Race Coverage
"The Heart of Local Racing"...
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Tuesday, 05 May 2026 00:10
By Amy Preusser
The Tinman Triathlon in Morris celebrated its 40th anniversary this year, and it was a beautiful May day to race. With these early season races, you never know exactly what you’re going to get, weather-wise. It was my fourth year racing the Tinman, and there is a special kind of excitement in the air, as people set up their gear in transition. Many are re-connecting over their love of the sport after months of the off-season.
Going into this race, I was a little nervous. As is the case for many - my bike has remained solidly on the trainer most of the winter & spring. This race was only my third time riding outdoors for this calendar year! The day proved to be lovely cycling weather, but a bit windy.The roads were rough - but I was told that they’re being repaved over the summer! This is good news, because unfortunately for me, I hit a large pothole about 11 miles into my 19 mile ride. I knew immediately - my front tire was a goner. I was VERY lucky to not be in aero position as my tire went out, and I didn’t get hurt - which is the most important thing! I had a few tears on the side of the highway, then worked on getting in touch with a race director. This is where I got a glimpse into the inner workings of a local triathlon.
While I was standing on the side of the highway, I was reminded by how much goes into organizing local races. Putting these events together is a work of HEART, and countless hours are spent mapping courses, obtaining permits, marking roads, gathering volunteers,coordinating with police to block roads & control traffic, etc. As mentioned, it was my fourth year racing in Morris, and I’ve come to know many of the people who work hard to make the Tinman a success. Before long, a Jeep pulled up and...
helped me load my bike. We headed back into town, cheering for the other racers along the way. My driver was on the phone with the race director not once, not twice, but THREE times during our 8-mile trek: making sure racers were safe, taken care of, and all the participants had come through their turnaround points. This serves as a reminder that while we’re out on the race course, the people “behind the scenes” are working SO HARD. For those organizing the race, the work is not done until everyone heads home for the day.
I was WILDLY disappointed to not be able to finish my bike ride, but I was also so grateful to have a safe way to get back to town, and to know that so many people were working together to keep the Tinman participants safe.
Getting back to town, I unloaded my bike from the pickup and walked - dejectedly - back to transition. I thought my race was done. Then, one of the race directors said,
“Go!! Run, run, run!” I wasn’t sure I had it in me. I would still call this one a DNF, but at her urging - off I ran! I ended up putting down an average pace of 6:37 per mile, which was a 10k personal record for me!! I am so proud of that run, and it wouldn't have even happened if it weren’t for someone telling me I could. To me, this emphasizes the heart of local racing. These races exist - and the race directors work tirelessly - for the purpose of seeing the participants succeed, have fun, and
to keep going: even when they’re not sure that they can.
I did not have the race I wanted to have on Saturday, but many did! My husband won the Sprintcategory, and I am so proud of him!! It can be easy to get caught up in the “bigger” (not local) races, but there is so much goodness to be found in local racing. Even when it’s not your best day, you’ll find yourself surrounded by people who want to help you succeed. It wasn’t my day to get the Course Record at Tinman (with all my heart - congrats, Cami!!!!) - but it turns out that itWAS my day to get a 10k PR. I was also lucky enough to get a glimpse into the heart of theracing community, and all the work that makes these events a success.
ED. Micah Warning's race report will post on Saturday.
