Put your fitness to the test at Goulburn's inaugural duathlon

Pull on your running shoes and oil up your bike, with the inaugural Goulburn Duathlon ready to sprint from the starting line.

After multiple false starts due to COVID, the event was finally announced for Saturday, 16 July.

Multisport event company Elite Energy’s behind the duathlon, and spokesperson Seb Gallery said he was keen to see how it would play out on the “flat, fast streets” of Goulburn.

“Goulburn is a great location because it’s not too long a drive from Sydney or Canberra, which are the two main hubs our participants are coming from,” he said.

“One of the most exciting parts of the course to me is that it looks like it is a really fast and flat run course, with a few challenging sections on the bike.

“The most challenging section on the cycle leg will be a 6.7 per cent ascent, which is sure to raise athletes’ heart rates before the turnaround point.”

About 400 athletes are expected to take part in the new event, which is also a qualifier for the 2023 Multisport World Championships to be held in Ibiza, Spain.

Mr Gallery said this would promise some quality athletes on the course.

“I am expecting some really quick times from the athletes that will come in from across the state in an attempt to snag some qualifying points for the Australian Age Group team,” he said.

“We’ve actually seen bigger numbers sign up [for the Goulburn event] than we generally see, which is a positive sign we’ve picked a great location.”

Three different distance races would be held on the day, each including a running and cycling leg:

• Standard Distance (10 km run, followed by a 40 km bike, followed by a 5 km run)
• Sprint Distance (5 km run, followed by a 20 km bike, followed by a 2.5 km run)
• Super Sprint Distance (2.5 km run, followed by an 8 km bike, followed by a 1 km run)

Marsden Weir Park will be the starting point for each race. The run element will take advantage of the Wollondilly River Walkway. The cycling element will follow a course along Crookwell Road, then onto Chinamans Lane and Range Road towards Mummel.

Those new to the sport are also encouraged to take part.

“There’s the potential for locals who aren’t into the sport to get involved and have a bit of fun,” Mr Gallery said.

“It’s even possible to get together and do one of the smaller duathlons as a team; we often get families where the kids want to run and then mum or dad do the cycling leg.”

Food trucks will also be on hand for spectators, and numerous vantage points will be set up.

Altered traffic arrangements will be in place along the course.

Online registrations close at 5 pm on Wednesday, 13 July, but tickets will also be available on the day.