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Home » Fitness » Triathlon championships serve as validation for Indiana woman completing fitness goals – Omaha World-Herald

Aug 14

Triathlon championships serve as validation for Indiana woman completing fitness goals – Omaha World-Herald

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To judge just how far triathlete Sue Reynolds has come, one would have to measure the progress in pounds.

As in almost 202 lost after she reached a weight of 335 pounds about four years ago.

Reynolds, 64, of Bloomington, Indiana, finished ninth with a time of 1:30:29 in the 60-to-64 group in the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships sprint-distance race Sunday at Levi Carter Park, bettering her 10th-place finish from a year ago in Omaha.

Four years ago, she said, she never could have envisioned standing at the finish line after an event that included a 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike ride and 5-kilometer run.

No way. I never even knew I liked sports, she said. That was quite a miracle to discover that I had a knack for it to be able to qualify for nationals with all these people.

She said her motivation to lose weight was a little bit different.

I just got really tired of being overweight, she said. When youre grossly overweight, theres so much you cant do.

I couldnt sit in a restaurant booth because I was too big to get into the seat. I couldnt walk more than 50 feet without resting. I couldnt even stand up and talk.

The process started slowly and gradually with Reynolds, who is president of the American Student Achievement Institute, a nonprofit organization that helps improve schools.

I started eating a sound nutrition plan, she said. So really nothing special. I just ate good foods and less junk food and then started exercising.

It just started with walking, and then I added running and then swimming and then bike. One thing led to another, and I thought that Id do a triathlon and just fell in love with the sport.

Kirsten Sass of McKenzie, Tennessee, who raced in the 35-to-39 age group, followed her first-place finish in Saturdays Olympic-distance race by topping all females in the sprint with a time of 1:06:50. That bested 28-year-old Kearci Smith of Plano, Texas, who completed the course in 1:07:25.

Morgan Pearson of Boulder, Colorado, won the overall mens sprint in 58:09 while Kevin Denny of Lees Summit, Missouri, took second at 59:54.

Caryn Maconi, USA Triathlon communications manager, said the weekend went off without a hitch. The cooler weather, including light rain showers Sunday morning, contributed to the events success.

Last year the weather was pretty hot, Maconi said. From what I heard from the athletes, the rain makes the bike a little bit more challenging because the roads are slick. But the cooler weather was much preferred.

Tim Hola of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, who finished third in the male 40-to-44 age group (1:04:29), agreed that the rain made for a different approach to cycling.

It was definitely slicker, he said. Its a course where its not too technical, but there are still enough turns where you dont want to take a turn too hard. You want to brake a little early, and if you do anything too risky, you could go down.

So in such a short race you want to, I would say, stay safe and take the high road.

Mens sprint overall: 1, Morgan Pearson, Boulder, Colo., 58:09. 2, Kevin Denny, Lees Summit, Mo., 59:54. 3, Evan Culbert, Johnston, Iowa, 1:00:10. 4, Andy Krueger, Portland, Ore., 1:00:14. 5, Erik Peterson, Fort Collins, Colo., 1:01:24. 6, Jack Toland, Kirkland, Wash., 1:01:39. 7, Zach Wilson, Carmel, Ind., 1:01:49. 8, Grayson Barber, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 1:01:53. 9, Wilson Norris, Brentwood, Tenn., 1:02:09. 10, Reece Linder, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 1:02:25.

Womens sprint overall: 1, Kirsten Sass, McKenzie, Tenn., 1:06:51. 2, Kearci Smith, Plano, Texas, 1:07:25. 3, Ali Brauer, Boulder, Colo., 1:07:34. 4, Addison Smith, Knoxville, Tenn., 1:08:03. 5, Lisa Becharas, Normal, Ill., 1:08:15. 6, Danielle Dingman, Branson, Mo., 1:08:21. 7, Shannon Kaplan, Philadelphia, 1:09:44. 8, Stacy Sweetser, Amherst, N.H., 1:09:51. 9, Elizabeth Vermann, St. Louis, 1:09:53. 10, Lindsey Batkiewicz, Johnston, Iowa, 1:09:54.

Other sprint division winners masters female: Stacy Sweetser, Amherst, N.H., 1:09:50. Masters male: Scott Erba, Winona Lake, Ind., 1:03:56. Grand masters female: Kelly Dippold, Olathe, Kan., 1:12:12. Grand masters male: Lincoln Murdoch, Omaha, 1:09:03. F15-19: Addison Smith, Knoxville, Tenn., 1:08:02. M15-19: Andy Krueger, Portland, Ore., 1:00:13. F20-24: Ali Brauer, Boulder, Colo., 1:07:33. M20-24: Morgan Pearson, Boulder, Colo., 58:08. F25-29: Kearci Smith, Plano, Texas, 1:07:24. M25-29: Kevin Denny, Lees Summit, Mo., 59:53. F30-34: Linzie Hebert, Choudrant, La., 1:11:03. M30-34: Wade Cruser, Sauk Rapids, Minn., 1:02:45. F35-39: Kirsten Sass, McKenzie, Tenn., 1:06:50. M35-39: Michael Boehmer, Boulder, Colo., 1:03:09. F40-44: Stacy Sweetser, Amherst, N.H., 1:09:50. M40-44: James Hallberg, Longmont, Colo., 1:04:10. F45-49: Celia Dubey, Tarpon Springs, Fla., 1:13:33. M45-49: Scott Erba, Winona Lake, Ind., 1:03:56. F50-54: Lauren Jensen, Muskego, Wis., 1:12:01. M50-54: Brian Francis, Ann Arbor, Mich., 1:04:00. F55-59: Kelly Dippold, Olathe, Kan., 1:12:12. M55-59: Lee Walther, Oklahoma City, 1:06:44. F60-64: Sharon Johnson, Andover, Mass., 1:17:52. M60-64: Lincoln Murdoch, Omaha, 1:09:03. F65-69: Missy Lestrange, Visalia, Calif., 1:24:46. M65-69: Kevin Simmons, Lake Mary, Fla., 1:15:57. F70-74: Paula Larsen, Delafield, Wis., 1:35:18. M70-74: Simon Butterworth, Lafayette, Colo., 1:21:54. F75-79: Lois Leon, Miami, 1:43:04. M75-79: William Marshall, Santa Rosa, Calif., 1:30:34. F80-84: Sheila Isaacs, Shoreham, N.Y., 2:01:18. M80-84: Bob Palmatier, El Cajon, Calif., 1:55:37. F85+: Molly Hayes, Bozeman, Mont., 2:51:13. M85+: Wayne Fong, Chatsworth, Calif., 2:29:59

sports@owh.com, 402-444-1201

Spectators cheer on the runners as they approach the finish line at the Sprint-distance championships in the USA Triathlon held at Levi Carter Park, 3100 Abbott Drive in Omaha on Sunday, August 13, 2017.

The 60+ age group starts their swim at the Sprint-distance championships.

Jennifer Reinhart of Austin, Texas is the face of determination as she exits the lake and heads for the bikes.

Zachary Roth of Saginaw, Michigan heads out of the bike racks.

Pearson Morgan of Boulder, Colorado is the first male to cross the finish line.

Females age 30-39 in pink caps start their swim as males in the 60+ age group wait their turn on the dock.

Volunteer crossing guard Trevor Barajas of Omaha, in red cap mans the crossing gate as the athletes transition from swimming to bicycles.

Kearci Smith of Pryor, Oklahoma, was the second female to finish.

Males 50-54 wait to move onto the dock.

Spectators wait for the second wave of athletes to hit the water.

The female 55+ group heads for the dock.

Athletes wait for the start of the first wave.

William Marshall of Santa Rosa, California is helped from the water after his swim.

Pauline Aamodt of Woodbury, Minnesota heads out with her bike.

Males 50-54 head for the dock.

Morgan Pearson of Boulder, Colorado heads for the finish line.

Medals await athletes at the Sprint-distance championships in the USA Triathlon.

Jared Givens of Omaha is draped with a medal after finishing.