<span class="style3">Margaret Shapiro Wins Inaugural RYKA Iron Girl Columbia Triathlon </span>

Margaret Shapiro Wins Inaugural RYKA Iron Girl Columbia Triathlon
By Jessica Weidensall
August 27, 2006
Columbia, MD
For the Washington Running Report
Photos courtesy of asiphoto.com

Margaret Shapiro of Annandale, VA (and co-owner of Potomac River Running stores in Burke and Ashburn, VA, photo), won the inaugural RYKA Iron Girl Columbia Triathlon with a time of 1:21:48. Competing against world- renowned Ironman athlete Desiree Ficker of Austin, TX [photo below], Shapiro kept a clear lead throughout the challenging1K swim, 30K bike, and 5K run course in Centennial Lake and Park in Ellicott City, MD. While Shapiro and Ficker were the first two athletes to cross the finish line, more than 1,850 other athletes participated, ranging in age from 14-years-old to 76-years-old and in fitness level from beginner to elite. The event marked Iron Girl's largest participant number to date. Athletes were encouraged along the course and welcomedacross the finish line by a large number of supportive spectators. Many spectators wore souvenir T-shirts with slogans such as "My Mom is an Iron Girl" and "My Wife is an Iron Girl."
The RYKA Iron Girl Columbia Triathlon attracted participants from more than 26 states, including Maryland, Florida, Virginia, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, Colorado, and New York. Of the 1,859 who participated, there were many athletes who stood out in the crowd with their inspirationalstories. Among them were: Madelaine Sayko, a survivor of the September 11 th World Trade Center tragedy. Sayko finished today with a time of 2:48:55.

Candace Patterson, a neurofibromatosis survivor who has undergone multiple surgeries to remove life threatening facial tumors. Patterson crossed the finish line with a time of 3:42:31.

Abby Glassberg, a former ultra marathoner, who had to undergo a double-mastectomy and hysterectomy and set Iron Girl as her goal for her rehabilitation and training. Glassberg finished today with a time of 2:11:54. Maura Dunnigan, a mother of five children who created an event team to raise money for the female-focused local charity Women's Giving Circle. Dunnigan completed today's event with a time of 1:47:11. Amy Benson, an athlete with a prosthetic right leg who did the event as part of a relay team with her sister and friend. Benson trained for the hilly bike portion of the event. Benson and team finished with a time of 2:36:49. Sadj Bartolo, a 65-year-old athlete and president of the Mid Maryland Triathlon Club. The Mid Maryland Triathlon Club's membership is approximately fifty percent female. Bartolo came across the finish line with a time of 2:10:48.

All of today's participants were eligible for a prize purse of $5,000, in addition to $150 bonuses for the fastest athlete times in each of the three disciplines.

Top Ten RYKA Iron Girl Columbia Finishers:
1. Margaret Shapiro 30 Annandale, VA 1:21:48
2. Desiree Ficker 30 Austin, TX 1:26:18
3. Lori Smith 26 Cumberland, MD 1:29:49
4. Hope Hall 39 Reston, VA 1:33:18
5. Janelle McIntyre 41 Ellicott City, MD 1:34:10
6. Stacy Karwacki 45 Baltimore, MD 1:34:16
7. Katrina Dowidchuk 36 Wilmington, DE 1:34:36
8. Connie Peterson 41 Harrisonburg, VA 1:34:47
9. Hilary Cairns 36 Washington, DC 1:35:12
10. Jennifer Schlife 33 Oak Park, IL 1:36:25
Prize Purse Distribution:
1. Margaret Shapiro $2,000
2. Desiree Ficker $1,500
3. Lori Smith $750
4. Hope Hall $500
5. Janelle McIntyre $250
Course Bonuses:
Swim: Margaret Shapiro
$150
Bike: Margaret Shapiro
$150
Run: Margaret Shapiro
$150
Swim - Bike - Run

Updated Sept 21, 2010