaging nearly 30mph. I know he's got a few years on me but what a phenominal time and that is without the raods closed either!


RESULT: 159th out of 1302 in a time of 1:51:56


HISTORY OF RICHMOND PARK

http://www.royalparks.gov.uk/Richmond-Park.aspx has loads of facinating information. For instance the section on the landscape history, entitled - Richmond Park -The sporting park  states that:

"Hunting created Richmond Park and deer continue to shape the way it looks. Royalty had taken a close interest in the Richmond area from the late 15th century when King Henry Vll built a palace in the Manor of Sheen. Henry and his successors hunted in the neighbourhood. But it was a visit to Richmond by King Charles I in 1625 that turned this area of medieval farms and pasture into a royal park. Charles was escaping from an outbreak of plague in London. He realised that Richmond gave him the best opportunities for hunting near London. The area included open grassland with individual oaks - some of which were mature trees at the time of Charles' visit and are still standing. There were also small farms and common land where local people had a right to graze cattle or collect timber.

Charles ignored all these claims on the land and, in 1637, he created a hunting park. He introduced around 2,000 deer, and to make sure they didn't stray he built a brick wall eight miles long, which you can still see today. Local people were furious about the King's action. He was forced to pay compensation to some landowners and had to restore the right of people to walk in the park and collect firewood by installing a ladder in the wall. From then on, deer and hunting began to change the appearance of the park. Deer grazed the leaves and bark of young trees and stopped the open grassy areas turning into woods. Ancient trackways and field boundaries disappeared as the grassland developed. Large established trees were pollarded (cut regularly at about 3 metres from the ground). This technique encouraged the trees to grow straight tall branches that were suitable for timber and also protected them from browsing deer. Even today, the lowest branches of trees in the park are all about the same height from the ground - just out of a deer's reach.

In the second half of the 17th century, King Charles II spent over £3,000 on repairs. He created new ponds for the deer to drink from and gave permission for gravel to be dug in the park. In the 18th century, two planned vistas were created to show important guests the best views of the park and beyond. One looked down to the grand avenue of Queen's Ride to White Lodge, a hunting lodge built for King George l. The other looked out from King Henry's Mound - a high point, said to have used by Henry Vlll to watch hunting. You can still stand here and look down a specially-maintained avenue in Sidmouth Wood across London to St Paul's Cathedral.

Few other changes were made in Richmond Park. Pen Ponds, a lake divided in two by a causeway, was dug in 1746 and is now a good place to see water birds. In the 19th century, several small woods were added. These include Sidmouth Wood and the ornamental Isabella Plantation, both of which are fenced to keep the deer out. Also in the 19th Century people were no longer given the right to remove firewood, which is still true to this day, to help in preserving the park. Change happens slowly and maps made in Victorian times still make sense here."

Needless to say there is a vast amount of information on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richmond_Park

Including the fact that it is 2,360 acres (9.55 km2; 3.69 sq mi) and is the largest of the Royal Parks and Britain's second largest urban walled park after Sutton Park, Birmingham (not a lot of people know that!). The park is famous for its red and fallow deer, which number over six hundred.


King Henry VIII's Mound is the highest point within the park and is located within the public gardens of Pembroke Lodge. There is speculation that the mound has an older history, and may have originally been a barrow. From the Mound there is a protected view of St Paul's Cathedral over 10 miles (16 km) to the east which was established in 1710. (A telescope is installed on the mound, for a better viewing experience.) This vista is protected by a 'dome and a half' width of sky on either side. The Mayor of London (Ken Livingstone) sought to overturn this protection in 2005, and reduce it to 'half a dome'. 


Also in 1847 Pembroke Lodge became the home of the then Prime Minister, Lord John Russell and was later the childhood home of his grandson, Bertrand Russell. It is now a popular restaurant with glorious views across the Thames Valley. All houses backing on to the park pay a feudal fee known euphemistically as “Richmond Park Freebord” ranging from about £2 to £200pa.


Regarding public access - legal action in 1758 by John Lewis, a public spirited brewer of Richmond, confirmed the right of access for pedestrians at all times and frustrated attempts by the Royal Ranger to prevent such access. The park is enclosed by a high wall with several gates. The gates either allow pedestrian and bicycle access only, or allow both motor vehicle and pedestrian access. The gates for motor vehicle access are open only during daylight hours, and the speed limit is 20 mph. No commercial vehicles apart from taxis are allowed.

There is pedestrian & bicycle access to the park 24 hours a day except when there is a deer cull. This means it is not uncommon to find cyclists, walkers and runners using the park at all times of the day and night. During the deer cull the majority of the gates are locked and warning signs are displayed forbidding access to the park under the orders of The Secretary of State. Warning signs are normally displayed a month before the deer cull occurs.


The bridleways are special in that they are for horses (and their riders) only and not open to other users like normal bridleways. This is rarely a problem as the sandy surface discourages anyone not on horseback. Most riding is done through organized stables which, in general, obey the rules about where they can ride.


The 1997 law limits cycling to: (a) main roads; (b) the hard yellow cycle path that runs around the park (Tamsin Trail); and (c) other hard (i.e. concrete or cement) surfaces. Cycling along the park's mud paths is forbidden as contrary to the park's bye-laws.

Until 2005 the park was policed by the separate Royal Parks Constabulary but that has now been subsumed into the Royal Parks Operational Command Unit of the Metropolitan Police. In recent years the mounted policemen have been replaced by a patrol team in a four-wheel drive vehicle.