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Tri-umphs
By
Jim Starr
Novices
are always asking me about entry-level triathlons. Even the laughably misnamed
sprint-distance triathlons require a fairly serious commitment in terms of training to
complete for any but the young. What about Mom and Dad who have little time to train but
are trying to convince the kids to get active? What they need is a micro-tri like my first
one, the Washington Post Conchathon. That race
had a serpentine pool swim where the athletes swam (many walked the shallow end) up and
down lanes (and under the ropes) from one end of the pool to the other for about
one-quarter mile. They then biked six miles and ran 2K (about 1.25 miles). Anyone with a
reasonable degree of health and fitness could complete it given that type of swim stroke
and how much of the run you spend walking are irrelevant. Unfortunately, the Washington Post is out of business—at least as
far as sponsoring these triathlons go. Are there no alternatives?
Tuckahoe
Triathlon
The
second annual Tuckahoe Triathlon is a wonderful little neighborhood micro-triathlon that
many folks could do. This year’s event, held on Labor Day, had several families
(moms, dads, and kids) out to do the race at the Tuckahoe Recreation Club in McLean, VA. Their serpentine swim of a bit over one-eighth of
a mile saw no walkers. The three-mile bike through the neighborhood even had some slight
hills. The 1.3 mile run instructions asked participants to “please stay on
sidewalks.” Although many competitors seemed to have their game faces on before the
race, everyone was all smiles afterward. RD Ina Neninger and her crew assembled local
sponsors who helped to provide great food, random prizes, finishers ribbons, and awards
(medals and/or certificates for winners in certain categories). The emphasis was on having
a safe, fun event.
Craig
Chasse (30) defended his title with a record 22:08 finish and thus remains the race’s
only champion. He was followed by Sarah McCarney (24) who was both second overall and the
top woman in 23:55. Patrick Hinderdael (40) took third pace and was the top masters
division athlete with a 24:27 clocking. Mary Jansen (31:45) was the top women’s
master.
Featured
Race: Make-a-Wish Triathlon, Sea Colony, Bethany Beach, DE
As
noted in an earlier column, triathlons at the shore in September are kinda iffy. The Make-a-Wish triathlon is one example. On a
nice day, it offers a flat, fast course; when it’s stormin’ run and hide. This
year’s sixteenth edition of the race, on September 18, brought a blessed clear day
with ideal temperatures in the upper 50s to low 60s at race time. Although winds are to be
expected at the shore, this year the winds were light but strong enough to be noticeable.
In short, it was a beautiful day to swim 1.5K (0.93 miles), bike 35K (21.75 miles), and
run 10K (6.21 miles)—and nearly 500 people (28% women) did.
Middies
again dominated this event as Annapolitans swept five of the first ten places (six of the
first fifteen). Tom O’Donnell (21) turned in the best swim split for the second year
in a row, knocking over 50 seconds off last year’s swim. His 1:21 overall improvement
this year swept him into first place in
1:51:09. Tom McGee (42) of Ottawa, Quebec, despite a time that was almost a minute slower
than last year, moved up two places to earn second place honors in 1:54:00. The top master
had about the same time as he did in 1997 at this race. Kevin Danahy (24) of Dover, DE
parlayed the fastest run split of the day into a third place finish in a time of 1:54:59.
Chris Pass (31) of Dillsburg took fourth place in 1:55:19. Kurt Muhler (22) of Annapolis
rounded out the top five 30 seconds back in 1:55:49.
Among
the women, newcomer Desiree Ficker dominated. The 22 year-old from Potomac turned in the
14th best run and 16th best bike overall to best the women in
1:57:14, good enough to earn ninth place overall. Ficker was more than 1:30 up on
second-place finisher Hollie Kenney Hollis (26) of Lutherville, MD who was clocked in
1:58:53 and finished 15th overall. Hollis’ margin over Wilmington’s
Jocelyn Saunders (33) was also 1:30. Saunders had the fastest swim among the women (fifth
overall) and finished in 2:00:27. Last year’s winner, Anita Freres (34) of Rockville
improved her time by seven seconds over last year but fell to fourth place with a time of
2:05:17 in this quality field. Rockville’s Christy Underdonk (30) finished fifth in
2:06:11.
Another
notable performance was turned in by Dave Predzin (42) of Manassas, VA. Prezdin was the
second masters triathlete to finish and earned top Clydesdale (200+ lbs) honors with a
1:59:02 clocking for 17th place overall. Predzin also owned the third-best bike
split of the day. Also remarkable was 53 year-old Jay Tobin’s performance that earned
him third-place honors among the masters. Tobin, from Fallston, MD, edged fourth master
George Tomasi by a whisker as both were timed in 2:03:47. Paul Schlosser of Newark, DE was
17 seconds back in 2:04:04. The three hard-charging masters finished 31st, 32nd,
and 33rd respectively.
Burke,
VA’s Bonnie Mahoney dominated the swim and bike among women masters and earned that
title in 2:28:34. Mahoney finished 2:12 ahead of Helen Brennan of Severna Park, MD. Mona
Juliano of Vienna, VA had a good run to earn third masters honors as she finished in
2:32:07. Joann Neiderer of Hanover, MD parlayed her best run among masters women to fourth
place in a time of 2:35:29. Timonium, MD’s Katherine Carney earned fifth place in
2:37:27.
The
top male senior (60+) was Terry Smith of Reston, VA, who finished in 2:40:20. Among female
seniors (50+), Potomac’s Linda Carter acted like Wonder Woman as she edged her
nearest competitor, Aileen Worthington of Washington, by 2:40. Carter’s time was
3:10:22.
Dixon
Hemphill Injured
Dixon
Hemphill, a well-known local triathlete and runner, was injured on September 1 while bike
training for the Reston Triathlon on September 12. Hemphill (74) of Fairfax Station, VA
was approaching the finish line for the bike course at 25-30 mph when he was hit by a car.
He underwent surgery at Inova Fairfax Hospital September 3 to rectify a fractured left hip. Hemphill
also suffered a punctured lung from several broken ribs. He remained in the hospital for
several weeks and expected to go to a rehabilitation facility before going home. He also
expected that it could be months before he biked and ran again. Hemphill is the second
high-profile triathlete to be hit by a car in recent years. Multisport world champion Judy
Flannery was hit and killed two and one-half years ago by an unlicensed 16 year-old
driver.
Reston and Dewey Beach Triathlons
Good
weather also greeted the 400+ triathletes at the Reston Triathlon on September 12, with
temperatures in the high 50s to low 60s at race start. The 1 mile lake swim, 22.5 mile
bike, and 6.2 mile run event was won by hometown favorites Kim McLaughlin (34) and John
McGarva (28). McGarva, who won in 2:01:20, ran down the two early (and perennial) leaders:
master triathlete Steve Giorgis (44) clocked in 2:03:42, and David Cascio in 2:04:11.
McLaughlin fared no worse than 16th overall in any discipline to take fifth
place overall and win the women’s race by 3:46 over Ashley Cordell (26) of Vienna,
VA. McLaughlin’s 2:06:11 also bested third-place finisher Margie Stanmeyer (22) of
Arlington who finished in 2:12:12.
The
fifth Dewey Beach triathlon (½ mile swim, 15 mile bike, 3 mile run) also welcomed over
400 multisporters with good weather but brisk winds. Although Arlington’s Don Martin
(34) had the fastest swim and bike splits, he was run down by a couple of Brians. (All of this may have left Martin looking for a
triathlon that was a no-Brianer.) Rockville’s Brian Davis essayed the course in
1:07:47 for the win. Brian Lovett (25) from Philadelphia took second place in 1:08:51.
Jill Riblett (27) of Virginia Beach and Julie Caprio (38) of Baltimore both turned in
consistent performances as Riblett beat Caprio for first place in 1:17:07. Caprio
(1:18:28) was not sufficiently stronger on the bike to overcome Riblett’s run.
Danielle Sullivan (22) finished third in 1:19:08.
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