With my premature retirement last May I purchased a bike and kit to give the legs a rest. What an addictive sport this is. I ran 1 race last year. No races this year, training dropped considerably. With my impending pensioner status I thought I would combine the 2 sports and enter a duathlon. Encouraged by Les Thomas that I was making good progress on the bike Elaine and i arrived at Castle Combe race circuit at 5 pm Wednesday evening. Registered and took bike to the racking point. Had to go back to get helmet and shoes.Novice mistake. Looking around there were a lot of racing cars arriving for the next days meet.A briefing was held 10 minutes before the start at 7.00. In a road race I normally start a few rows from the front. This evening I went halfway back. The run was 2 miles long on grass, gravel and tarmac footpaths. Did not hold back even knowing what I had to come.Into transition. Helmet has to go on first. Fluffed around putting shoes on. Novice. Run to the line before carefully getting on and out onto the super smooth tarmac track.Straight up to my best speed with 5 laps to complete. Had to remember which lap I was on so by saying the number out loud that would help. Elaine heard me clearly as i rushed by saying 2 2 2 2 2 2 . Obviously this continued untill I came in for transition 2. Unclipped on the wrong line and told I was the only one scooting along with one leg. Back into running shoes and steadily away. Managed to get going after a while. Passed about 8 on this 2 mile run. Tried increasing pace with finish banner looming and a runner in front I had been closing in on. Runner eased before banner and I shot by. Had a good puff and a blow. There was a small unit you put your number into, it's on a screen then a digital printout pops out. For the record. 1st 2 miles at 6.16 pace. Bike at 19.88 and last 2 miles in 6.21 pace. I was placed 54 out of 113. In age group 2nd by 18 secs to a person in a body suite and a bike the same value as my house. In all a super experience which I will do again. All this followed by fish and chips in Bradford on Avon.Over and out. Clive.