University of Montana assistant sports information director Joel Carlson
recently finished 159th out of 1,761 athletes at the 2005 Ironman USA Coeur
d'Alene. Carlson, who competes for the Missoula-based Team Stampede triathlon
club, finished with a total time of 10:34:08 in a race that involves a 2.4-mile
swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run.
The race, which is one of just five Ironman USA races in the continental United
States, was Carlson's first at the Ironman-distance.
Carlson emerged from the swim course in 62-degree Lake Coeur d'Alene in 323rd
place, completing the 7 a.m., mass-start swim in 1:04:33.
On the 112-mile, two-loop bike course, which passes through the town of Post
Falls and briefly enters the state of Washington, Carlson finished in 5:32:26.
At an average speed of 20.2 miles per hour for the course, Carlson had the 239th
fastest bike leg in the race.
Under clear skies and with ideal mid-afternoon temperatures in the low 80s, he
finished the two-loop marathon, which follows the shoreline of Lake Coeur
d'Alene, in 3:44:31, which ranked 121st overall.