Kicking off summer
Christopher Douglas heard from his racing teammates that the Memphis in May triathlon was a race he had to experience.
So this weekend, the Atlanta native drove 5 hours to see it firsthand.
“They both had high words for it, so I figured I’d come and see what all the hubbub was about,” Douglas said.
Douglas, 27, won Sunday’s Olympic Triathlon at Edmund Orgill Park in 1 hour, 53 minutes and 47 seconds a day after he won the sprint triathlon – a good weekend for the 27-year-old but even better for testing himself in the elements as he and his team were used to training in cooler weather.
“It’s a good wake-up to summer heat,” Douglas said. “Yesterday was hot, and today I felt it was a little more shade, so it was a little better.”
Douglas was part of a trio of racers who came to Memphis looking for another challenge with the summer coming.
Knoxville native Jack McAfee, who ran the triathlon in 2008, returned 10 years later to measure himself against how he fared as a 24-year-old.
Jeff Fejfar of Olive Branch helped give Douglas the final push to come to the race. McAfee was second (1:56.03), and Fejfar was fourth (2:04.41).
McAfee didn’t notice much difference in a decade.
“I’m finding I’m almost as fast as I was 10 years ago, and I’m still trying to keep pace with my younger self. But the course is just as fast; its much hotter; and the barbecue is still good,” McAfee said.
Kirsten Sass was familiar with the course, with Sunday being her 18th time racing it. The McKenzie, Tenn., native and four-time USA Triathlon Overall Amateur Female Triathlete of the Year won in 2:10.23, only eight-hundredths of a second faster than Kate Vermann.
Sass’ second consecutive win and eighth overall MIM title came with mixed emotions. It was the first time racing in Memphis without her father, Dr. Volker Winkler. Winkler signed her
Evan Barnes
up for the race in 1999, setting off a racing journey the two enjoyed together.
She said she began thinking about her father as she ran the last mile alongside the lake. But when she finished and embraced her children, she remembered why she came back to Memphis and the community she and her father came to love.
“There’s a lot of people here that knew him and raced with him, so they came up and said some really nice things,” said Sass, who also won the sprint triathlon Saturday. “It’s such a supportive environment that it really helps me get through it.”
Young runners set impressive standard
The Memphis in May triathlon has provided flair and motivation, complete with Elvis impersonator Jeff Sass – Kirsten Sass’ husband – encouraging the racers during the transitions and at the finish line. Aydan Flint, 14, ran his first triathlon Saturday in the sprint race and won his age group in 1:09.08. The Kentucky native said he was motivated after seeing his father race and wanted to follow suit.
“It was challenging, but I was sure I could do it if my dad could do it,” Flint said.
Braxton Bokos, 13, of Oak Brook, Ill., has run the course since he was 9 years old. Each year he races with a fundraising goal in mind, and this year he ran to help raise funds for a 12-week swimming course for less fortunate kids.
Bokos finished in 2:13.47, an impressive time for a teenager and almost as impressive as knowing why coming to Memphis is worth it.
“I love this race because the venue is nice. You won’t see most venues with a lake like this,” Bokos said. “Plus I love the barbecue.”