Triathlete impresses at duathlon event

Buckhurst Hill triathlete Claire Bloom made a great start to the 2016 season finishing as third female at the Anglian Water Duathlon in Cambridge.

Bloom was using the duathlon competition as a training event to get race fit and start her build-up to the 2016 European Sprint Triathlon Championships in Portugal in May.

The race started with a 5km undulating trail run, which Bloom completed in 23mins 57secs, but the usually fast 20km bike ride was tough to negotiate due to high winds on the day.

“At some points on the course I had to hang on to my bike for dear life as the wind threatened to blow me off!” said Bloom.

“The bike was constantly leaning to one side and I was glad I had made the decision to ride my heavier winter bike rather than my race one.”

After finishing the bike leg in 40.46 Bloom began another 5km run along the undulating trail and with the next female in close contention she had to push hard through the second part of the run to finish in 24.46 and secure third place overall.

Bloom came out on top in the 50-54 age group and added: “It was a great start to the race season. Duathlon is a really tough event – give me triathlon and a swim start anyday!

“I’m delighted that my winter training seems to have paid off and now I can start to give some thought to race pace efforts in a bid to podium again at the European Championships.”