Heather Jackson, left, and Jodie Robertson, right, pour beer on 2022 Ironman champion Sarah True in Lake Placid on Sunday. (Company Photo — Parker O’Brien)
LAKE PLACID — Sarah True hadn’t competed in a full-distance Ironman in nearly three years, but you wouldn’t have been able to tell Sunday during Ironman Lake Placid.
“I took a three-year break from Ironman between COVID and pregnancy,” True told Ironman host Mike Reilly. “I like to think that if everything had been normal during these three years, this could have happened earlier. But every time you can win it’s very special.”
The West Lebanon, New Hampshire, native turned in a record-setting performance Sunday to claim her first full-distance Ironman.
She completed the 140.6-mile triathlon in 9 hours 22 seconds, which was almost 10 minutes faster than the previous record for the women’s division set by Heather Jackson in 2016.
True, the 40-year-old was only the second professional female triathlete to complete the swim portion of the race, but she quickly turned on the jets during the 112-mile bike ride.
She overtook Rachel Zilinskas, who was in the lead at the start of the ride. True passed her around the 20 mile mark in the bike portion and held the lead until the end.
Although True was the first person in the women’s division to finish the moto, she did not set the fastest time. It belonged to Jackson, of Bend, Ore., who was just six minutes behind True before the race.
True said she had prepared for the hills, but she hadn’t mentally prepared for all the winds she endured, which likely slowed her down.
Throughout the full marathon, True showed no signs of slowing down, instead picking up speed. Running at a pace of 7:04 per mile, seventh fastest overall and fastest in the women’s division, True was able to walk away with her first full-length Ironman title.
“It’s been on my list for a while, I’m so glad it worked out this year.” True told the Enterprise.
Two-time Ironman Lake Placid champion Jackson took second in 9:16:23, while Melville’s Jodie Robertson finished third in 9:22:02. Zilinskas took fourth in 9:32:33, while Melanie McQuaid was fifth in 9:34:32.
Grant, who grew up in Cooperstown, said this race was really special and the closest thing to a hometown race he can get.
“I love running Ironman, a race with this kind of history is super special,” True told the Enterprise. “The community is really behind it. It’s just one of those quintessential American races that for a lot of us is on our bucket list, so I can check it off.”
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