PLATTSMOUTH - Many triathlon veterans have said it takes the strength of a bull to complete the three-sport race.
Taylor Foster of Omaha knows that better than many people.
Foster, 18, was one of 76 people who completed the second annual Plattsmouth Triathlon Saturday morning at Twin River Water Park. The Millard North graduate earned the bullfighting championship at the Korkow Ranch Rodeo School near Pierre, S.D., this spring and spent time dodging bulls at two professional rodeos in South Dakota earlier this summer.
But it was the prospect of swimming, biking and running around Plattsmouth that had him sweating a little Saturday.
"I'm kinda nervous as to how this is going to go," Foster said. "I've ridden my bike around a little but I'm going into this pretty much cold turkey. I know it'll be different than bullfighting, that's for sure."
Foster signed up for his first-ever triathlon on the advice of his uncle, Lincoln Murdoch, who has competed in Hawaii's Ironman Triathlon and other endurance events around the country. Foster saw Murdoch win the Papillion Mayor's Triathlon last month and knew then that he wanted to try his own multi-discipline race with his uncle in Cass County.
"I watched him do that and I was just speechless at what he could do," Foster said. "I'm just trying to follow in his footsteps, I guess."
Plattsmouth teen Amanda Farrow shared Foster's pre-race jitters before beginning her own race. Farrow, 15, is on Plattsmouth's cross country and swimming teams but said she didn't know what to expect in her first triathlon.
"I'm pretty nervous," Farrow said. "I'm hoping I just live through it and get it done."
More experienced triathletes like Heather Cramer of Omaha had different concerns entering the race. Cramer, who completed the Hy-Vee Triathlon in Des Moines in June, said she was eager to run in cooler temperatures than the 100-degree-heat-index weather competitors endured in the 2007 Plattsmouth event.
"Last year's race was really hot and humid, so I'm hoping for some cooler weather this year," Cramer said. "I thought it was a well-put-together race last year, so I'm eager to see how I can do."
Cramer and other triathletes began their races with a 500-yard swim in Twin River Water Park and then biked 15 miles around the southwest part of the city. The competitors finished the race with a three-mile run to downtown Plattsmouth that featured many of the steepest hills in town.
Bellevue resident Mandy Woodard said that layout helped make the Plattsmouth event one of the toughest races she has completed in her triathlon career.
"I always knew Plattsmouth was hilly, but it's really hilly when you're running it," Woodard, 26, said. "I've done six triathlons this summer and this was without a doubt the most challenging run I've had so far."
Woodard said she was able to finish the triathlon in 1 hour, 38 minutes, 31 seconds because of the encouragement she received from local residents who watched the runners pass by their houses along Main Street.
"It's great when you see the community get out and get involved in something like this," said Woodard, who finished third in the ages 25-29 division. "It helps to see people cheering for you along the streets when you're running."
Foster, Farrow and Cramer also finished in the top three in each of their respective age groups. Foster won the men's ages 15-19 division in 1:26:09.44, Farrow won the women's ages 15-19 title in 1:31:25.98 and Cramer was third in the women's ages 30-34 group in 1:26:51.00.
Foster saw Murdoch earn third-place honors with a time of 1:05:31.92. Craig Desmet won the overall championship in 1:02:12.53 and Jim Kueffner was second in 1:04:18.92.
While uncle and nephew enjoyed their time together in the Plattsmouth race, Foster said he didn't expect Murdoch to join him in the rodeo ring anytime soon.
"I've tried to get him in front of the bulls but he's not too up for that," Foster said. "It doesn't look like trading places is in the cards right now."
2008 Plattsmouth Triathlon Results
Males
Age 15-19
Taylor Foster, 1:26:09.44; Luke Theimer, 1:32:37.44; Justin Strahan, 1:36:06.49; Billy Zimmer, 1:37:38.53; Caleb Theimer, 1:37:49.44
Ages 20-24
Greg McKnight, 1:28:15.92; Ben Theimer, 1:28:53.44; Kyle McGinn, 1:31:09.53
Ages 25-29
Kyle Godhout, 1:14:49.92; Brett Brown, 1:17:49.53; Kevin Kavan, 1:27:50.49; Douglas McKnight, 1:39:33.44; Bryan Black, 1:50:08.44
Ages 30-34
Craig Desmet, 1:02:12.53; Cody Wienk, 1:15:35.49; Chris Blair, 1:22:59.49; Ben Matiyiou, 1:24:46.49; Matt Puumala, 1:29:56.49
Ages 35-39
Robert King, 1:27:23.53; Greg Skoulaut, 1:21:08.49; Steve and Thaddeus Barr, 1:53:39.33; Russ Hamer, 1:55:00.44
Ages 40-44
Todd Nott, 1:07:06.92; Michael Davis, 1:14:47.49; Tom Stubby, 1:16:30.49; Doug Kenyan, 1:28:20.49; Michael Dixon, 1:38:37.44
Ages 45-49
Jim Kueffner, 1:04:18.92; Kelly Perry, 1:12:57.92; John Leahy, 1:35:40.44; Brooks Rump, 1:36:58.53
Ages 50-59
Lincoln Murdoch, 1:05:31.92; David Malone, 1:25:37.53; Kevin Kenney, 1:26:17.53; Jim McGinn, 1:27:14.53; Paul Kruger, 1:27:46.49; Dan Ackerman, 1:28:02.92; Mark Aikin, 1:42:22.44; Roger Theimer, 1:48:03.44; David Cambell, 1:59:13.44
Females
Ages 15-19
Amanda Farrow, 1:31:25.98
Ages 25-29
Shannon Nealon, 1:19:26.98; Danielle VanNorman, 1:33:55.98; Miranda Woodard, 1:38:31.00; Jessica Wehrli, 1:56:41.98
Ages 30-34
Liz Wiersdorf, 1:14:49.98; Tami Ehzastiga, 1:21:42.98; Heather Cramer, 1:26:51.00; Brooke Perkes, 1:27:53.98; Maria Engen, 1:37:31.00; Susan Puumala, 1:38:50.00
Ages 35-39
Julie Daffer, 1:16:16.98; Sandi Bikus, 1:24:38.00; Tammi Bosilejevec, 1:27:26.00; Cristina Toth, 1:33:03.00; Tricia Sawyer, 2:04:22.00; Jennifer Williams, 2:04:22.00
Ages 40-44
Michelle Bandur, 1:29:32.00
Ages 45-49
Christyn Stumps, 1:36:32.00; Joyce Butlet, 1:48:19.00
Teams
Team Beckman, 1:11:06.33; Team Angry, 1:11:51.33; Team Killer B's 1:18:50.33; Team Asylum, 1:31:54.33; Team Hamer, 1:49:10.33
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