CHATTANOOGA, TN – Four Reapers capped the triathlon season by completing the Ironman Chattanooga race here Sunday.
Bryan Heppe and Jason Huber led the way, posting blazing bike legs, to finish at 9:55:35 and 10:12:56, respectively. Those times were good for 34th and 43rd in the 40-44 age group. Kevin Tuuk and Rick Vincent finished at 10:51:54 and 11:22:06. Tuuk was 62nd in 45-49, while Vincent was 100th in 40-44.
The swim portion of the race was cancelled due to high water levels in the Tennessee River in an area that has experienced flood conditions leading up to the race. Racers took off in a time trial start fashion on the 116-mile cycling leg (compared to the normal 112-mile Ironman distance) and then ran the 26-mile marathon.
Heppe and Huber finished the cycling portion just 66 seconds apart in 5:06:20 (22.7 mph average) and 5:07:25 (22.6 mph). Heppe took off on his marathon at 8:14 and 8:34 the first two miles, but the hilly course and rising temperatures in the afternoon caught up to most competitors. Heppe finished at 4:44:44 on the run and Huber at 5:01:48, both alternating running and walking over the final miles of the race.
Tuuk posted the best run time of the group completing the marathon in 4:23:41 to follow his 6:14:51 on the bike. Vincent biked at 6:03:18 and ran at 5:12:15.
Tri the Illini
Lisa Kiley’s team placed 3rd in the relay portion at Tri the Illini Monday, while Louis Green and Bree Nord teamed for a 4th-place finish.
Kiley completed the bike leg in 49:24 for her team, which finished with an overall time of 1:22:56.
Nord did the swim in 9:26 (300 meters) and the bike in 50:44 (14.5 miles), while Green capped it with a 21:21 run (5K) and an overall time of 1:23:57.
