Harryman 70.3

First podium of the year goes to team treasurer Joe Fasl who took third place in his age group at the Harryman 70.3 this weekend. When asked for comment, Joe quickly pointed out the 4,900 feet of climbing would be good prep for IronMan Lake Placid. Also enjoying the significant elevation were Matt Romano, Mike Aliseo, and Eric Hayden, who happened to miss his new wetsuit delivery by a day. It’s unclear how much faster Eric could have been, posting a respectable 1:56/100 OWS pace.

With the race over, awards won, and cheers given out, the athletes set out on the hardest part of the day: driving through the Bronx traffic to get home. 

Next up is the RJA Mighty Montauk in June. Stay tuned.

 

Cedar Creek Duathlon

On a blustery Spring day, members from both the NYPD Cycling Team and the NYPD Triathlon Team donned the spandex and racing shoes to compete in the Brands Spring Duathlon. This was the second year in a row starting the season with a duathlon, with even faster results. Bill Mackay and Jon Sorocki both dropped time. However, unlike 2024, neither placed in their age groups. It seems the field of athletes has gotten better, faster, stronger. Nothing encourages training better than fierce competition. We hope to see this race back on the schedule in 2026 with a fuller contingent of NYPD Triathlon Team members. Next up for the team, Harryman Triathlon on May 17th. Wish us luck!

 

Jones Beach 70.3

Jones Beach 70.3 proved to be quite the test of endurance. And not just of distance. The tropical storm that decided to start at the same time as the race made conditions harder than they should be. Wind and rain couldn’t stop the 2,200 athletes racing, though. That includes the 15 brave (crazy?) men and women of the NYPD Triathlon Team who suffered through puddles and pain to finish on the Jones Beach Boardwalk. Led by team Captain Robert Pollastro (4:30) and newcomer Henry Wang (4:35), the team surpassed the FDNY Triathlon Team to take back bragging rights and possibly the shared trophy. A few other highlights include Lt. AJ Martinez completing his first 70.3 as well as PO Crystal Desiano completing her first…triathlon. Next up for her will be something a bit more dry.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. And this race, while miserable, truly will be one we talk about for years to come. A special shoutout to all the volunteers who came out to support at the aid stations and cheer us on in the rain: NYPD Running Club, NYPD Sports Unit (including former president Tim Stamm and injured team member Nicole Stamm), and other members of the team! Thank you for making this race bearable.

The team has no further Team Races scheduled for the year. But, you can still catch individual efforts on our IG: @nypdtriathlon

Until 2024!

 

Escape the Cape

New race: same old success.

Escape the Cape, sponsored by Desatnick Realty in Cape May, New Jersey provided a fun twist to triathlon: start the swim by jumping 11 feet into the water. Sure, it sounds easy, but nearly every one of our athletes competing admitted the drop was bigger than expected. Of course, once in the water, the race was on! A strong swim was needed to fight off the current taking athletes towards Delaware (no, I’m very serious). With a fairly straightforward two loop bike course, there was an opportunity to put on some serious speed, with retired Det. Mike McDonnell blazing away. Up til now, the race sounds fun and exciting. And then, the sand. More sand running than expected, desired, bearable. Plodding through muddy flats for nearly 2.5 miles took a toll on most of our racers. Truly a unique race. If you’re interested in a different version of triathlon, this is the race for you. And, if you think you can catch Team Secretary Jon Sorocki who placed 4th in his Age Group, look for him at Jones Beach 70.3 in September.