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Big push early, just enough late

Matt Reed holds on to set a course record; Michelle Dillon's push leads to victory.

By SCOTT PURKS
Published April 30, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Times photo - James Borchuck] Men's winner Matt Reed.

ST. PETERSBURG - Matt Reed unfolded his tall, lanky body from his bike, laced up his shoes and started running, more than 2 minutes, 30 seconds ahead of a pack.

Reed, running in calm, relatively cool conditions, was on a solid pace Sunday to break the St. Anthony's Triathlon course record 1 hour, 46 minutes, 14 seconds and he was ...

"Feeling a little tired, " he said.

The 33-year-old from New Zealand had pushed "as much as possible" through the 0.93-mile swim and the 24.8-mile bike, which is his strength, in hopes of getting a minute-plus lead before the 6.2-mile run.

"Thank goodness I had a little more time cushion than I planned for, " he said. "As the run went on I started to worry about (Australian Greg Bennett)."

Understandable because Bennett, the 2005 St. Anthony's champion, was charging, and given another half a mile he might have caught Reed.

At the end Reed won in 1:46.10, holding on for the course record (set last year by Denmark's Rasmus Henning) and holding off Bennett, who finished 20 seconds later.

"I'll admit it, " said Reed, still not in top form after battling a virus for much of the fall, "I was struggling a bit to breathe at some points on the run. I really was."

Not long after that more drama ensued as England's Michelle Dillon and Colorado's Sarah Haskins sprinted toward the finish for the women's title, sometimes with Dillon pushing ahead, sometimes Haskins.

With about 200 yards left, Dillon made the final surge and crossed in 1:57.45, four seconds ahead of Haskins.

"It often doesn't come down to the last few meters like that, but it did and I loved it, " said Dillon, who was coming off three months in the fall, "of doing absolutely nothing."

She said doctors forced her to rest because of degenerative and bulging discs in her spine. Some doctors told the 33-year-old to give up racing.

"But I got a second opinion, and look at me now, " a beaming Dillon said after her first St. Anthony's and only her second race since October. "I feel like I've come back stronger, mentally and physically. It's been an amazing time really. I'm rejuvenated."

Reed and Dillon earned $10, 000 apiece, or $5, 000 more than the 35-year-old Bennett and the 26-year-old Haskins, who both said they had no regrets.

"I had a poor swim and a not-so-great bike, which was disappointing, " Bennett said. "I mean I was going all out, but for whatever reason I felt I couldn't get going as fast as I wanted."

Haskins, who was shaking after finishing second for the second year in a row, said, "It was simple really: (Dillon) had more at the end than I did."

Scott Purks can be reached at purks@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3353.

[Last modified April 29, 2007, 22:50:17]