Published: October 09, 2008 10:05 pm            

TRIATHLETICS: Pasceri completes double marathon

Finishes Virginia event in 34 hours, 48 minutes.

The way to win a double marathon is to finish it.

And that’s exactly what Lockport’s Sam Pasceri did last week, finishing the World at the Double in Virginia in 34 hours, 48 minutes — an hour and 12 minutes faster than the requirement.

Pasceri, who has competed in more than a half dozen triatheletic events in the past decade, fought off asthma attacks to complete a 4.8-mile swim, a 224-mile bike ride and back-to-back marathons totaling 52.4 miles of running.

Beginning at 7 a.m., Pasceri finished in 3:04.

“That’s exactly the time I was looking for,” he said.

But 45 minutes into the bike ride, Pasceri hurt his back and thought he may have to quit the race.

“They had a great staff of massage therapists there. After getting my back worked on for 10 minutes I was back in the race,” he said.

After stopping to have his back worked on again every hour for the next four hours, Pasceri road into the night and at around 3:30 a.m.

“About 20 miles into the run, I had a major asthma attack,” Pasceri said.

“I wasn’t able to get my inhaler in time and ended up collapsing on the course. Thankfully it was near my support tent. At this point I thought that there was no chance of finishing this race in the required 36-hour cut off time, but needless to say I was back in the race and back on track.”

As he made my way down to the finish line, Pasceri’s support crew handed him an American flag.

“Once I grabbed that flag, I somehow found the courage to sprint the last 100 yards to the finish line,” he said.

“Without my support team there wasn't a chance I would survive that race. Thanks to Bob Timkey, Ryan DiMillo and Chris Ankurm for their help and my good sponsor www.TrueThinker.com.”

        

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