From the Florida Today newspaper..
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20090531/BREAKINGNEWS/90531019/1086/Branigan++Reback+win+Pineapple+titles
Edward Stephen Branigan IV didn’t exactly get caught up in the moment when his mother crossed the finish line to win the women’s portion of the 24th annual Pineapple Man Triathlon Sunday. He was still asleep in his stroller.
But that’s OK. Lotte Branigan will have plenty of time to tell her four-month old son that looking into his sweet little face was the best reward she could ask for after winning the event for the ninth time with a time of 1:11.33.
“One of the guys cheering for me said, ‘You should be home with your son,’” the 35-year-old from Vero Beach grinned. “I said, He’s waiting for me at the finish (line).
“That was my biggest motivation. To get back to him.”
Sunday also marked a return for John Reback — to the winner’s circle. The 39-year-old from Jupiter
was first across the finish line for the second consecutive year, winning with a time of 1:04.14. Sec
ond-place Kevin Grogan of Minneola was two seconds behind.
Reback, who was second out of the water following a .3-mile swim in the Indian River Lagoon, pushed hard on the 15-mile bike portion of the race on State Route A1A to try to open up a lead.
But it wasn’t until the closing moments of the 3.3-mile run through Melbourne Beach that Reback felt he would be able to hold off Grogan. But that still didn’t stop him from taking a quick look over his shoulder just
before crossing the line.
“Probably at the two-mile mark, I could hear Kevin breathing heavy, so I thought (I could) pull
away from him,” Reback said. “I didn’t get a lot, as you could see, but I got enough to stay ahead of
him at the finish. .¤.¤. I didn’t know how close he was and nobody would say anything. I thought I
had lost him, (but) he’s like a virus. I couldn’t get rid of him.”
Reback couldn’t take credit for the virus joke. That went to third-pllace finisher Eddie Branigan,
Lotte’s husband, who finished in 1:06.10. Sunday’s race, which finished at Ryckman Park in Mel
bourne Beach, drew a record 562 entrants competing in different age groups and even as relay
teams.
Melbourne’s Pamela Maxwell finished second overall in the women’s race (1:15.19) followed by 18-year-old Ashley Shiver of Satellite Beach in 1:15.54.
Jackie Clifton, 48, of Palm Bay won the women’s Master’s Division
in 1:20.00, while 43-year-old Joel Kinnunen of Melbourne won
the men’s Master’s Division in 1:07.51.
It was also a big day for Brevard County’s youth as 13-year-olds Jason Howick of Cocoa (1:39.19)
and Sara Tennant of Melbourne Beach (2:09.57) each took first in the Male and Female 10-14 age
category.
While it may be a while before Edward Branigan IV is old enough to start running in events like this
one, it didn’t take his mom long to get back to her training after giv
ing birth.
Lotte Branigan said she began using an elliptical trainer two weeks after she had her son and
ran a 10K race four weeks later. She may be no stranger to winning the event, but this one felt extra
special.
“It does,” she said. “It’s a privilege to go and work out. It’s a privi
ege to race. You race with enjoyment, not because that’s what you
used to do.” Reback, who won the event for the third time, felt he
might have been in a little trouble at the start of the race when he dis
covered competitors were able to wear wet suits into the water —
and he didn’t bring one. Grogan did. Coming out of the water sec
ond, though, and heading for his bike, Reback decided he needed to
push it.
“I figured if I could come off the bike with the leaders, I could prob
ably win the race — and I did,” Reback said. “It was a hard bike,
though. I pushed the bike harder than I normally do.
“When I got on the bike, I looked back and thought I had a little bit
of a lead, so I figured rather than wait for everyone, I’ll try and ham
mer the bike and get rid of some of the guys so I’ll have fewer guys to
run with. It paid off on the run.”
Grogan, who has not only spent time training with Reback but calls
him his unofficial coach, felt the wet suit helped him get through
the swimming portion in good shape and contributed mightily to
putting him in a position to finish second.
But once he knew Reback was ahead of him, he knew getting past
him would be quite a chore.
“I know John very well and I know what he’s capable of,” Gro
gan said. “Let’s put it this way — He’s faster than the guy right be
hind him. You know no matter what you do, he’s going to stay one
step ahead of you.”
Melbourne’s Pamela Maxwell finished second overall in the
women’s race (1:15.19) followed by 18-year-old Ashley Shiver of
Satellite Beach in 1:15.54.
Jackie Clifton, 48, of Palm Bay won the women’s Master’s Divi
sion in 1:20.00, while 43-year-old Joel Kinnunen of Melbourne won
the men’s Master’s Division in 1:07.51.
It was also a big day for Brevard County’s youth as 13-year-olds Ja
son Howick of Cocoa (1:39.19) and Sara Tennant of Melbourne
Beach (2:09.57) each took first in the Male and Female 10-14 age
category.
While it may be a while before Edward Branigan IV is old enough
to start running in events like this one, it didn’t take his mom long to
get back to her training after giving birth.
Lotte Branigan said she began using an elliptical trainer two
weeks after she had her son and ran a 10K race four weeks later.
She may be no stranger to winning the event, but this one felt extra
special.
“It does,” she said. “It’s a privilege to go and work out. It’s a privi
lege to race. You race with enjoyment, not because that’s what you
used to do.” Reback, who won the event for the third time, felt he
might have been in a little trouble at the start of the race when he dis
covered competitors were able to wear wet suits into the water —
and he didn’t bring one. Grogan did. Coming out of the water sec
ond, though, and heading for his bike, Reback decided he needed to
push it.
“I figured if I could come off the bike with the leaders, I could prob
ably win the race — and I did,” Reback said. “It was a hard bike,
though. I pushed the bike harder than I normally do.
“When I got on the bike, I looked back and thought I had a little bit
of a lead, so I figured rather than wait for everyone, I’ll try and ham
mer the bike and get rid of some of the guys so I’ll have fewer guys to
run with. It paid off on the run.”
Grogan, who has not only spent time training with Reback but calls
him his unofficial coach, felt the wet suit helped him get through
the swimming portion in good shape and contributed mightily to
putting him in a position to finish second.
But once he knew Reback was ahead of him, he knew getting past
him would be quite a chore.
“I know John very well and I know what he’s capable of,” Gro
gan said. “Let’s put it this way — He’s faster than the guy right be
hind him. You know no matter what you do, he’s going to stay one
step ahead of you.”
