Full team effort propels GRF to 3rd at Club Nationals; two complete 1st Ironman at Madison

Grim Reaper Fitness brought 25 club members to USAT Club Nationals in Innsbrook, Mo.

Everyone contributed as 24 of the members produced top-10 finishes to earn the points that propelled the club to a 3^rd-place finish in Division IV.

Jason Huber, David Quinn, and Kris Hohulin led the way for Grim Reaper Fitness, winning their respective divisions. Huber won the 35-39 Age Group at the HalfMax or 70.3 (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1 mile run) and was 9^th overall, finishing with a time of 4:49:22.

Quinn and Hohulin (Watson) each won their age division in the Aquabike race, which consisted of a 1.2-mile swim and 56-mile bike. Quinn won the 50-55 Age Group with a time of 3:18:11, while Hohulin took with women’s 40-44 Age Group in 3:53:10.

All the Reapers in the 70.3 had a good day as Bryan Heppe, Jason Sturdyvin, and Celeste Kudrys had top-3 finishes, while Kevin Tuuk and Jill Dorbeck completed their first races at that division. Heppe finished 10^th overall and 2^nd  to Huber in 35-39 with a time of 4:53:45, while Sturdyvin was 2^nd in 30-34 at 5:23:54. Tuuk was an impressive 15^th overall in his first race at the distance, as he took 4^th in 40-44 at 5:08:55. On the women’s side, Kudrys was 3^rd in 35-39 at 5:53:15, while Dorbeck fought off a cold to come in at 7:43:40. Lisa Kiley rounded out the GRF 70.3 field with a 6:53:05 for 5^th in 50-54 as she prepares for her first Ironman coming up in October.

Back in the Aquabike, Kelly Ruiter was 5^th overall on the women’s side, which was good for 2^nd overall in 30-34 at 3:45:10. Bill Diggins finished 4^th in 40-44 in 3:47:36.

Three Reapers completed the QuarterMax (roughly the length of an Olympic with a 0.6-mile swim, 27-mile bike and 6.5-mile run). Tim Auth was 4^th in 45-49 at 2:48:41 and Buck Manley 10^th in 55-59 at 3:10:12, while Jessica Miner was 5^th in 35-39 at 3:15:36.

In the sprint (500-yard swim, 19-mile bike, 3.4 mile run), Erik Rankin posted GRF’s best time, coming in at 1:41:34 to place 7^th in 35-39, while David Cate had the best finish, taking 2^nd in Clydesdale at 1:53:23. Matt Cuttell was 7^th in 30-34 at 1:44:34; Wendy Smith 6^th in 40-44 at 1:55:17; Casey Haak 5^th in 20-24; and Pam Walden 6^th in 50-54 at 2:12:55.

Natalie McKee finished 2nd, while Jason Hebel and Stephanie Heppe all finished 3^rd in the duathlon (1-mile run, 19-mile bike, 3.1-mile run). McKee, 35-39 at 2:10:15; Hebel, 35-39 at 1:52:06; and Heppe, 40-44 at 2:16:11. Jeffrey McCarther was 6^th in 45-49 at 2:21:22.

The one Reaper who didn’t place can be excused. Carey Weaver, one of the club’s top sprinters, is recovering from a broken clavicle after a crash on the bike course.

Ironman & 140.6

In Madison, WI, Tony Kerr and Rhonda Heinz finished their first Ironman distances at Ironman Wisconsin. Kerr finished in 16:20:41, while Heinz was close behind at 16:27:36.

Meanwhile, Julie Sibley set a PR at Challenge Cedar Point, finishing the 140.6 distances in 15:44, a 21 minute personal best.