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Tri-Umphs (Triathlons & Duathlons)
Tri-umphs (March 2002)
By Jim StarrMarch 2002
For the Washington Running Report
A combination of a thin local calendar and life demands meant that this column was absent from the last issue of WRR. This issue's column will cover a good bit, despite the fact that most of us are into an off-season training schedule--a schedule blessed by weather good enough that most folks ought to be easily maintaining their fitness. It's the time of year to review last year's final local event, the Seneca Creek Duathlon, and to track the accomplishments of multisporters over the last year.
The Seneca Creek Duathlon
A coolish and breezy dawn (for this winter) broke over Seneca Creek State Park between Gaithersburg and Germantown in upper Montgomery County (MD) on December 9. The athletes, by and large, were ready for the final local event of the season...but was the race staff? It is difficult to adapt a racecourse to last minute changes caused by others, but this is precisely what veteran RD Brad Jaeger had to do.
In the weeks immediately preceding this second running of the race by Jaeger's TriAthlantic Triathlon Club, speed bumps had been installed throughout the park. Understandably Jaeger had to think in terms of course redesign to try to avoid problems like trying to take speed bumps at high speed on a bicycle. The course was redesigned and was almost assuredly slightly longer than its billed 14.4-mile bike sandwiched between two 2.4-mile runs. The course was something less than straightforward, notably on the two run segments, as Jaeger endeavored to avoid having runners and bikers dangerously crossing paths. He also added a wave start that had the women starting thirty minutes ahead of the men so that they were already on the three-loop criterium-style bike course when the men began their initial run.
More than 250 athletes started the race and about twenty percent of them ended up racing a short course and were disqualified. Many were disgruntled, but to many of them Jaeger might say, "Get gruntled!" Multisport athletes are responsible for knowing and completing the course. Several of the bikers decided to do two loops instead of three. Several of the runners did not complete the second run as mapped. The mass confusion of people running different courses eventuated in a race that should be accurate in terms of order but whose times have not been (and will not be) sorted out.
The women's race was won by Hatboro, PA's Heather Houseknecht (26). She was followed by Susan Baehre (43) of Triangle, VA and Michele McGleish (35) of Germantown, MD. Steve Smith (35), also of Germantown, led the men home. Timonium's Otho Keller (24) and Jeff Fritz (33) of Reston, VA finished second and third respectively. Age group winners (including the author in his first real multisport race since being a victim of a hit-and-run by an SUV in DC a year-and-a-half earlier) appear in the accompanying table (below).
Inside Triathlon (IT) All-American Awards
IT magazine's All-American awards provide an eagerly-awaited recognition of excellence among age-groupers during the season. This year competitors from the seven states of the mid-Atlantic region (NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA, NC) and the District garnered nearly ten percent of the 248 triathlon awards and more than fifteen percent of the 111 duathlon honors. In the area (DC, MD, VA), the charge was led by perennial triathlon All-Americans Marge Stahl of Annandale in the 70-74 age group and David McNeely (55- 59) of Glen Arm, MD. Their consistency is remarkable in a sport with relatively high turnover. Repeat triathlon selections from last year included Sterling's Chase Baker and DC's Brian Leske among the physically handicapped, coach Eric Sorensen (30-34) of Falls Church (featured in several earlier columns), Des Nunan of Ocean City and Tom Shinners of Arlington (both in the 45-49 division), and Anne Viviani of Arlington (50-54). Viviani was also selected as the top All-American duathlete in her age group. Son Willy was a duathlon All-American among Junior men (under 20).
A couple of IT triathlon All-Americans from the late '80's and early '90's regained their form as Marge Burley of Baltimore (55- 59) and Don Kane of Newport News (60-64) rejoined the All- American team. Other local triathlon All-Americans included DC's Matt Cooke (20-24), Richmond's Karen Holloway (25-29), Hanover's Mitchell Gold (30-34) and Annapolis's Bill Kvetkas (40-44).
In duathlon, veteran racers Judi Carbary (50-54) of Columbia, Rebecca Strode of Springfield (45-49), and Russ Preble of Oxon Hill (70-74) took All-American honors. They were joined on the team by relative newcomers Billy Edwards of Virginia Beach (20- 24) and Alida Anderson of Silver Spring (30-34).
Other Awards
Desiree Ficker of Potomac had another outstanding year. She recently received Montgomery County Road Runners' Outstanding Achievement Award by unanimous vote of the Runner of the Year Committee. (MCRRC is among the largest of the affiliated clubs of the Road Runners Club of America.) Below we quote from the presentation made by Jim Whitnah (quite a runner in his own right) to Desiree:
"A little less than a year ago, Desiree Ficker was selected to be a member of the Resident Team Program, one of USA Triathlon's National Teams Programs. Headquartered at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the program called for Des to relocate for nine months of intensive training, first-rate coaching, and use of the state-of-the-art facilities. The program seeks to identify and assist those with potential to compete at a world-class level and it was a remarkable achievement and honor for Des to have been selected, especially so after having just started competing in triathlons in 1999. She was the only woman selected for the 2001 team. The program is designed also to be a potential stepping stone to the Olympics.
"The reports that filtered back indicated that the training was rigorous, with most of her time spent preparing for workouts, doing workouts, or recovering from workouts. Her race results were outstanding, including ninth at the US Triathlon National Championships, second at the US Duathlon National Championships and tenth at the Pan American Championships. One international periodical ranked her 68th in the world.
"Despite her demanding training and racing schedules, she managed two trips back to this area for road races. She surprised even herself with an overall win and breakthrough PR in April at Pike's Peek by running a 34:22. In the process she defeated two top area runners, Naoko Ishibe and Irina Suvarova."
The mid-Atlantic region also had another major award winner. Greg Watson of Newark, DE was named USA Triathlon's elite Duathlete of the Year. He captured four first-place finishes in the formidable Dannon Duathlon Series of 10K (6.2 mile) run, 40K (24.85 mile) bike, 5K (3.1 mile) run events. He also captured tenth place in the 15K (9.3 mile) run, 60K (37.28 mile) bike, 7.5K (4.66 mile) run International Triathlon Union (ITU) long course championship. Watson finished 38th in the ITU World Championship in Rimini, Italy. He earned second-place honors at the Powerman, AL Duathlon.
Notes and News
It was good to see world class professional duathlete Marjan Huizing begin to work her way back from a months-long injury by running (in a low-key way) a club race recently.... Yes, that really was three-time Tour de France winner (and triathlete) Lance Armstrong that was spotted at the Dirty Duathlon in Texas on December 1. He finished sixth after flatting four times. Armstrong had not participated in a duathlon in more than ten years.... Two triathletes were chosen to be featured on Wheaties Energy Crunch "Everyday Champions" cereal boxes. Hawaii Ironman age-group champion Cherie Gruenfeld of Blue Jay, CA is one and Marie Bartoletti of Finleyville, PA is the other.
Seneca Creek Duathlon
December 9, 2001
Gaithersburg, MD
Age Group Results
Men Women
14 & under 14 & under
1 Steve Duplinsky 1 Megan Johnson
15-19 15-19
1 Andrew King 1 Sara Fritz
2 Josh Nichols
3 Richard Wiles 20-24
1 Jessica Geist
20-24 2 Natalie Kostenbader
1 Nik Haynes 3 Julie Boslego
2 Elam Stotzfus
3 John Glick 25-29
1 Nancy Olson
25-29 2 Linda Miller
1 John McGuire 3 Tonya Watson
2 Steve Nester
3 Matt Clancy 30-34
1 Monique Farah
30-34 2 Lark Dunham
1 Trevor Orthmann 3 Deborah McGuire
2 Brian Hoyt
3 Tripp McHenry 35-39
1 Rebecca Herman
35-39 2 Jean Troutman
1 Ron Mentus 3 Susan Smiga
2 Dan Labarca
3 Ken Woodard 40-44
1 Lynn Browning
40-44 2 Jennifer Elcano
1 Steve Tague 3 Cheryl Thim
2 Bob Strange
3 Dan Bowen 45-49
1 Sandra Ruprecht
45-49 2 Janet Krones
1 Warren Elvers 3 Cindy Johnson
2 Jeffrey Timm
3 Rod Bergstrom 50-54
1 Jane Godfrey
50-54 2 Camille Pulcino
1 Jean-Pierre Bacle 3 Laura Cantrell
2 Steve Petouvis
3 Larry Cunningham 55-59
1 Mary Kuta
55-59 2 Sam Robey
1 William Vogler
2 Dave Gearin
3 Walter Brown
60-64
1 Everett Rice
2 Nathan Jacoby
3 Jim Starr
65+
1 Harry Bratt
2 Russ Preble