Mitchell, Meyers win YMCA/Kewpee Triathlon

LIMA — There is no rest for the weary.

For 25-year-old Roman Mitchell, completing one triathlon this weekend was not enough.

Mitchell, a 2016 Celina graduate and an alumnus of Ohio State, won Sunday’s Lima YMCA/Kewpee Triathlon at Ottawa Metro Park. He won the same event in 2021.

However, Sunday’s triathlon was not written down on Mitchell’s race calendar.

On Saturday, Mitchell competed in the USA Triathlon Nationals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he finished 181st overall out of 2,046 competitors. He was 35th out of 96 athletes in his age group (25-29).

Then, after returning to Delphos (his father’s home) late Saturday night, Mitchell and two of his friends from the Ohio State Triathlon Club — one competed at nationals, and one did not — decided to get a few hours sleep and then travel to Ottawa Metro Park to compete in the Lima YMCA/Kewpee Triathlon.

Mitchell overcame fatigue and soreness from Saturday’s triathlon and came away with a convincing victory in Sunday’s triathlon with a time of 1 hour, 4 minutes and 21 seconds.

Sunday’s triathlon consisted of a 500-yard swim, a 15-mile bike ride, and then culminated with a 5,000-meter run.

There also was a duathlon Sunday which was comprised of a 2-mile run, 15-mile bike and a 5,000-meter run, which ran simultaneously with the triathlon. There also was a relay option for these events.

Mitchell said competing in Sunday’s triathlon was a last-second decision.

“Everything was a little tentative,” Mitchell said with a grin. “We planned on doing nationals (Saturday in Milwaukee). Then, I looked at this triathlon (Lima YMCA/Kewpee) and I was like, ‘Well, it’s the next day. … It’s doable.’ I just figured we’d do this one. It was on the way home (Columbus); and I like it.”

Sunday, Mitchell pulled away from his former teammate on the OSU Triathlon Club, 25-year-old Connor Clare, in the bike portion of the event, and went on for the win. Clare finished second in 1:07:55. Both Mitchell and Clare help coach the OSU Triathlon Club.

Recent Allen East graduate Keaton Lehman, 18, came in third overall (1:12:52).

Clare also competed in Saturday’s USA Triathlon Nationals. He finished 117th overall.

“My roommate Connor (Clare), who got second (Sunday), is a phenomenal swimmer,” Mitchell said. “So, when I saw it was more of a real swim this year, I was a little worried. He (Clare) got out super fast (in the swim). I think I came out of the water maybe in third or fourth. I tried to transition fast to the bike, and just started pushing it on the bike as fast as I could.

“I could feel the fatigue in my legs. I didn’t know that Connor made a wrong turn (early into the bike portion). So, I just stepped on the gas for as long as I could. I didn’t see his bike in transition (after the bike portion), so I figured something was up. I just started running. I was definitely feeling it toward the end. I’m glad it wasn’t super hot. … The weather was good. So, I’ll be ready to take a nap and actually get eight hours of sleep, tonight,” he said with a smile.

Mitchell, who is an athletic trainer at Ohio State, is still involved with the Ohio State Triathlon Club.

“I was a coach the past two years,” Mitchell said. “We (Clare and Mitchell) are still going to write workouts for the team. I think we’re going to stay involved, as long as we are living around Columbus. It’s a really good atmosphere. The new kids are always motivated; and that’s always a good thing. I love doing it. I always loved running, but I felt like there was more potential in this sport. There are so many factors that you can get better at. And that’s what I really like about it.”

During his high school days at Celina, Mitchell was a standout in cross country, track and wrestling.

Mitchell is planning on training even harder, in the hopes of taking his triathlons to the next level.

“I want to get more endurance (training) in. I want to up the mileage a bit,” Mitchell said. “I think my mileage has been a little low, lately. I do have a new coach, and we’ve been really focused on getting my swim to where it needs to be. I can be a lot better, if I can get my swim to be adequate with the rest of the really good guys that I compete against. I have no plans on stopping. I really enjoy this. I plan on doing this for years to come. I can only see me getting better.”

On the women’s side, Bluffton native, 42-year-old Abbie Meyers, won the triathlon in 1:18:19.

“I’ve done it (Lima YMCA/Kewpee Triathlon) maybe 10 times. It’s a fun race,” Meyers said. “I think I won it like three or four years ago. My husband and I will do about three (triathlons) a year. We try to stay local. We like to come out and support the ‘Y.’ They run it really well. It’s good for those starting out and good for those who like to compete.”

Aaron Meyers, Abbie Meyers’ husband, finished fifth overall in Sunday’s triathlon (1:16:27).

Macy Covley, 23, who also was representing the Ohio State Triathlon Club, was the second finisher on the women’s side. Covley crossed the finish line in 1:19:45. Caroline Whitlatch, 18, came in third (1:26:40).

Abbie Meyers said it was a battle with Covley for most of Sunday’s race.

“We went back and forth on the bike,” Meyers said. “I got her in the transition (from bike to run). So, I started out ahead of her on the run. I was waiting for her to catch me (during the run). … I kept looking back. Then, when I got to the turnaround (halfway point in the run), I knew she was about a minute behind me.”

In Sunday’s duathlon, Jason Hemmelgarn, 40, won the men’s race in 1:34:04. Jason Fetter, 44, was second (1:35:44).

Tina Barhorst, 32, won the women’s duathlon (1:37:19). Gail Fetter, 44, came in a distant second (1:49:02).