Forest of Dean Duathlon / Sept

Hi all, I'm a relative novice to Duathlon and a middle-aged female who generally comes in with all the beginner type people at the back.  Does anyone have any experience of this race?  I looked at last year's results and there appear to be only about 30 entrants.  Will I be faced with an elite pack of triathletes who leave me for dust within the first few seconds, to be left racing on my own for 3 hours?

I am thinking of doing this too... it would be my first dualthlon and have the same concerns, will I be left behind while all the hard men wipe up the course?! Have either of you entered yet?

I've entered and paid my money... but seriously worried.  I'm considering other duathlons in October instead - there are quite a few on the trifinder website.  Still waiting to hear from someone who can give us good advice on this one though....

I'll have a word with Trev and see what the route is.

This isn't Trev's event, but the following may be of assistance...

The tracks around Mallard's pike are good, bit of a hill on the longer adidas trail, but the corresponding downill is fun..

Not sure of the details of he cycle route, but the Forest of Dean is pretty hilly. Any sections alo the severn or wye will be fairly flat, but any section in the Forest itself will have a few hills. These hills tend to go on a bit. Therefore practice hill climbing and descending

This is my first Duathlon and I just read some bad review http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=267247

Hopefully, there is a big improvement this year. At least, the weather is looking good and we should all enjoy the scenic forest roads.