Buchanan triathletes run it in the rain

Sixty-two triathletes braved a steady rain to compete in the seventh annual Buchanan Tri on September 10. David Burkwall of Mechanicsville was the overall winner in a time of 1:54:33. Tina Van Buren of Eagle Rock was the women’s winner in 2:06:31. Van Buren finished sixth overall.

The 23-mile course consisted of a two-mile run through Buchanan, a 16-mile bike ride to the Springwood boat launch, and a 5-mile paddle back to Buchanan Town Park. There was a last-minute course modification due to unexpected road paving on Davis Run the morning of the race. “The paving caught us off guard,” said race director Tim Miller of Muddy Squirrel. “Fortunately, we were able to reroute the bicycle leg, although it added three miles and a few stiff hills to the course.”

While many competitors were from Botetourt and Roanoke, others came from hours away. A few even drove from other states to participate. “I think the kayak leg is appealing to many,” said Miller. “It’s a beautiful section of the James, but it’s tough if you’re racing.”

Lisa Moyer, co-owner of Muddy Squirrel, sees the Buchanan Tri as an important community event. “We take pride in being one of those small local businesses that bring people together,” said Moyer. “We couldn’t pull this off without the support of our volunteers, Twin River Outfitters, and the Town of Buchanan.”

Complete results and a calendar of future events, including a “trail” version of the Buchanan Tri and Virginia’s Blue Ridge Gran Fondo, can be found at http://www.muddysquirrel.com/.