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By Wes Hobson
Boulder Peak
Triathlon
July 22, 2007
Boulder, Colorado
July 22, 2007 (Boulder, CO) - The Boulder Peak Triathlon had sunny skies, but what came with it was a dry, hot and windless day. Age-group waves started at 6:40 AM, and none too early as by 11 AM the mercury had already reached 98 degrees.
Over 1700 competitors toed the line from 31 states. Some were first time visitors wanting to race at the Mecca of Triathlon. No competitors were disappointed as 5430 Sports put on a great show for the entrants to produce a sold-out event almost six months in advance.
In addition, the amateurs were treated with the unique viewing opportunity of watching the professional division, which started with the pro women starting at 8:45 AM and the pro men starting 14 minutes 20 seconds later. The first person across the finish line, male or female, would win an additional $1,000 on top of the $5,000 for the men and women's winners. The total prize purse of $30,000 going to the top five in each division indicates the healthiness of the race and the national coverage it deserves.
Nine pro women started the 1.5K swim, and by the end of the first leg the first three positions exiting the water together would end up being the same three on the podium as they exited two minutes ahead of fourth place. Olympian and Ironman winner Joanna Zeiger, ITU World Cup competitor Sara Haskins and Jasmine Oeinick exited the water in 19:30. From the first transition, Zeiger led the rest of the race, but that doesn't mean the race for first was secure. Zeiger had only a 45 second lead off of the bike, but Haskins closed the gap to 28 seconds after the first loop of the three loop 10K run. After the second lap, the time distance was the same. Haskins had a chance but the pressure of having to chase down the 4th place Olympian finally boiled over and Zeiger won by 1:19 with a finishing time of 2:08:27. Oenick was a distant third with a time of 2:16:22.
Boulderite Zeiger stated, "I followed my pre-race game plan of not going over my planned wattage on the bike which left me energy for the run." In addition, her husband Mark has been riding alongside her during her long run workouts in the heat and offering motivation and liquids. "Mark has been great in preparing me for this race and the rest of the season," she stated of her supportive spouse.
Thirty-three pro men embarked on the race course, not only to race one another but to catch all of the women. Exiting the water first with a time of 19:00 was neo pro and 2006 amateur National Champion from Boulder, Cameron Dye. He was towing a group of six which included World Cup #1 ranked American Matt Reed, Kiwi Bryan Rhodes and Australians Stephen Hackett and Paul Matthews. One minute later, two-time Hawaii Ironman Champion Tim DeBoom led a group of six men.
On the bike, Hackett slowly pulled away from the field on the "beast," a one mile climb with at times a 16% grade. Slim framed Hackett said, "I knew with Reed's bigger frame and more weight that I had to get a lead on him and others as they would be able to catch up some on the long descents." That was true to some extent as Hackett arrived into T2 with a 40 second lead over Reed and a 1:15 lead over Matthews. DeBoom had a good ride and came off the bike 1:25 back, only loosing 25 seconds to the leader during that segment.
The cheering crowds motivated Reed, who had lived in Boulder the past five years before moving to Colorado Springs, to catch Hackett after the first loop of the run. Reed proceeded, with his 6'5" frame and long legs, to distance himself from the men's field and pursue the chase of Zeiger. Zeiger held on and crossed first with a 1:30 advantage over Reed.
Reed said, "I knew it would be nearly impossible to catch Zeiger after the bike since she had over a 5 minute lead. She is just too strong of a runner."
Reed finished with a time of 1:55:39. Hackett held on to a charging Matthews as they finished with respective times of 1:56:02 and 1:57:01. Deboom and 2006 World Duathlon Champion Leon Griffin rounded out the top five.
The amateurs showed excellence in the race with Joe Fogarty winning the men's race in a time of 2:03:05 and Leah Larson winning the women's race in 2:18:10. As well, Sister Madonna Bruder showed no signs of slowing down after three decades of triathlons with a time of 3:46:58. Sister Madonna is in the 75-79 age group!
