Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs
Mon, Jun 28 2010 04:40
| Racing, Half Ironman
| Permalink
Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs race was held on Sunday, June 27 under hot and windy conditions. Four Finish Strong athletes completed this half ironman.
Ed York had a fabulous race! Ed came in 344 overall; 9 of 68 in his 45-49 age group with an overall time of 4:50:15. His splits were 30:46 swim/2:31:53/bike (22.1 mph pace)and 1:43:22 half marathon at a 7:54 per mile pace. Way to go, Ed!
Tim Monk fought off the hot and windy conditions and finished in 5:17:13. Tim came in 38 of the 107 in the 35-39 age group. His splits were 26:26 swim/2:46:35 bike (20.2 mph) and 1:57:18 half marathon at a 8:58 per mile pace.
Albert "Tommy" Sustala crossed the finish line in 5:13:37. He came in 34 of 116 in his 40-44 age group. His splits were 24:29 swim/2:40:39 bike (20.9 mph) and 2:04:33 half marathon at a 9:31 per mile pace.
Tom Schwarzkopf finished the race in 5:14:17. Tom was 12th out of 52 in the 50-54 age group. His splits were 25:31 swim/2:43:54 bike (20.5 mph) and 2:01:35 half marathon at a 9:17 per mile pace.
Congrats!
Ed York had a fabulous race! Ed came in 344 overall; 9 of 68 in his 45-49 age group with an overall time of 4:50:15. His splits were 30:46 swim/2:31:53/bike (22.1 mph pace)and 1:43:22 half marathon at a 7:54 per mile pace. Way to go, Ed!
Tim Monk fought off the hot and windy conditions and finished in 5:17:13. Tim came in 38 of the 107 in the 35-39 age group. His splits were 26:26 swim/2:46:35 bike (20.2 mph) and 1:57:18 half marathon at a 8:58 per mile pace.
Albert "Tommy" Sustala crossed the finish line in 5:13:37. He came in 34 of 116 in his 40-44 age group. His splits were 24:29 swim/2:40:39 bike (20.9 mph) and 2:04:33 half marathon at a 9:31 per mile pace.
Tom Schwarzkopf finished the race in 5:14:17. Tom was 12th out of 52 in the 50-54 age group. His splits were 25:31 swim/2:43:54 bike (20.5 mph) and 2:01:35 half marathon at a 9:17 per mile pace.
Congrats!
Comments
Kansas 70.3
Sat, Jun 12 2010 10:55
| Racing, Half Ironman
| Permalink
Team FSR Will Blackbird and Craig Wakefield competed in the Kansas 70.3 on June 6. They were was among the 1,591 entrants participating in the event. This was Will's first half Ironman. He finished in 5:49:08. His swim put him in the top third for his age group with a time of 36:29. He completed the bike leg in 3:01 with an average speed of 18.3 mph. He completed the final half marathon without having to walk. His run time was 2:07:25 maintaining a 9:44 per mile pace.
Craig Wakefield competed in the 40-44 AG. He finished in 5:36:24. His swim was 30:29, his bike was 2:44:15 (20.5 mph pace), and his final run was 2:17:23.
Congrats!
Lonestar 70.3
Mon, Apr 26 2010 05:49
| Racing, Half Ironman, Local
| Permalink
Seven tough Finish Strong competitors took on the Lonestar 70.3 held in Galveston on April 25. The athletes proved they could indeed finish strong on this 1.2 mile ocean swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run.
First time half Ironman Laura Gaddy had a stellar race. She finished under 6 hours in 5:50:05. Laura swam a steady 42:40 swim, followed by a 3:00 bike where she averaged 18.6mph, followed by a 1:59:33 half marathon.
Buck Snyder competed in the 35-39 age group. He finished in 5:56:39. His splits were 41:14 swim/2:44:19 bike/2:27:24 run.
The brutal 40-44 age group included Tommy Sustala, Patrick Sexton, Steve Hardy and Scott Pinkston. Tommy headed the group with an overall time of 4:49:57. He posted a 30:54 swim/2:30:48 bike/1:43:58 run. Patrick followed with a time of 5:02:33. His effort included a 35:57 swim/2:35:30 bike/1:46:26 run.
First time half Ironman Laura Gaddy had a stellar race. She finished under 6 hours in 5:50:05. Laura swam a steady 42:40 swim, followed by a 3:00 bike where she averaged 18.6mph, followed by a 1:59:33 half marathon.
Buck Snyder competed in the 35-39 age group. He finished in 5:56:39. His splits were 41:14 swim/2:44:19 bike/2:27:24 run.
The brutal 40-44 age group included Tommy Sustala, Patrick Sexton, Steve Hardy and Scott Pinkston. Tommy headed the group with an overall time of 4:49:57. He posted a 30:54 swim/2:30:48 bike/1:43:58 run. Patrick followed with a time of 5:02:33. His effort included a 35:57 swim/2:35:30 bike/1:46:26 run. Steve Hardy performed well with an overall 
time of 5:38:24. He swam a 41:18, biked a 2:55:53 leg, followed by a 1:56:26 half marathon. Scott Pinkston hung in there finishing in under 6 hours with a time of 5:58:42. He had a fine swim at 35:56, biked a 3:00:10, and endured the final 13.1 miles with a time of 2:17:06.
Jim Harrington came in 11th in the competitive 45-49 age group. Jim posted a 34:47 swim/2:44:50 bike/1:47:32 run for a final time of 5:10:56.
Great job!
time of 5:38:24. He swam a 41:18, biked a 2:55:53 leg, followed by a 1:56:26 half marathon. Scott Pinkston hung in there finishing in under 6 hours with a time of 5:58:42. He had a fine swim at 35:56, biked a 3:00:10, and endured the final 13.1 miles with a time of 2:17:06.Jim Harrington came in 11th in the competitive 45-49 age group. Jim posted a 34:47 swim/2:44:50 bike/1:47:32 run for a final time of 5:10:56.
Great job!
Ironman 70.3 New Orleans
Mon, Apr 19 2010 10:57
| Racing, Half Ironman
| Permalink
New Orleans hosted Ironman 70.3 on April 18, 2010 -- the only half Ironman in the 5-state southern region that qualifies top ranked individuals for the Ironman 70.3 championship race in Clearwater, Florida. The 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run course took the athletes through the historic districts of New Orleans.
Finish Strong Coach Dana Lyons overcame hot conditions and a strong field to place first in his 50-54 age group. Dana was 13th out of the water with a time of
36:46. He was 7th off the bike with a time of 2:22:33. And outran the rest of his age group in the final half marathon with a time of 1:27:55. His overall time was 4:31:38.
Mike Bard placed 3rd in his Clydesdale category. Mike had 33:43 swim, 2:26:19 bike, and 1:57:40 run for an overall time of 5:01:10.
Finish Strong Coach Dana Lyons overcame hot conditions and a strong field to place first in his 50-54 age group. Dana was 13th out of the water with a time of
36:46. He was 7th off the bike with a time of 2:22:33. And outran the rest of his age group in the final half marathon with a time of 1:27:55. His overall time was 4:31:38.
Mike Bard placed 3rd in his Clydesdale category. Mike had 33:43 swim, 2:26:19 bike, and 1:57:40 run for an overall time of 5:01:10.
Manuel Abascal also completed his first half ironman here at New Orleans. He completed the event with an overall time of 5:52:17.
Mike and Manuel (pictured above) are all smiles after completing the 70.3 race!!
Iron Star Half Ironman
Mon, Nov 9 2009 11:03
| Half Ironman, Local
| Permalink
Another race venue for Finish Strong coached athletes this weekend was the Iron Star, a half ironman race, held in Montgomery on Sunday, November 8. Participants included Kent Morris, Jennifer Zambrano, Dave Moulthen, Rip Reynolds, and Jack Ladenheim.
Kent finished the 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run in 5:31:14. He placed 9th in his age group. He swam the first leg in 46:31, biked in 2:48:58, and finished the half marathon in 1:50:48.
Dave Moulthen posted an overall time of 5:26:20 earning 7th place in his age group. He completed the swim in 39:41, the bike in 2:52:16, and the run in 1:51:65 at a solid 8:33 per mile pace.
Rip Reynolds finished 7th in his age group with a time of 5:35:28. His swim time was 45:09 followed by a steady 2:57:15 bike, and finishing strong with a 1:48:29 half marathon at a brisk 8:17 per mile pace.
Jack Ladenheim took 2nd in his age group with an overall time of 6:07:28. He flew through the water in 37:35, kept going on the bike to finish the 56 miles in 3:02:41, and completed the final half marathon in 2:22:32.
The participants were cheered on by other Finish Strong athletes who volunteered at various aid stations along the race course. Go team!
Kent finished the 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run in 5:31:14. He placed 9th in his age group. He swam the first leg in 46:31, biked in 2:48:58, and finished the half marathon in 1:50:48.
Dave Moulthen posted an overall time of 5:26:20 earning 7th place in his age group. He completed the swim in 39:41, the bike in 2:52:16, and the run in 1:51:65 at a solid 8:33 per mile pace.
Rip Reynolds finished 7th in his age group with a time of 5:35:28. His swim time was 45:09 followed by a steady 2:57:15 bike, and finishing strong with a 1:48:29 half marathon at a brisk 8:17 per mile pace.
Jack Ladenheim took 2nd in his age group with an overall time of 6:07:28. He flew through the water in 37:35, kept going on the bike to finish the 56 miles in 3:02:41, and completed the final half marathon in 2:22:32.
The participants were cheered on by other Finish Strong athletes who volunteered at various aid stations along the race course. Go team!
Austin 70.3
Mon, Oct 26 2009 10:03
| Racing, Half Ironman
| Permalink
The Austin 70.3 (Half Ironman) was held October 25. Jim Harrington and Craig Wakefield finished this challenging half ironman with good performances. Jim, 45, came in 16th in his age group (181st overall). Jim swam the first leg in 32:51, biked 2:40:29 at a brisk 20.9mph pace, then finished the final half marathon in 1:48:01 at an 8:15 pace. His overall time was 5:08:16.
Craig Wakefield came in 85th in his age group (469th overall). Craig, 40, had the 10th fastest swim in his age group finishing the first leg in 30:24. He powered through the bike in 2:40:20 at a 21 mph pace. He kept on going to compete the final half marathon in 2:20:25 at a 10:43 per mile pace. His overall time was 5:37:40.
Congrats!
USAT Halfmax Redman Triathlon Championship
Wed, Sep 23 2009 01:16
| Racing, Half Ironman
| Permalink
The USAT Halfmax Redman Triathlon Championships was held September 19 in Oklahoma City. The event was a half Ironman distance with 1.2 mile swim/56 mile bike/13.1 mile run.
The race was delayed due to rain. Competitors had to dismount their bikes during the bike leg and wade through 14 inches of rain. Still 574 competitors managed to finish the race - 152 female and 422 male.
Finish Strong coached athletes had a good showing. Tommy Sustala and Mike Bard both posted PRs at this race.
Tommy Sustala, 49, came in 10th in his age group of 75 competitors, 45th of all 421 males. Tommy swam the 1.2 mile swim in 26:49, biked 56 miles in 2:31:54 and ran a fast half marathon in 1:44:11 for an overall time of 4:48:05.
Kyle Mays, 46, finished the half ironman championship race in 5:06:16. Kyle came in 20th out of 50 competitors in his age group and 127 out of 422 males. Kyle completed the swim in 32:55, the bike in 2:40:55 and the final half marathon in 1:47:54.
Mike Bard came in 5:15:13 setting a PR and placing 3rd in the Clydesdale division. Mike swam a solid 29:41 swim, completed the bike leg in 2:37:53 and final half marathon in 2:04:17.
Grand Prairie Half Iron Man
Sun, Sep 20 2009 07:43
| Racing, Half Ironman
| Permalink
By Tom Schwartzkopf
Everyone loves good pictures of a tough race. This is the Prairie Man Half Iron race at Joe Poole Lake in Grand Prairie Texas. This was my toughest race this year in both distance and overcoming adversity. The word of the day today was "adapt". It rained all day and night before the race. The rain never let up during the day but that made for cool temperatures.
Here I am coming in after completing the 1.2 mile swim.
The waves were tough to overcome and made navigation difficult. My plan was to relax and enjoy the swim. I did have fun but the waves, wind and current conditions made the swim difficult. A few swimmers were brought in by boat due to the tough conditions.
Look at the fat guy.
I missed the swim exit by a few yards and had to run back to the water exit point. It was another lonely exit for me as few people wanted to stay out in the rain waiting for everyone to come in.
Here I am coming in after completing the 1.2 mile swim.
The waves were tough to overcome and made navigation difficult. My plan was to relax and enjoy the swim. I did have fun but the waves, wind and current conditions made the swim difficult. A few swimmers were brought in by boat due to the tough conditions.Look at the fat guy.
I missed the swim exit by a few yards and had to run back to the water exit point. It was another lonely exit for me as few people wanted to stay out in the rain waiting for everyone to come in.
I can't help but look back and see how I fared with my competition. I did well on the swim and came out of the water in first place.
Here I am exiting the transition area prior to the bike ride.
As you can see, the rain is coming down pretty hard. The roads were slick and slowed everyone down. The bike course was shortened from 56 miles to 42 miles. I did have a setback on the bike by falling down on the course. I'm ok but my bike is still in the shop.
This is me in the center of the photo at mile 2 on the run. The rain made it nice and cool for a long run.
The only real draw-back to all this rain is running in wet shoes.
I finished the 13.1 mile run averaging 9:41 per mile. Not my best but I was able to keep the pace for the entire run. My goals for the race were to finish without stopping to rest and to validate a nutrition plan.
Another long race under my belt. I was feeling good but also tired. My final time was 4:51:49. This is my last race before heading to Arizona in November. Ironman Arizona is twice as long as this race and is truly an endurance event. As always, my goals are to finish the race without stopping and having fun. For me, these are personal challenges but I also enjoy the friendly competition I have with the many friends I have in this sport. I will keep you posted on my progress. Ironman Arizona will take place on November 22nd.
Here I am exiting the transition area prior to the bike ride.
As you can see, the rain is coming down pretty hard. The roads were slick and slowed everyone down. The bike course was shortened from 56 miles to 42 miles. I did have a setback on the bike by falling down on the course. I'm ok but my bike is still in the shop.
This is me in the center of the photo at mile 2 on the run. The rain made it nice and cool for a long run.The only real draw-back to all this rain is running in wet shoes.
I finished the 13.1 mile run averaging 9:41 per mile. Not my best but I was able to keep the pace for the entire run. My goals for the race were to finish without stopping to rest and to validate a nutrition plan.
Another long race under my belt. I was feeling good but also tired. My final time was 4:51:49. This is my last race before heading to Arizona in November. Ironman Arizona is twice as long as this race and is truly an endurance event. As always, my goals are to finish the race without stopping and having fun. For me, these are personal challenges but I also enjoy the friendly competition I have with the many friends I have in this sport. I will keep you posted on my progress. Ironman Arizona will take place on November 22nd.
PrairieMan Half Ironman
Tue, Sep 15 2009 11:15
| Racing, Half Ironman
| Permalink
Two Finish Strong Athletes Tom Schwarzkopf and Michael Lechtenberg finished a grueling Half Ironman in Grand Prairie, TX on September 13.
According to Tom, the weather was nasty with constant rain, cold temperatures, flooded roads. The surf was so high and the wind so fierce that several swimmers had to be rescued. The slick roads led to treacherous conditions for the bike. Blown down course signs on the final run lead many to run extra mileage.
Despite these brutal conditions, Tom and Mike managed to finish the race. Tom in 4:51:49 and and Mike in 4:57:45.
Tom's final analysis,"Overall, I'm happy that I finished the entire race without stopping…or quitting."
According to Tom, the weather was nasty with constant rain, cold temperatures, flooded roads. The surf was so high and the wind so fierce that several swimmers had to be rescued. The slick roads led to treacherous conditions for the bike. Blown down course signs on the final run lead many to run extra mileage.
Despite these brutal conditions, Tom and Mike managed to finish the race. Tom in 4:51:49 and and Mike in 4:57:45.
Tom's final analysis,"Overall, I'm happy that I finished the entire race without stopping…or quitting."
Buffalo Springs 70.3
Wed, Jul 1 2009 03:08
| Racing, Half Ironman
| Permalink
Lubbock usually offers up some very hot weather and wind which attracts those preparing for Kona. But the day brought rain, cool weather and high winds. It was a tough day with several people being pulled from the swim due to choppy conditions.
Four Finish Strong athletes made the trip this year. Tim Monk was one who wanted the hot temperatures and winds as he is preparing for his first trip to Kona. Tim had a solid race posting a time of 4:45:13 which was good enough to place him 64th overall. Tim is an excellent swimmer and it certainly helped in the conditions. He swam 29:31.
Patrick Sexton just started running again a couple of months ago after recovering from a calf injury. He was till able to post a respectable time of 5:35. Jim Harrington (5:38:11) and Mike Bard (5:38:16) had solid races with Mike placing 2nd in the under 39 Clydesdale Division.
Four Finish Strong athletes made the trip this year. Tim Monk was one who wanted the hot temperatures and winds as he is preparing for his first trip to Kona. Tim had a solid race posting a time of 4:45:13 which was good enough to place him 64th overall. Tim is an excellent swimmer and it certainly helped in the conditions. He swam 29:31.
Patrick Sexton just started running again a couple of months ago after recovering from a calf injury. He was till able to post a respectable time of 5:35. Jim Harrington (5:38:11) and Mike Bard (5:38:16) had solid races with Mike placing 2nd in the under 39 Clydesdale Division.
Lonestar Triathlon Festival
Wed, Apr 8 2009 05:35
| Racing, Half Ironman, Local
| Permalink
A vast majority of local triathletes, and many Finish Strong athletes, competed in one of three races held this past weekend in Galveston. The Lonestar Triathlon Festival offered a Sprint race on Saturday, and a Quarter and Half Ironman on Sunday. The three races drew over 2400 participants (974 in the Sprint, 795 in the Quarter and 638 in the Half)!In the Sprint tri, Rodrigo Abascal placed 5th in the under 18 age group (and 34th overall) with a time of 1:11:23. Richard Mac Namee, associate Finish Strong Coach, placed 3rd overall with a blistering time of 1:01:47.
Tim Monk has taken some time from his training for Kona to race a few shorter races early in the season including the Quarter distance in Galveston. He still showed some good speed by placing 2nd in his age group and 5th overall with a time of 2:13:20. Deb Crawford raced well in her first Quarter distance race with a time of 3:34:18.
In the Half Ironman race, Tommy Sustala led the way for Finish Strong coached athletes with a time of 4:52:31 which placed him 8th in his age group and 54th overall. Tommy’s time was a 35 minute PR! Jim Harrington (5:12:07 and pictured above), Kyle Mays (5:20:54), David Molthen (5:22:56) and Brian Waldrop (6:44:01 in his first HIM) also did well.
New Orleans 70.3
Tue, Apr 7 2009 06:58
| Racing, Half Ironman
| Permalink
Wow! What a great venue for a half Ironman! Race Director Bill Burke knows how to put on race!
This was the first year for this race and while it had a couple of issues I'm sure they will be taken care of before next years race) the organization and race course were wonderful. Over 3,000 athletes, and 10,000 spectators enjoyed the race, including athletes from all 50 American states and 23 countries came to race and enjoy the great food and historical sites. Having the finish line near Jackson Square in the historical French Quarter helped provide the unique atmosphere of the race.
Conditions were near perfect for the race – the day began slightly overcast and the swim was very smooth, followed by moderate winds and temperatures in the low 70s for the bike and run. The swim was point-to-point in Lake Pontchartrain which went very smoothly. The bike course was completely closed to vehicle traffic! While the race was huge and I started in the 15th wave, I never had to contend with packs of cyclists. In fact, I did not see a single pace line! The run course was a simple point to point course that started from the transition area at the University of New Orleans Research Campus and ran along Lakeshore Drive then headed down into City Park before heading south along Esplanade Avenue to Decatur Street and the finish line located at World Famous Jackson Square.
Finish Strong athletes racing included Mike Bard, 5:21:50 (PR and improved his run by 1:03/mile), Todd Gibson, 6:07:18 and Marshall McInnis, 6:14:22.
I had a fairly good race clocking a 4:42:16 which was good enough to win the age group and earn a slot to the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, Florida in November.
I would encourage all to sign up for 2010 race now while you can!
This was the first year for this race and while it had a couple of issues I'm sure they will be taken care of before next years race) the organization and race course were wonderful. Over 3,000 athletes, and 10,000 spectators enjoyed the race, including athletes from all 50 American states and 23 countries came to race and enjoy the great food and historical sites. Having the finish line near Jackson Square in the historical French Quarter helped provide the unique atmosphere of the race.
Conditions were near perfect for the race – the day began slightly overcast and the swim was very smooth, followed by moderate winds and temperatures in the low 70s for the bike and run. The swim was point-to-point in Lake Pontchartrain which went very smoothly. The bike course was completely closed to vehicle traffic! While the race was huge and I started in the 15th wave, I never had to contend with packs of cyclists. In fact, I did not see a single pace line! The run course was a simple point to point course that started from the transition area at the University of New Orleans Research Campus and ran along Lakeshore Drive then headed down into City Park before heading south along Esplanade Avenue to Decatur Street and the finish line located at World Famous Jackson Square.
Finish Strong athletes racing included Mike Bard, 5:21:50 (PR and improved his run by 1:03/mile), Todd Gibson, 6:07:18 and Marshall McInnis, 6:14:22.
I had a fairly good race clocking a 4:42:16 which was good enough to win the age group and earn a slot to the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, Florida in November.
I would encourage all to sign up for 2010 race now while you can!
