No Country for Old Men A Test of Cycling Endurance

On Oct. 25, cyclists will roll out of Alpine as they take on one of the most grueling long distance bicycle races in the United States.

That event will be the 3rd annual No Country for Old Men race, organized by Del Rio’s Dex Tooke.

The race’s name comes from the Coen brothers film of the same name, which was based on the rugged and remote SW Texas desert area surrounding the Rio Grande River.

Race director Tooke is a Del Rio native who knows a thing or two about long-distance cycling and the West Texas area, having ridden thousands of miles on the area’s roads as he trained to compete in numerous long distance cycling races to include the 2010 and 2011 Race Across America (RAAM) events.

He came up a little short in the 2010 RAAM, learned from the experience, and successfully completed the 3,000-mile race in 2011 with a finishing time of 12 days and 19 hours.

Tooke chronicled his RAAM experiences in the book ‘Unfinished Business’ which is available in paperback, Nook, and E-book formats at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Author House, and other outlets.

No Country for Old Men (NCOM) will not be as grueling as the 3,000 mile Race Across America, but any one of the three race NCOM distances will be tough enough to challenge any long distance cyclist.

All three race courses will traverse remote West Texas roads that wind through the desert landscape and rugged mountains of far West Texas.

This part of the country personifies rough and remote. With the exception of a few towns, the cyclists will be pedaling through an area that’s harsh and unyielding with very few urban-area amenities such as quick stop stores, bike shops for repair parts, and — for almost 80 percent of the route — no cell phone service.

The shortest race will be the 208-mile Ed Tom Bell event, using a challenging course that takes racers through Ft. Davis, around the scenic MacDonald’s Observatory Loop, through Marfa and then back to the finish line in Alpine.

Cyclists who choose to test themselves on this ‘easy’ route will encounter almost 10,000 feet of vertical climbing while reaching altitudes over 6,000 feet.

Racers wanting even more of a challenge will take on the 383-mile Anton Chigurh race. This route includes most of the 208-mile course but adds riding to Marathon, past Hallie Stillwell’s Hall of Fame store, through the primitive black canyons and a stop at the old remote La Linda Bridge at the Mexico border.

This route has nearly 17,000 vertical feet of climbing spread across the 383 miles.

The truly serious No Country for Old Men competitors will take on the 1,000-mile Coen Brothers course that has 40,000 vertical feet of climbing. This route includes most of the 208- and 383-mile courses but adds Langtry, Del Rio, and other remote areas of far West Texas.

As cyclists pedal their way through the 1,000-mile non-stop ‘up close and personal’ tour of the rugged West Texas terrain they’ll have to overcome extreme fatigue, weather, saddle sores, mechanical malfunctions and nutrition/hydration issues.

The 1,000-mile race will be a qualifier for Race Across America (RAAM).

Although the cyclists must supply all of the ‘pedal power,’ they are required to have a follow vehicle and support crew. A one-person minimum crew is required for the 208-mile event, two people are recommended for the 383, and a crew of at least three is suggested for the long 1,000-mile race.

Some of the crews working the 1,000-mile race will be perfecting their support skills as they — along with their team’s cyclist — use the event as a multi-day training experience for Race Across America.

The long NCOM event lets the crews practice communications, drive the support vehicles, and perform all of the other tasks required to successfully support a cyclist during a multi-day ultra-distance event.

In addition to the solo categories for the three No Country for Old Men race distances, there will also be relay team categories (two person) for all three races. Relay teams doing the 1,000-mile route must have a support crew but — if so desired — the two-person teams doing the 208- and the 383-mile routes may opt to self-crew.

For more information on the No Country for Old Men cycling event, visit http://dextooke.wix.com/ultradex#!ncom-home/c1nbj.

Remember — in October, the roads of far West Texas will serve up a world-class challenge for long-distance cyclists who are tough enough to take on No Country for Old Men.


Upcoming Events

July 4: Christoval VFD 5K, roadlizards.org/events/christoval-vfd-5k/
July 12: Lake Nasworthy Triathlon, roadlizards.org
July 26: Goodfellow Triathlon, roadlizards.org
Aug. 10: San Angelo Olympic and sprint distance triathlon, SpringCreekPark

Bike Prices Discourage New Cyclists

Every spring I start hearing from people thinking about buying a bicycle who have 'sticker shock' based on the price of new and used bikes.

The cost of what’s perceived by some to be an ‘entry-level’ bicycle is one of the primary reasons many people choose to run or walk for exercise or recreation instead of cycling.

Although there are good low-cost bikes on the market, the cycling industry’s marketing gurus have done a great job of pushing the message that $800-$1,000 is actually a bargain for a decent-quality, entry-level road or mountain bike.

Move up to what many people in the industry consider to be a medium-range bike, and you’ll see price tags of $1,500-$3,000 or higher.

The marketing hype suggests that even if you just ride for recreation, you should be on an ultralight bike with trickle-down-from-pro-level components such as 10- or 11-speed integrated shifting and braking, front and rear suspension on mountain bikes and deep-section aero wheels.

Conversely, there are cycling troglodytes like myself who understand that, while professional racers may need featherweight bikes with twice as many gears as an over-the-road 18-wheeler, it is possible and even enjoyable to pedal down the road or trail on an affordable non-pro bicycle.

If you look closely at the bikes that I own (and ride a lot — and race), you’ll notice some ‘antique’ parts such as 9-speed shifters, a 20-year old square taper crank on my road bike and wheels that were less than $150 a pair when new.

Contrary to what the marketing says, there are many cyclists who manage to roll down the road just fine using older or moderately priced components.

One of my all-time favorite bikes has been a ‘Frankenbike” that I built up years ago using an old Mongoose mountain bike frame and castoff components from other bicycles.

It has a rigid steel fork purchased online for less than $50, antiquated 7-speed Shimano top-mount thumb shifters mounted on the tops of road handlebars, 26-inch mountain bike wheels sporting $15 semi-slick ‘city’ tires, and cantilever brakes that date back to when my (now adult) kids were in kindergarten.

This decidedly low-end bike has completed the week long 550-mile Ride the Rockies cycling tour through the Colorado mountains, won a state cyclocross championship in 2003 and has been loaned out countless times to new cyclists for group rides, duathlons and triathlons.

A beginner cyclist used this bike (minus the fenders and rear rack) to train for and complete Saturday’s Tour de Burma.

If you’re interested in cycling but don’t have a lot of disposable income, there are several options that can get you into the sport without having to cash in your retirement fund.

Start at your local bike shop by clearly articulating what your bike budget is and what type of riding you want to do. Chances are that most shops will be able to show you some lower-cost bicycles that will meet your needs.

You can also find used bike bargains on websites such as Craigslist, eBay or Texas Bicycle Buy/Sell/Trade page on Facebook. Be sure to enlist the help of a knowledgeable cycling friend if you decide to go this route.

If you are mechanically inclined, consider buying a used frame on one of these sites and then ‘building’ your own bike using new or used parts. Doing this will also ensure that you understand how the various bike parts work and — more importantly — you’ll learn the skills needed to do most of your own maintenance and repairs in the future.

The key point to remember is that enjoyable cycling depends more on having a dependable and properly fitted bike than having something that reflects what elite cyclists ride.

Remember — you can start pedaling without maxing out the credit card.


Upcoming Events

June 21: Stop, Drop and Roll, roadlizards.org
July 4: Christoval VFD 5K, roadlizards.org/events/christoval-vfd-5k/
July 12: Lake Nasworthy Triathlon, roadlizards.org
July 26: Goodfellow Triathlon, roadlizards.org
Aug. 10: San Angelo Olympic and sprint distance triathlon, SpringCreekPark

Oil Boom Makes Some San Angelo Cycling Routes More Dangerous

Back in February of 2013 I wrote a column about the potential impact the oil boom would have on area cycling (www.gosanangelo.com/news/2013/feb/01/oil-boom-not-such-a-good-thing-for-bicyclists/).

We’re now seeing that impact.

The economic upswing related to the petroleum industry is a good thing for our city, but — as predicted — the increased population growth and oil-related traffic have also made road cycling on some routes more dangerous.

Cyclists need to ride defensively at all times and be even more careful to choose routes and ride times that are, comparatively speaking, safe.

Some routes that should be avoided during the busy times of the week include U.S. Highway 67 south between San Angelo and Mertzon; U.S. Highway 277 between San Angelo and Christoval; and Knickerbocker southbound from Loop 306 to Lake Nasworthy.

If you do want to ride these stretches of road, reserve those routes for early mornings on the weekend.

Cyclists headed south from town might consider starting from the Mary E. Lee Park swim beach at Lake Nasworthy. From that location, you can ride south on Farm-to-Market Road 584 toward U.S. 277 or take Fisherman’s Road to Spring Creek Park, through the park to Spillway Road, and then Spillway back to FM 584.

Three of the most popular routes for San Angelo cyclists have traditionally been Knickerbocker Road from the equalization channel to the town of Knickerbocker; Arden Road (FM 853) headed west from town; and Burma Road between FM 853 and U.S. Highway 87.

The Knickerbocker Road route hasn’t experienced any significant increase in traffic volume, but it is a narrow two-lane road so cyclists should ride single file and keep to the right edge of the road.

Arden and Burma both have more truck traffic than in the past, but not enough to suggest a complete “ride ban” on these roads. Think about saving these two routes for early in the day on weekends, wear bright clothing for increased visibility and stay on the far right shoulder when riding.

There are some “roads less traveled” that area cyclists should also consider such as Jamison Road between U.S. 67 and Arden Road; Guinn Road just south of the town of Knickerbocker; and FM 2335 from the town of Knickerbocker to U.S. 77 and Susan Peak Road (FM 1223). On most days, you’ll see very few cars while riding these stretches.

Routes to the east and south of San Angelo are good bets for avoiding the increased traffic. These routes, all part of the Tuesday and Thursday “Loop Group” rides, include Fairview School Road, Mikulik Road, Robby Jones Road and Schwartz Road.

Loop 306 East from Pulliam Street to eastbound U.S. 87 is another route often overlooked by local cyclists. It has wide shoulders, a surprisingly low amount of traffic and can be easily linked up with rural roads that are east and southeast of town.

There are also some great in-town routes that avoid high-traffic areas and offer some nice scenery to boot. One of my favorite “townie” rides follows the river near downtown.

Start at Kid’s Kingdom, go upriver past Central High School past 14th Street, turn around and head back past Kid’s Kingdom to Irving Street through downtown on Concho Avenue, along the river on Rio Concho Drive to Bell Street, over the Bell Street bridge to South Concho Park Drive, over the Lone Wolf bridge, and back to Kid’s Kingdom via South Oakes, Avenue A and River Drive.

The take-home message is that the increased traffic in and around San Angelo means that we need to be more selective about which routes we ride and when we choose to ride them.

Remember — safe cycling may require taking the roads less traveled.


Upcoming Events

June 14: Tour de Burma, http://angelobike.org/tour-de-burma/
June 21: Stop, Drop and Roll, roadlizards.org
July 4: Christoval VFD 5K, roadlizards.org/events/christoval-vfd-5k/
July 12: Lake Nasworthy Triathlon, roadlizards.org
July 26: Goodfellow Triathlon, roadlizards.org
Aug. 10: San Angelo Olympic and sprint distance triathlon, Spring Creek Park

June is Run-Bike-Run Month

June is a big run-bike-run month for endurance athletes in the San Angelo area with three classic events on the schedule.

The action kicks off on June 7 with Run in the Sun, continues on June 14 with the Tour de Burma cycling event, and wraps up on June 21 with the Stop, Drop, and Roll 5-mile run at the East Concho Volunteer Fire Department.

Run in the Sun is a road running event that started 42 years ago, back in 1972. Over the years, it was 

held in various San Angelo locations before being moved to the present-day downtown San Angelo course that’s nationally certified to USA Track and Field standards.

It’s also one of the oldest 8K (4.97 miles) running events in the nation and has served as the Texas 8K championship race on multiple occasions.

Run in the Sun will again be the Road Runners Club of America 8K Texas state championship race for 2014.

State 8K champion titles will be awarded to the overall female/male, masters 40-plus female/male, grand masters 50-plus female/male, and senior grand masters 60-plus female/male. Runners will also be competing for first through third in age group and top military female/male.

The 8K run will start on Concho Avenue near Miss Hattie’s restaurant, head west to Irving Street, turn left on Irving and then immediately back to the right onto River Drive.

Runners will follow the winding River Drive past Kid’s Kingdom and the Santa Fe golf course, under Beauregard, past Central High, and on to the halfway (4K) mark before turning around and following the same route in reverse back to the finish line on Concho Avenue.

Visit www.roadlizards.org/events/run-sun for full Run in the Sun information and online registration.

On Saturday, June 14, the action shifts to cycling with riders taking on their choice of 40K, 60K or a 100K bicycle tour distances during the annual Tour de Burma.

Although this year’s Tour de Burma is a cycling tour (not a race), it traces its history back to a 2003 event called the Concho Valley Road Race which took place over parts of the same general course.

The Tour de Burma race continued as a combination race and tour through 2008, attracting cyclists and race teams from all over West and Central Texas. The event was changed to a tour-only in 2009 and has remained a noncompetitive ride since then.

This year’s Tour de Burma will begin at 8 a.m. with riders starting from the Family Power Sports location at 4160 Houston Harte Expressway.

Cyclists can choose from three bike tour routes, ranging from an easy 40-kilometer (24 mile) distance, an intermediate distance 60K (37 mile), or a challenging 100-kilometer (62-mile) course.

The 60K route for the tour will be the classic Burma Road ride that goes out Arden Road, out and back over the Burma Road hills, and then returns to town via Arden Road.

Cyclists doing the longer 100K distance will follow Arden Road to Burma, do an out and back over the Burma hills, then continue west on Arden Road to a turnaround point past the Middle Concho River before reversing course to follow Arden Road back to the start/finish location.

The long 100K course will be challenging, with cyclists facing both the hills on Burma Road and the hills near the Middle Concho River on Arden Road.

Full information on Tour de Burma, including course maps and registration information, is posted at http://angelobike.org/tour-de-burma.

Running will take the spotlight again on June 21 as regional athletes gather at the East Concho

Volunteer Fire Department located at 777 Abernathy Road near FM 388 for the annual Stop, Drop, and Roll 5-mile and 1-mile races.

This event serves a great cause with all proceeds benefiting the East Concho VFD.

The Stop, Drop, and Roll Run has become a favorite family event over the years with many returning participants. Sparky the Fire Dog will be the official race starter, the course will run on low-traffic roads though Riverwood Estates Subdivision east of San Angelo, and will finish back at the fire department building with a complimentary Fire Fighters Cool Down from firetrucks.

Go to www.roadlizards.org/events/stop-drop-roll to view detailed Stop, Drop, and Roll information and to sign up.

Remember — June will be a busy month as you Run in the Sun, bike the Burma hills, and Stop, Drop, and Roll for a good cause.


Upcoming Events
 June 5: Road bike time trial series, angelobike.org

June 7: Run in the Sun 8K, roadlizards.org
June 14: Tour de Burma, http://angelobike.org/tour-de-burma/
June 21: Stop, Drop, and Roll, roadlizards.org
July 4: Christoval VFD 5K, roadlizards.org/events/christoval-vfd-5k/
July 12: Lake Nasworthy Triathlon, roadlizards.org
July 26: Goodfellow Triathlon, roadlizards.org
Aug. 10: Olympic and sprint distance triathlon, Spring Creek Park

Cool Fitness Getaway in Ruidoso

 Is the unseasonably warm and dry weather this spring already giving you the hot weather blues?

No problem — just load up the bike, running shoes and hiking gear, and drive six or so hours northwest to the cool and scenic mountain village of Ruidoso, New Mexico.

That’s what we did this past week and as always it was well worth the drive.

Ruidoso has some great routes for road cycling, mountain biking, and hiking or trail running. The problem for visitors is knowing where the good places are to ride, run and hike.

Having been there on multiple occasions, I was familiar with many locations but still have a bucket list of new routes to explore.

Here are some suggestions if you decide to do your own cool fitness getaway to the Ruidoso area this summer.

Mountain bikers, trail runners and hikers have two in-town options that are perfect for acclimating to the 6,900-foot elevation in Ruidoso. One of these is the Cedar Creek area, located on Cedar Creek Road just past the Forest Service office on Mechem Drive (Highway 48).

On Day 1 of the Ruidoso getaway, I explored a Cedar Creek area that was new to me but very popular with local residents for mountain biking, trail running and hiking. This area is a network of trails collectively known as the Cedar Creek-Spaghetti Bowl (http://geobetty.com/rides/el-paso-tx/34/cedar-creek-sightsee).

There are trails on both sides of Cedar Creek Road that range from beginner level (except for the altitude) to intermediate with a few steep and rocky sections. I rode many of the trails and adjoining forest service roads on a cyclocross bike with 700x35 tires. It would have been easier and probably more fun on a mountain bike.

I also did a trail run in that same area later in the week and thoroughly enjoyed the rolling trail that gradually climbed through the pine trees and then descended back down to the parking area.

The second trail area that I would recommend for mountain bikers and trail runners is Grindstone Lake, located in the south part of Ruidoso off Resort Drive. I’ve biked and ran on this trail during previous visits and would rate it as being intermediate in difficulty.

Grindstone is a beautiful six-mile loop that starts and finishes at the lake, with the trail gradually climbing as it winds through pine forest before descending back down to the lake. Local mountain bikers meet at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesdays during the summer for a group ride on the trail.

Visit discoverruidoso.com/Grindstone-Lake-Trail for a map and details on Grindstone. Competitive trail runners might want to visit Ruidoso on July 24 this year for the Grindstone Trail Run (http://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=27840).

There are many other mountain bike and trail run options in the Ruidoso area such as the gently rolling Bonito Lake Road a few miles north of town. Go to ruidoso.net/visitors/outdoors/biking.html and http://geobetty.com/ruidoso-nm/mountain-bike-trails to access information on this and other routes.

Road cyclists have multiple options for rides in the Ruidoso area, ranging from rolling low-traffic roads such as Highway 220 from Alto to Fort Stanton and back or more difficult loops such as the Ruidoso-Capitan-Fort Stanton-Ruidoso loop that begins on Highway 48.

Although the ride north on 48 from Ruidoso is beautiful, be forewarned that these roads tilt up more than we’re used to in West Texas. You’ll encounter some 1-2 mile long climbs headed north from town that have grades of 6-7 percent, so it’s advisable to have your bike set up with lower gears to make the climbing easier.

When visiting Ruidoso and other mountainous locations, I typically use a bike that has a 50/34 front chain ring combination and a 12/32 rear cassette. A bike with a triple front chain ring would also work great since the combination of higher altitude and steeper roads makes climbing significantly more difficult.

On Day 2 of the Ruidoso fitness getaway, I did an out-and-back road ride that started in town, headed north on Highway 48 to Alto, and then turned west to head up Ski Run Road (Highway 532).

This challenging route is about 30 miles long and includes a 1.5-mile long category 5 climb headed north to Alto (which you’ll have to go up again coming back south into town) plus an 8-mile category 1 climb on Ski Run road. You’ll be climbing most of the way headed toward the ski area gaining over 3,000 feet of elevation as you grind your way up grades of 5-7 percent to a little over 10,000 feet above sea level at the turnaround point.

Unfortunately, I did not make it to the top on this visit due to strong winds on the upper part of the climb that made cycling next to steep drop-offs more dangerous than I wanted to risk.

There are many more rides and runs on my list waiting to be conquered during future visits such as the dirt road route up to Monjeau Lookout (http://geobetty.com/rides/el-paso-tx/95/monjeau-lookout-climb). That ride will be on the top of my list for the next Ruidoso visit.

Remember — Ruidoso is a great destination for a cool summer fitness getaway.

Upcoming Events

June 5: Road bike time trial series, angelobike.org

June 7: Run in the Sun 8K, roadlizards.org
June 14: Tour de Burma, http://angelobike.org/tour-de-burma/
June 21: Stop, Drop and Roll, roadlizards.org
July 12: Lake Nasworthy Triathlon, roadlizards.org
July 26: Goodfellow Triathlon, roadlizards.org
Aug. 10: Olympic and sprint distance triathlon, Spring Creek Park

Get Ready For Triathlon Season

If you’re thinking about doing one or more of the three triathlons this summer here in San Angelo, start training now.

The first summer triathlon is only eight weeks away.

The local multisport events scheduled for this summer are the Lake Nasworthy sprint triathlon on July 12, the Goodfellow Triathlon on July 26 and the Wool Capitol triathlon on Aug. 10.

All of these events take place at different locations on Lake Nasworthy. Although the lake’s water level is low, the events are still on track to take place as scheduled.

The race directors for the July 12 and Aug. 10 events have already noted that if the water level drops too low to allow for a safe swim and back-to-the-beach transition, their event will change to a run-bike-run duathlon instead of a swim-bike-run triathlon.

Hopefully there will be enough water to swim in.

The Lake Nasworthy sprint triathlon on July 12 will be perfect for beginners and casual triathletes with its short 300-yard swim, 10-mile bike and two-mile run. For more experienced triathletes, the short distances will provide a great speed workout to complement their training for longer events.

Race distances increase a little for the July 26 Goodfellow Triathlon, but the event is still short enough to be very doable for new triathletes. It will consist of a 400-meter swim at the Goodfellow Recreation Camp’s marina, a 20-kilometer (12.4 mile) bike leg, and a 5K (3.1-mile run).

The final San Angelo triathlon of the season will be the Wool Capitol event on Aug. 10. This race has traditionally been held in Middle Concho Park but may be moved to Spring Creek Park this year due to low water in the Middle Concho channel and concerns about traffic on Red Bluff Road.

There will be two distances for the 2014 Wool Capitol triathlon. The Olympic distance race will include a 1,500-meter swim, 40K (24.8 mile) bike, and a 10K (6.2 mile) run, with the shorter sprint distance race being a 400-meter swim, 20K bike, and two-mile run.

All three of these triathlons have both individual and team categories, so you have the option of teaming up with friends to race in the team category.

A typical weekly training program for a triathlon includes swimming, cycling and running workouts along with stretching, strength training and transition practice.

Individuals such as cyclists and runners who are normally single-sport athletes will need to adjust their weekly training plan to add workouts in the other two disciplines.

The swim leg of a triathlon is the most difficult for many people. Although most swim workouts can be done in a pool, it’s a good idea to do some open water swims in the lake so that you are comfortable with deep water, no swim lanes and no pool walls to grab if you need to rest.

The swim beach at Lake Nasworthy (Mary E Lee Park) is a good place to do these open water swims, and also an ideal location to do ‘brick’ workouts and swim-bike-run triathlon simulations.

Brick workouts normally consist of a bike ride followed by a run. This workout helps you prepare for the final run leg of a triathlon which follows the bike leg.

Trying to run fast on legs that are already tired from cycling is difficult, so doing a brick workout once or twice each week during your triathlon training will help prepare your body for the bike-to-run transition.

You might want to also prepare for the possibility that one or more of these triathlons could become a run-bike-run duathlon. A good strategy is to do a few ‘reverse bricks’ during your training where you start with a running workout and then transition to a fast bike ride.

If you’re thinking about doing your first triathlon and are not sure about what workouts to start doing, go to www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=28 to view some typical training programs.

Remember — triathlon season is approaching and it’s time to start training.

Upcoming Events
June 5: Road bike time trial series, angelobike.org
June 7: Run in the Sun 8K, roadlizards.org
June 14: Tour de Burma, http://angelobike.org/tour-de-burma/
June 21: Stop, Drop and Roll, roadlizards.org
July 12: Lake Nasworthy Triathlon, roadlizards.org
July 26: Goodfellow Triathlon, roadlizards.org
Aug. 10: Olympic and sprint distance triathlon, Spring Creek Park

Local Athletes Do Well

San Angelo is home to a growing number of good endurance athletes who don’t always get community-wide recognition for their accomplishments, so this week’s column will spotlight some of those individuals and what they have done thus far in 2014.

Give them a big round of applause (and maybe an energy bar or two) the next time you see them out training for an upcoming event.

Triathlon
Local triathlete Sebastian Haynes, a 2013 Ironman World Championship qualifier who is also a very good distance runner, recently posted age group wins at both the Galveston and Marble Falls 70.3 (half Ironman) events.

His first-place finish at Galveston in a time of 4 hours, 25 minutes earned him a trip to the 70.3 World Championships in Canada later this year, and he also placed first in his age group and second overall in the Marble Falls race with a time of 4:26.

 Haynes has steadily improved since racing his first triathlons in 2009 and we will continue to see even better results from this 23-year-old athlete.

Mason Vaughn (Eldorado), Cory Sanders, and Nick Boyter have also turned in some good triathlon results. Vaughn finished the Galveston 70.3 event with a time of 5: 55, and Sanders raced the Marble Falls 70.3, finishing in 5:54. Boyter raced the Olympic distance event in Marble Falls, completing the 1500-meter swim, 40K bike, and 10K run in 2:37 to place 21st overall among 140 competitors.

Distance Running
Runners from the San Angelo area have posted some impressive results in long distance events ranging from the half-marathon (13.1 mile) distance up to ultra trail runs that cover 100 kilometers (62 miles).

 At the half marathon distance, Sebastian Haynes clocked a time of 1:18 to finish fourth in his age group in Austin’s 3M event, and Myrna Lackey did a great job of representing Team RWB in the Abilene Kirk Goodwin Run half marathon with a third-place age group finish in that event.

Team RWB was also well represented in the Army Half Marathon with San Angelo RWB team captain Tim Masshardt running a solid 1:42 race to take fourth in his age group and Sam Spooner clocking a 2-hour time to garner 16th in his category.

Several local runners completed 26.2 mile marathons recently, including Mertzon’s Brian Tillman who ran a 3:15 in the Army Marathon despite the 25-degree wind chill. His time was good enough to place him 10th overall, first in the 40-44 age group, and possibly qualify him for next year’s Boston Marathon. Sebastian Haynes, who qualified for and ran last year’s Boston event, finished the highly competitive Austin Marathon in 2:51 to place 24th overall and fourth in his age group.

Other recent marathon finishers from San Angelo include former ASU athletes Becca Simmons and Trista Box who ran the Big D marathon. Simmons finished the 26.2-mile race in 3:58 with training partner Box turning in a time of 4:08.

Long distance runners from this area have also completed multiple long distance ‘Ultra” runs (typically 50 kilometers and longer). Dean Martin, Mark Huteson, Kent Fish, and Janis Jenkins all finished the Bandera 100K run (62 miles), with their finishing times being 13:50 for Martin, 17:19 for both Fish and Huteson, and 17:29 for Jenkins.

In the Bandera 50K (31 miles), local finishers included Garret Baker (6:08), Mike Buck (7:50), and Cliff DeLaCerda (8:57). Martin, Huteson, Fish, and Buck have completed this year’s Rocky 50, Nueces, and Hell’s Hill 50 mile or 50K trail running events with Martin also adding the Brazos Bend 50-mile run to his list of 2014 accomplishments.

Cycling
Two ‘mature’ cyclists from San Angelo continue to dominate the local time trial events and have also done well in state-wide races. In mountain biking, 57-year-old Tony Studivant continues to dominate the off-road time trial series just as he has done for the past several years.

Studivant posted a very fast time of 22:46 on the rough six mile mountain bike course during race one of the six-event series, and is also currently ranked fourth overall in the 50-59 Category 1 (expert) division of the Texas XC Mountain Bike Championship series.

On the road bike side, 51-year-old Shannon MD Jim Slauson posted the fastest time of the year thus far during the road bike time trial series by completing the 12-mile Susan Peak TT course in a time of 31:02 (23.2 miles/hour average speed). Slauson also recently finished second overall in his category in the three-stage Fort Davis Hammerfest event, which is arguably the most difficult state race in Texas.

The ladies are also turning in some good bike performances. Shannon nurse and Team RWB member Dara Jones has posted the fastest time so far this year in the road TT event finishing the very windy race in a time of 38:39.

Summer Bewick, who races for the San Angelo High School Mountain Bike team, currently holds the lead in the women’s division of the mountain bike time trial series with a time of 29:26. Bewick was the 2103 JV champion in the Texas High School Mountain Bike series and recently placed 4th in the varsity girls division during the 2014 high school series.

Remember - San Angelo is home to some very good endurance athletes.

Upcoming Events

May 15: Mountain bike time trial series, angelobike.org
May 16: Relay for Life, relayforlife.org
May 16: Relay for Life 5K, roadlizards.org
June 5: Road bike time trial series, angelobike.org
June 7: Run in the Sun 8K, roadlizards.org
June 14: Tour de Burma, http://angelobike.org/tour-de-burma/
June 21: Stop, Drop and Roll, roadlizards.org