They came in their hordes again to test themselves against the elements and each other.
Cayman’s multi-sport enthusiasts rose before the roosters had even stirred for the first multi-sport event of the year, the DHL Duathlon.
The race started at 7am at the South Sound Rugby Club and participants had to first do a two mile run on South Sound Road, followed by a 12 mile bicycle ride to Savannah, via the Newlands bypass and another two mile run to ensure that everyone’s reserves of energy was thoroughly drained in the baking heat.
The DHL Duathlon attracts not only the top multi-sport athletes here but also weekend warriors of various ages and abilities. Participants on mountain bikes and fitness enthusiasts with a background all joined in the ‘fun’.
Since its inception over 15 years ago, the DHL Duathlon has become a fixture on Cayman’s sporting calendar. Last year it attracted 28 individual participants and 16 teams of two or three athletes. The team composed of Marius Acker and Gary Clarke completed the course in the fastest time of 55 minutes 39 seconds, while Steve Evans and Celine Macken took first place overall in the male and female categories. Acker competed solo this year, Clarke was with another runner, Evans linked up with speedy Aussie Scott ‘XXXX’ Brittain and Macken did not defend her course record but helped as a marshal.
Inevitably, Evans and Brittain won comfortably the team event in a record time. Acker was first individual man home and Marlene West was first woman to finish.
Evans said: ‘I’ve done this race for the past 10 or 12 years. This has been my fastest time, definitely the best team record. We did 50 minutes and a few seconds. Our team name was Sub-53 so I think we’ve met our target. If Scott was with me I’d only have myself to blame if we lost.
‘Marius was incredible. I was watching him and at one point he was actually gaining on me. That’s phenomenal after a really fast run. He’s thinking of upgrading his bike so there’ll be no stopping him once he does that.’
Englishman Evans came second last year in the individual. Teaming up with Brittain meant he didn’t have to train too hard. Brittain seemed to coast it, yet he did both legs inside 10 minutes, an amazing time for a casual runner. The first run was completed in 9 minutes 40 seconds and the second in just under 10mins.
‘It looks easy but it is always tough,’ he said. ‘Whenever I’m out there I try and push myself no matter what sort of shape I’m in. I always come back feeling I’ve put in an effort.
‘I didn’t have to push myself too hard in the second run because Steve’s a great cyclist and I knew that he’d probably give us a big lead, which is exactly what he did so I knew I had a bit of a cushion on the way back.
‘Marius did well. He was just behind me on the first leg but had to save himself for the cycle and second run. He ran it sensibly and it showed because he broke the course record.’
A jubilant Acker was pleased to have set a new record in just over 54 minutes. Incredibly, this was only viewed as preparation for the Half Ironman in Orlando on May 18. The South African banker hopes to complete that in under four and a half hours and finish in the top 100 out of 1,000-plus.
‘The bike was the toughest leg for me,’ he said. ‘I’m not a biker at all.’
One curious thing was that Gary Clarke started the cycle race as a two man team but had to run the second leg himself when he returned from the ride because his running partner was not around. Clarke hurried borrowed some shoes and set off on a run that he certainly didn’t expect to do. He did finish.
West finished in around 64 minutes. She in fine form, having won the Irish Jog a couple of weeks ago.
West was pushed all the way. ‘I had the lead in the run then she caught up towards the end of the bike but I knew if I kept her in sight on the bike then I could run her down, which I did.’
Squash is her main sport and even though she has a full-time job as a lawyer and two children, aged three and ten, Jamaica-born West hopes to qualify for the Commonwealth Games in 2010 for Cayman.
Also a competitive swimmer, last year she decided to put all her fitness to good use and competed in a couple of sprint triathlon. This year she wants to do a full triathlon. A triathlon in Tobago at the end of May could be her next assignment.
West has been here for 15 years. On top of all the her committments, she also teaches indoor cycling at King’s and World Gym. Her husband is top squash player Gabe Rabess, which is how they met in the first place.
How does she fit it all in? ‘Your world gets very small!’ she laughs. ‘You rotate around all these things. You do the things that keep you happy and in turn it rubs off on them and you’re in a better frame of mind to deal with them. It takes a lot of organisation.
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