Survival of the Shawangunks Triathlon 2017

As per the usual a foggy start greeted athletes preparing to ride the first leg of the eight stages in the Survival of the Shawangunks Triathlon.
This summer's cool temps and frequent rain held true on SOS day, the air temperature at the 7 am start were in the low 60's making for a comfortable, 30-mile ride.

The Bike

"I put SOS on my “To Do” list when I was in high school. I remember listening to my high coach talk about his own experiences doing SOS, and I was intrigued by the challenge. I grew up running on the Mohonk Preserve trails," Stephanie Nephew said about her first SOS.

Transition 1

Transition I in the Awosting parking lot, more wetsuits than usual were laid out. This summer's cool temps and frequent rain held water temperatures in the low 60's.

My high school coach was at the bike transition to cheer me on. I hadn't seen him in years. During transition, I was still perplexed about whether or not I should wear a wetsuit, so I asked him what to do. Like no time had passed and without hesitation, he went into coach mode and gave me a game plan. I left for the run to Awosting with confidence, and it set the stage for the entire race.

"I ran and x-country skied in high school, worked at Mohonk in the activities department during the summers of my college years, and have spent many vacations since enjoying the trails with my husband and sons while visiting family. With my husband being a trail runner, it has been fun to share all my local favorite runs with him. "

Tell Your Story

Awosting Swim

I decided not to wear a wetsuit. Although it definitely was the right decision for me, I would have to say the Awosting swim was really hard. The water was “take your breath away” cold. It was also rough, so I had a hard time getting into a rhythm. The lake seemed to go on forever. During the SOS bootcamp, Alex Sherwood suggested we take “Shawangunk moments” during the race (time to just take in the beauty of the land). Although I probably took in more Shawangunk moments than most, I didn’t during the Awosting swim...maybe that will happen next year.

Age Group Results

MALE 25 - 29
O'All Name-1 Age Div Tottime Town St
6 Grant Lastovica 29 M2529 5:02:53 HOUSTON TX
8 Miles Bloom 27 M2529 5:14:47 HOUSTON TX
MALE 30 - 34
16 Richard Mosback 31 M3034 5:27:36 SAYVILLE NY
33 Ray Josephs 32 M3034 5:42:32 TENAFLY NJ
62 Henry Rooney 34 M3034 6:08:33 NEW YORK NY
MALE 35 - 39
1 Bucky Schafer 36 M3539 4:31:39 BROOKLYN NY
28 Michael Vance 37 M3539 5:36:28 GARDINER NY
32 Jeremiah McGuire 39 M3539 5:39:43 NEW YORK NY
52 Jonathan Schippers 37 M3539 6:02:10 BROOKLYN NY
56 Austin Amoroso 35 M3539 6:04:57 SONOMA CA
99 Steven Smith 36 M3539 6:47:22 RENSSELAER NY
116 Kevin McCabe 37 M3539 7:00:54 DURHAM NC
120 Steve Leathers 36 M3539 7:09:58 NEW YORK NY
134 Tim Coker 39 M3539 7:32:09 NASHUA NH
MALE 40 - 44
Andrew Solomon 44 M4044 5:16:16 SHORT HILLS NJ
10 Peter Skutnik 42 M4044 5:16:57 MIDLAND PARK NJ
17 Kevin McKale 44 M4044 5:29:48 FEASTERVILLE PA
22 Kenneth Abell 44 M4044 5:34:21 PORT WASHINGTON NY
27 Wyatt Pileggi 41 M4044 5:36:25 HIGH FALLS NY
31 Michael Lewis 44 M4044 5:39:01 PORT WASHINGTON NY
40 Joseph Sottile 42 M4044 5:49:52 PORT WASHINGTON NY
44 Jeff Weiss 42 M4044 5:54:58 NEW PALTZ NY
45 Anthony Brown 43 M4044 5:55:27 NEW YORK NY
50 Kevin Malone 41 M4044 6:00:50 DAVIDSONVILLE MD
57 Kenneth Faltischek 43 M4044 6:05:14 PORT WASHINGTON NY
59 Matthew Davenport 40 M4044 6:06:00 CONCORD MA
63 Andrew Binnie 43 M4044 6:11:19 RHINEBECK NY
76 Andrew Schwartz 42 M4044 6:22:07 PORT WASHINGTON NY
127 Sean Chick 41 M4044 7:22:00 YONKERS NY
138 Marc Caudron 43 M4044 7:40:01 MASTIC BEACH NY
MALE 45 - 49
2 Philip Vondra 49 M4549 4:39:15 NEW PALTZ NY
3 Stefan Judex 49 M4549 4:44:47 PORT JEFFERSON NY
4 Keith Strudler 46 M4549 4:55:55 BEACON NY
11 Don Griffin 49 M4549 5:17:00 BELMAR NJ 13 Doug Levens
47 M4549 5:24:31 CHESHIRE CT 20 Bill Shashaty
48 M4549 5:33:10 STONE RIDGE NY 21 Scott Costley
49 M4549 5:34:17 ROSENDALE NY 26 Joseph Valerio
46 M4549 5:36:20 EAST NORTHPORT NY
35 Patrick Engel 48 M4549 5:45:58 CHARLOTTE NC
36 Anthony Accardo 48 M4549 5:46:02 WASHINGTON CROSS PA
38 Joshua Arvidson 46 M4549 5:49:23 FAYETTEVILLE NY
47 Danny Weiss 45 M4549 5:59:22 PORT WASHINGTON NY
49 Reid McLaughlin 48 M4549 6:00:17 ANNAPOLIS MD
64 Eric Scheffler 48 M4549 6:11:28 SCARSDALE NY
68 Glenn Lapolt 48 M4549 6:16:32 NEW PALTZ NY
75 James Whittel 48 M4549 6:20:30 NEW HAMPTON NY
81 Kenneth Hill 49 M4549 6:23:55 NEW YORK NY
87 Kevin Casey 48 M4549 6:29:05 CHARLOTTE NC
91 Jonathan Chaplin 45 M4549 6:31:41 NEW YORK NY
95 Adam Zoia 47 M4549 6:38:23 NEW YORK NY
106 Champ Kreger 47 M4549 6:53:38 CENTRE HALL PA
107 Dennis Ebbing 49 M4549 6:54:48 SAUGERTIES NY
117 Sun Sachs 46 M4549 7:01:00 NEW PALTZ NY
118 Tom McPherson 49 M4549 7:02:43 NEW PALTZ NY
135 Robert Daiello 45 M4549 7:32:40 WOODSTOCK NY
141 David Dammer 48 M4549 7:45:37 QUAKERTOWN PA
145 Steven Tomasini 47 M4549 7:57:46 MANORVILLE
NY MALE 50 - 54
5 Michael Halstead 51 M5054 5:01:16 STONE RIDGE NY
12 Arthur Boyko 51 M5054 5:20:47 POUGHKEEPSIE NY
15 John McFarland 53 M5054 5:25:51 NEWTOWN CT
18 Doug Thompson 51 M5054 5:31:10 NEW PALTZ NY
24 Mark Wilson 50 M5054 5:35:57 RANDOLPH NY
29 Kevin Lanahan 50 M5054 5:38:39 CLIFTON PARK NY
34 Michael Bakker 51 M5054 5:44:06 NEW PALTZ NY 37
Jay Bainbridge 54 M5054 5:49:02 BROOKLYN NY
46 Dennis White 50 M5054 5:58:07 FT LAUDERDALE FL
51 Jim Demis 53 M5054 6:00:56 NEW PALTZ NY
69 Greg Schmalz 52 M5054 6:16:36 NEW PALTZ NY 79
Chris Neuman 51 M5054 6:23:19 WAXHAW NC
86 John Cahill 54 M5054 6:28:11 KERHONKSON NY
122 James Standefer 53 M5054 7:14:11 TIVOLI NY
137 David Pokela 53 M5054 7:37:19 GREENSBORO NC
146 Hector Picard 51 M5054 8:09:50 FORT LAUDERDALE FL
MALE 55 - 59
7 Bruce Pickering 57 M5559 5:06:34 CARMEL IN
25 Philip Rybecky 59 M5559 5:36:14 PORT WASHINGTON NY
30 Ross Galitsky 56 M5559 5:38:44 NEW YORK NY
55 Ray Campeau 56 M5559 6:03:40 BEDMINSTER TOWNS NJ
88 Ray Desmarais 59 M5559 6:29:46 BARRINGTON NH
94 David Fernekes 59 M5559 6:37:08 POIGHKEEPSIE NY
123 Chris Cummins 58 M5559 7:19:01 YARDLEY PA
130 Jim Bacon 56 M5559 7:26:33 NEW PALTZ NY
133 John Lieber 56 M5559 7:30:56 BROOKLYN NY
MALE 60 - 64
80 Steve Zambito 64 M6064 6:23:29 SOUTH SALEM NY
84 Shane Eversfield 60 M6064 6:26:54 ITHACA NY
90 William Mondelli 60 M6064 6:30:49 EAST NORTHPORT NY
112 Kevin Smith 61 M6064 6:57:55 SMITHTOWN NY
113 Brian Grimm 60 M6064 6:58:08 MANALAPAN NJ
119 Martin Stanton 60 M6064 7:08:52 BOULDER CO
140 Pete Pronold 63 M6064 7:41:28 OKAUCHEE WI
143 Daniel Trimbach 62 M6064 7:51:24 NEW YORK
NY MALE 65 - 69
104 Steven Pressman 67 M6569 6:50:45 HIGH FALLS NY
115 Nelson Dunham 65 M6569 6:58:45 YARDLEY PA
MALE 70 -
131 Bill Pape 70 M70+ 7:28:08 COTTEKILL NY 32nd
FEMALE 30 - 34
70 Jennifer Pan 34 F3034 6:17:10 YARDLEY PA
78 Julie McLoughlin 34 F3034 6:22:40 NEW YORK NY
82 Lindsey Gordy 31 F3034 6:24:26 NEW YORK NY
92 Jill Loveland 32 F3034 6:34:49 LONG BEACH NY
108 Kristin Jackson 32 F3034 6:55:47 NEW YORK NY
109 Kaitlin Jackson 32 F3034 6:55:47 HIGHTSTOWN NJ
FEMALE 35 - 39
39 Karen Finnerty 35 F3539 5:49:36 MIDLAND PARK NJ
71 Elizabeth Greenwald 35 F3539 6:18:11 FORT LAUDERDALE FL
85 Tara Trout Acevedo 35 F3539 6:27:00 COLUMBIA MD
132 Melissa Thoen 38 F3539 7:30:39 NEW YORK NY
FEMALE 40 - 44
14 Juli Davenport 43 F4044 5:25:25 CONCORD MA
19 Sarah Knox 43 F4044 5:31:38 NEW YORK NY
23 Eri Spaulding 43 F4044 5:34:24 MANLIUS NY
42 Meghan Pagliuco 40 F4044 5:50:56 IVORYTON CT
53 Orla Bannan 44 F4044 6:02:26 AVON CO
54 Claudine Lamanna 40 F4044 6:03:22 RALEIGH NC
61 Ashley Peacock 41 F4044 6:07:30 LOUDONVILLE NY
67 Megan Horeis 44 F4044 6:15:56 PECKVILLE PA
72 Chelsea Palmer 43 F4044 6:19:31 NEW YORK NY
73 Wendy Habeski 41 F4044 6:19:43 FRAMINGHAM MA
74 Natasha Abel 44 F4044 6:20:27 YARDLEY PA
89Heidi Marcus 42 F4044 6:30:22 RIDGEFIELD CT
93 Stephanie Nephew 41 F4044 6:36:48 WESTBOROUGH MA
101 Megan Porter 43 F4044 6:48:17 SHREWSBURY NJ
111 Whitney Hill 41 F4044 6:57:54 KATONAH NY
114 Melissa Tesh 40 F4044 6:58:11 PLEASANT VALLEY NY
125 Beth Dindas 43 F4044 7:21:02 NEW YORK NY
144 Antoinette Rose 44 F4044 7:52:12 CLIFTON PARK NY
FEMALE 45 - 49
48 Shiloh Pileggi 46 F4549 6:00:02 NEW PALTZ NY
77 Barbara Christianson 48 F4549 6:22:29 FAIR LAWN NJ
96 Patty Lennox 47 F4549 6:38:48 BEDMINSTER NJ
97 Elizabeth Benjamin 45 F4549 6:41:22 RENSSELAER NY
105 Megan McCallion 46 F4549 6:53:09 DOYLESTOWN PA
128 Karen Miura 49 F4549 7:22:09 HOPEWELL JCT. NY
142 Lonnie Halusic 49 F4549 7:51:12 NISKAYUNA NY
FEMALE 50 - 54
41 Eve Campeau 51 F5054 5:49:55 BEDMINSTER TOWNS NJ
43 Deborah Battaglia 50 F5054 5:52:04 SALT LAKE CITY PA
58 Aubin Sullivan 50 F5054 6:05:49 NEW YORK NY
66 Irene Cobb 53 F5054 6:14:17 NICHOLSON PA
83 Kathryn Flodquist 51 F5054 6:24:36 TERRYVILLE CT
103 Alyson Llerandi 53 F5054 6:50:29 RIDGEWOOD NJ
110 Elise Bacon 52 F5054 6:55:51 NEW PALTZ NY
124 Shari Weston 53 F5054 7:19:15 NEW BRITAIN PA
126 Regina Schneider 53 F5054 7:21:12 DOYLESTOWN PA
136 Julie Geisler 54 F5054 7:33:55 NEW YORK NY
139 Monique Jankowski 51 F5054 7:40:20 MANSFIELD MA
FEMALE 55 - 59
60 Jan Dik 56 F5559 6:06:50 BOXFORD MA
65 Kelly Pickard 58 F5559 6:11:42 OYSTER BAY NY
98 Anne Johnson 56 F5559 6:43:08 GLENWOOD MD
102 Rosemary Lane 56 F5559 6:49:15 NEW YORK NY
121 Sandy Morrissey 58 F5559 7:14:10 BOULDER CO
129 Roni Selig 58 F5559 7:23:08 NEW YORK NY
FEMALE 65 - 69 100 Mary Denitto 69 F6569 6:48:05 RHINEBECK NY

I don’t really consider myself a triathlete. The only other triathlon I’ve done was the ½ Ironman to qualify for SOS. A couple years ago, I decided to tackle my SOS goal. I had never been on a road bike, and I couldn’t swim more than a lap or two without feeling like I was going to hyperventilate. I joined a triathlon club and completed a half iron qualifier last spring.
I participated in the SOS bootcamp in July (which was incredibly helpful), and also took advantage of family visits throughout the summer to get on the trails.

Castle Point and Lake Minnewaska

I have such fond memories on every section of trail. I used to do hill repeats on Cardiac Hill, Castle Point is one of my favorite trails to ski, Undercliff is a staple…(I’ve covering that stretch of trail hundreds of times), so getting to do all the trails together is just an awesome challenge.

Lake Mohonk and the Finish

In addition to a high school coach sighting, my best childhood friend came to cheer me on, a high school teammate was also in the race, I saw tons of familiar local faces volunteering, and my entire family ran the last .7 up to Skytop with me. It was a perfect example of the strong sense of community that makes me still feel so connected to a place that I haven't lived in for over 20 years.

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