Results/Photos

Date: July 25, 2026 Participant: Rich Nielsen #7162 Race: 2026 Spudman Olympic Triathlon Event: Olympic Triathlon Weather: Hot, but otherwise a great day for a triathlon.

Steady Bike Power Fuels Strong Olympic-Distance Debut Rich Nielsen tackled the Olympic distance this year, a jump up from the Sprint course he raced in 2025. He built his day around a strong bike leg, covering the ride in 1:24:03 averaging roughly 17.4 mph with several strong middle miles under 4:00/mile pace. His swim came in at 36:34, followed by a 6:46 T1, and he moved through T2 in 4:33 before heading out on the run. The run leg told a story of fading strength over 6.2 miles, finishing in 1:16:52. His pace climbed steadily from the low 11:00s early on to the 13:00s by the final miles, suggesting some fatigue after the bike effort. Overall, he crossed the line in 3:28:45, a solid finish for his first Olympic-distance attempt at this race. Building some run durability off the bike could help him close out future Olympic-distance races with more consistent pacing.