Putter happy after 70.3 miles
ALLEN, Texas -- To many, a triathlon of any distance is an endurance event. However, to some long distance athletes any race completed in under three hours is a sprint. That's how Loretta Putter puts it. To her, a 12-hour mountain bike competition or a 24-hour adventure race is more suited to her abilities and - dare I say it - more fun.
In her quest to go long while having fun, the 36-year-old mother of one, and personal trainer, fulfilled race desires last weekend by completing the Ironman World Championship 70.3 triathlon in Clearwater, Florida. She finished the 1,2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, and 13.1-mile course in 6 hours, 4 minutes, and 19 seconds. Her goal was not only to finish but to enjoy herself. "I'm happy with my race. Clearwater is beautiful and being with elite athletes in a big race was great." she said afterward.
Endurance is in the family
A year, or so, after the birth of her son Putter began competing in adventure and mountain bike races to help overcome self-described postpartum blues and regain fitness. Since 2001 she has raced in dozens of events from 24-hour team adventure races to 12-hour solo mountain bike races. Sometimes she races as a team with her father and her son.
Encouraged by her boyfriend Dr. Yuri Cook of RainTree Paediatrics, Putter added swimming and running to her repertoire this year when she raced her first triathlon, an Xterra off-road race. Enjoying the atmosphere and the challenge of triathlons she entered her second, the Ironman Kansas 70.3 to be held on her birthday then two weeks later returned to Texas to race in the Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake Triathlon in Lubbock.
Good things roll down too
The evening after the Lubbock race she attended the post-race party with her North Texas Masters swim coach, Dave Young where entries to the world championship races are awarded. "Dave and I went to the party because he was the one getting an award, not me," she says about her good fortune, "and when it came time for the slots to go to Clearwater some people who finished ahead of me didn't want to go. Luckily a slot rolled down to me and I took it. It was just a fluke. I know there are people out there who are a lot faster than me and I'm happy I had the opportunity go."
Putter's long distance ways are far from behind her. She is scheduled to race her first full Ironman distance race in Florida next year.
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