RUGBY’s Samantha Daniel was all smiles after coming top of the pile in her first ever duathlon event in East Sussex.
The Tough Crow Duathlon starts with a 5km run which takes in Crowborough hill and provides runners with beautiful views over the forest.
It is then followed by a 20km ride through Ashdown Forest on the Kent border before finishing with a 2.5km run.
Samantha, who is a member of Rugby Triathlon Club, was making her duathlon debut as part of her training plan to see how she had improved since her last triathlon event back at Ragley Hall in June.
Conditions were perfect as she lined up for the start of Sunday’s event at 7.30am despite feeling ill the night before, but she went on to complete the four undulating laps of the opening run.
“The conditions were perfect and the temperature was just right,” said Samantha. “But on the third lap of the 5km run I started thinking to myself ‘am I going to make it to the bike ride?”
Thankfully Samantha was able to battle through and she produced an excellent performance on the bike through the demanding hills to head into the final run as the fastest lady.
With it all to do in the final run, Samantha gave it her all and finished as the fastest lady in a combined time of one hour and 31 minutes.
“I didn’t get much sleep the night before so to finish seven minutes ahead of the second fastest women is really pleasing,” Samantha added.
“I wasn’t easy. It’s not like a triathlon where you get to rest your legs in the swim. It’s totally different.
“I think it was one of the hardest events I have done and I’m suffering a bit now.
Up next for Samantha is a return to the triathlon event in Leeds in September.
