3rd Overall at Trizou Triathlon

For the third consecutive year we headed up to Columbia, MO where I competed in the Trizou Triathlon known as the nation’s largest pool swim triathlon. This year there were about 660 finishers that snaked through the pool. However, I was among 11 in the elite wave that were sent off together and did our 400m up and back in the same lane prior to the amateur start.
Lane 2 was occupied by recently retired 5x world champ Simon Lessing (think MJ of triathlon), and lane 1 the returning champ and accomplished pro Andrew Starykowicz. The rest of the wave consisted of other pro/elites; and a couple amateurs like myself who don’t have their pro card but are eligible to race for cash prizes under $5000 with the elites. Sharing a lane with me was local triathlete, Joe Company.
I was eighth out of the water with a respectable time for my standards around about 6 minutes. An actual split is not taken until reaching the transition outside. A few miles into the bike I settled into 4th trailing Andrew, Simon (in white), and Joe (in black). Heading out on the run Simon and Andrew had pulled out of eye sight and Joe was a couple hundred meters ahead.
It took the greater portion of the run to catch up to Joe, but pulled next to him just in time to sprint it out for the last quarter mile. I edged it out by a mere second or 2 to take 3rd (top pic). Although we finished 2 minutes down to the leaders I was still pleased with my 15.20 run effort which was second best on the day by just 3 seconds to Simon, and I believe a new 3 mile PR! And as chance would have it I learned my pacer, Joe, was also Mennonite. He is a very pleasant person to talk to and I look forward to seeing him at future races. Thanks as always to family and friends for your support. Next up… the pelican festival of Windsor, CO on May 23rd.