Holdon Forest Duathlon 18/2/07

I took part in the Holdon Duathlon on a wet and windy Sunday. For those who don’t know, Holdon Forest is in Exeter by the racecourse. It a Forestry Commission owned woodland that has various mountain bike trails and paths running through it. There is something there from ‘my first off road trails’ up to a dedicated freeride course.

Anyway the race was a 2m trail run, 10m bike and 2m trail run. The run was an up and down muddy track and cinder path run. The super fast brigade soon went (I let them go just so I wouldn’t show them up), leaving the more graceful plodding brigade to catch up. I was just happy to get to transition and my bike not to be the last one there!!! I did the first run in 15.49.

I changed my shoes, grabbed my bike, pedalled as fast as I could. The bike course was basically split into 3 parts. The first part went through conifer forest, very rutty and hard to get a steady flow, but the second was lovely flowing singletrack with fast flowing downhills and steep muddy uphills that were quicker to get of bike ‘n’ hike. Finally the last part was a long, lung buster, uphill, fire road. There were 4 laps of this.

Unfortunately I only got as far as finishing 1½ laps. Whilst trying to overtake, another racer promptly went over the handlebars and landed on my head. After being helped to my feet thinking something wasn’t right here, I wandered round the woods for 5 minutes dazed and confused, got back on my bike and carried on, after riding slower than I run (slow) I pushed my bike to the end.

The upshot of the day was after driving back to Street. A visit to Glastonbury hospital was the start of 5 hours being strapped to a spinal board, a slow ambulance trip to Yeovil, various x-rays and scans, topped off with a night in hospital. I was told that I broke my neck. My mum always told I would do this at some stage off my life!

Anyway I toughly recommend this race

Jon Forsyth