MIT’s Tracy Lemon conquers K2 race

Friday, 3 November 2006

MIT’s Tracy Lemon conquers K2 race

Manukau Institute of Technology’s budding triathlon star Tracy Lemon has won her division in one of the country’s toughest cycling races – the K2.

Tracy, a senior sport lecturer and sport leadership coordinator at MIT’s School of Sport, came first in the Women’s Veteran 1 division of the 200km race in the Coromandel on Saturday, 28 October, with a time of just over seven hours.

The event was a vital component in the Kohimarama resident’s build-up to representing New Zealand at the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Age Group long distance championships in Canberra on Sunday, 19 November, as a member of the Triathlon New Zealand team.

“K2 was my longest and hardest bike race ever with loads of full-on hills, but it was a great way to get myself ready for the world champs,” says Tracy.

The race, in its fifth year, started in Coromandel Township and travelled through Thames, Tairua, Whitianga and back to Coromandel. It featured two hills exceeding 380m and seven hills exceeding 170m with riders tackling an incline of 2300m during the event.

But Tracy will not be easing up on her training just yet, and is competing in the Cetnaj Corporate Triathlon in Bayswater on Auckland’s North Shore on Sunday, 5 November. The race consists of a 500m swim, 15km cycle and 4km run.

“After this my training will taper off and be less intensive until I leave for Canberra,” says Tracy, who is awed by the support she has had from her MIT colleagues. “The support I have had from the people at MIT and other well-wishers has been just awesome.”

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