Muldoon is 5150’s fastest female

Lily Muldoon, middle, poses for a photo with her runner-up Kimiko McKagan, second from the left, and third place Ayano Braxton, second from the right, during the Paupau 5150 Taga Triathlon awarding ceremony last Saturday. (Kimberly B. Esmores)

Lily Muldoon continues to make her mark in the CNMI sports scene after completing the Paupau 5150 Taga Triathlon last Saturday with the fastest time among the females.

During the event last Saturday, Muldoon came out the fastest female of the triathlon after completing the three courses in 2:36:50. Her time also got her the first-place medal in the women’s elite category.

Coming in at second place for the same category was Kimiko McKagan who completed the triathlon at 2:54:32. Rounding up the Top 3 was Ayano Braxton who submitted a time of 2:55:48.

Muldoon, who conquered the Tagaman Triathlon back in 2019, said she was eager and excited to come back and compete again.

“I joined today because I did the Tagaman two years ago and had been dying to comeback to compete again. I just love the spirit of it and I am excited about everyone being out here competing,” she said.

The Star Wars Run and inaugural Women’s Run champ said as a runner she really wanted to push herself past her comfort zone and incorporate biking and swimming into her life, and what better way than through competing in the triathlon.

“It feels good, it was an exciting time because I am a runner at heart and I’m trying to add in biking and swimming and it has been a great success,” she said.

When asked about the struggles she faced during the event, she said the bike portion of the race was where she faced some challenges.

“I would say the hardest part was the run in the heat and also during the bike ride when you were going toward Banzai Cliff because there was a headwind and I felt like I couldn’t make it,” she said.

However, she managed to push through the setback and eventually regained momentum on the way back to Paupau Beach. “Coming back toward Paupau with the wind at your back, I felt like a superhero,” she said.

Aside from Muldoon, Kerri Bauer, Yuki Rechucher, and team 1st Tri also gained medals for prevailing in their respective categories in the female division.

Bauer was the sole female runner in the 30-39 category so by default, she was awarded the category title. However, she finished within the Top 5 fastest individual female runners with a time of 3:12:47.

For the 40-49 category, Rechucher bested the competition with a time of 3:14:57, followed by Ali Nelson who came in at 3:48:07. Making the Top 3 was Sylvia Taggart who came in at 4:19:54.

In the female team relay category, Team 1st Tri finished first with a time of 2:52:07, followed by Last Minute Spy who recorded a time of 2:56:01.

The Paupau 5150 Taga Triathlon was named as such because it encompassed 1.5-km swim, 40-km bike, and 10-km run, which adds up to 51.5 km. It was organized by the Triathlon Association of the CNMI.