A mere 14 seconds separated the first two athletes – Mario Mola and Richard Murray – at the past weekend’s ITU Pan American Sprint Cup in Clermont, Florida.
Murray’s finishing time for the three events (750m-swim, 20km-bike and 5km-run) were 54 minutes and 12 seconds. Spain’s Mola won in 53.56. Jarrod Schoemaker from America took the third spot on the winner’s podium. It was Murray’s first international race of the season after starting 2013 with two victories in two races in South Africa.
The big disappointment for Murray on the day was the 10-second time penalty he got for leaving his swim cap outside the box in the transition area. “It possibly cost me a victory, but it didn’t stop me from being on the podium and that’s a positive. I was with Mola when I had to stop to take the penalty. So I could have won, but in the end it wasn’t meant to be for me on the day and I have to be more aware of what’s happening in the transition area in the next race.”
Murray has been training hard with his Canadian coach Joel Filliol since arriving in America and it’s especially the new swimming programme that has been paying off. And even after all the base miles he still managed a blistering 15 minute, 23 seconds run.
Next up for Murray is a four-week training block before heading to San Diego (20 April) for his first race in the ITU World Triathlon Series for the season.
