After a relatively quiet month of training and preparation, the BAMFs of 3V came out with a vengeance the last weekend. With strong all around performances, the team as a whole moved up in the Ironman Rankings to the number 10 slot in the U.S Division V. We also had a group of BAMFs earn team 2nd Place honors at IM Santa Rosa and another athlete qualify for the 2018 IM 70.3 World Championships in South Africa!
On 23 July, Justin Kline crushed the Tinman Triathlon in Kapialoni Park, HI. It was a hybrid distance course with a 750m swim, 38K bike, and 10K run that he completed in 2:07:31 to earn a 29th overall finish and a 3rd place M30-34 AG finish. He made great use of his tools, Best Bike Split and his Stryd running power meter, to pull together this impressive performance.
Leading off the weekend in California at Ironman Santa Rosa, a group of steely eyed studs took on the Vineman course and captured the team second place trophy! Dave Mudek lead the way with a 9:57:21, 42nd overall and 19th in a stacked M30-34AG.
Noah Sandler and Gee Garner finished almost together at 12:13:47 and 12:13:52 respectively, taking back to back slots (47/48) in the M50-54 AG. Darin Miller rounded out the strong team at 12:44:47, earning him a top 100 finish in the M45-49
AG.
Darin Miller's son Ryan completed his first Ironkids race. Raising the next generation of racers already!
Our next team of rock stars took on the concurrently run full distance and 70.3 races at Whistler, BC in Canada. Jessica Pekari made the course cry, pushing out a 5:44:33 to earn a 10th in AG and a slot to the IM 70.3 World Championships in South Africa in September 2018! Jessica's sister also raced this event.
Steven Conroy fought through severe stomach distress, multiple vomiting episodes, and a wreck at the tail end of the bike to rock an 11:38:23. 3V Athletes don't quit; even when the going gets tough, they get tougher.
At the same time a few miles south of Canada, the Briggs Brothers took on Ironman Ohio 70.3, also sporting their Smile Train Team Empower Kit. Matt turned in a PB for the 70.3 distance, rocking a 5:03:41 and 28th place in the M35-39. His brother Andrew finished his first 70.3 in 7:00:05. Both were actively recruiting members for the Smile Train Charity Triathlon Team, Team Empower. This awesome organization raises a significant amount of money for children with cleft palate, and numerous 3V Members have taken on the challenge of raising money for this and other worthy causes.
To begin August, Brandon Goodermont ripped out a 5:17:41 on the Ironman 70.3 course in beautiful Boulder, CO. This earned him 51st place in the M40-44 AG and top 25% overall in the finish ranking. This was a new personal best for him at the 70.3 distance by 45 minutes!
It was a great month of racing cheered on by those at home across the country. Next up, Brendon Terry and Dave Mudek will take on the Olympic and Sprint courses in Omaha at the USAT Age Group Nationals on the 12th and 13th of August, and then Jeff Krebs and Noah Sandler will take on IM Mont-Tremblant on August 20th. A lot's been done and still much more to come!