HATFIELD policeman Dave Mitchinson will be heading to Thailand next month to represent Great Britain at duathlon, just a year after taking up the discipline. Dave has a history of distance running, and earlier this month finished third in the Watford Half

HATFIELD policeman Dave Mitchinson will be heading to Thailand next month to represent Great Britain at duathlon, just a year after taking up the discipline.

Dave has a history of distance running, and earlier this month finished third in the Watford Half Marathon. He uses that athletic ability in the duathlon event.

He decided to have a go at the duathlon, which consists of a 10km run, a 40km bike race and finishes with another 5km run, to see how far he could go in the sport.

The endurance athlete is hoping his second appearance for GB in a duathlon is more successful than his debut.

"In September I had my first GB selection and took part in the World Championships in Italy, but crashed," he said.

A fellow cycling competitor cut in front of a pack of others in the race.

Dave was sent flying from his bike at around 30mph wearing a lycra suit and suffered cuts and friction burns from skidding across the ground.

"I was a bit of a mess, but raced the next day in the team relay. That was OK, so at least I got something out of it.

"It's encouraging to get the second call-up after crashing last time, it bodes well," said the 30-year-old.

The race in Thailand is the Asian leg of the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Series.

After the three-race series, world rankings are established and our man is hoping to break into the top 10 this year.

Describing the event, he said: "It is just less than two hours of racing.

"It's not quite as challenging as a marathon because of the bike, as you can get a bit of a rest drifting to a pack of racers."

Dave's gruelling training schedule sees him runs 60 miles a week and spend six to seven hours a week on his bike.

With that kind of exertion put onto his body, he is relieved to have secured sponsorship from a chiropractor.

Knebworth's Attend 2 Health have agreed to support the Times Territory sportsman.

He added: "It's nice to be able to have a local sponsor and something that's necessary for me with the intensity of the training."

Visit www.attend2health.co.uk for more information about the clinic or call 01438 898089.

Dave is also sponsored by bike shop Shorter Rochford of Potters Bar.

The main target for Dave is to take part and do well in the 2011 World Championships that will be held in the UK.

"By then I will have been in the sport for a while and had three or four years of competition and experience in it."

That could be the pinnacle of Dave's duathlon career as by then he will be getting into his mid-thirties.

He added: "I'll aim to be there in 2011, and then do a couple of marathons and after that call it a day.