February 21 2003
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Cyclist Chris Ghiorse eyeing victory in weekend Nevis triathlon BY DEAN GREENAWAY A spectator a year ago when fellow cyclist Andrew Young won the Nevis Triathlon, cyclist Chris Ghiorse is eyeing a victory in Saturday's event. Ghiorse tuned up for the triathlon by lapping the field while winning last week's BVI Cycling Federation season opening race, then headed to the A. O. Shirley recreation Grounds and completed a 5K run on the 400 meter oval. Ghiorse who began training three months ago, says his focus is on triathlons and winning his age group in the St. Croix International Triathlon in May. Ghiorse describes Nevis' Olympic distance triathlon that includes a 1500 meter swim, 40K bike and 10K run, as "a very exciting event." "The roads we will ride on are excellent and have been repaved," noted Ghiorse who will use the event as an evaluation of his progress towards St. Croix. "The bay we swim is flat and the run is not too hilly either. You can expect a good time and a good gauge as to how you are doing compared to the rest of the world." While he has a hard time pushing himself in training, Ghiorse said once there's a race, he manages to go harder. He said he's definitely stronger than in the last eight to nine years, and is excited about becoming a better runner. "It's the one area that I would say I'm better at than any point in my life, even though that's fairly slow," Ghiorse said. "The swimming and biking I'll never be able to get back to where I was as a young guy, because I did those events at such a high level, but, overall, I'm seeing continual improvement in my running though I'm getting older." Ghiorse has been testing himself over the BVI Triathlon course and observing his times compared to Young's course record of 1:04.50, which he has been matching. Ghiorse said based on Young's victory in Nevis last year, he's fairly confident going in. "I'm going with the expectation that if everything gets put together correctly, I should walk away with a pretty good time and win," Ghiorse said. Regarding the St. Croix Iron Man, Ghiorse 40, said Nevis will be a gauge. His aim is to run sub seven minute miles for the 10K after riding the 40K cycling segment. "I'd feel comfortable that I can get close to a 7:15 pace in St. Croix, which when you look at all the results over the last four years, giving my swim and bike, that is going to put me among the very top contenders in St. Croix. I know I feel comfortable up to seven miles, I now have to learn how to extend that."
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