Competitors Beat The Heat In The Third Annual First State Duathlon

Wilmington, DE, July 22, 2019 – Spur Impact Association, a nonprofit focused on connecting young professionals and inspiring them to get involved and make an impact in their career and community, is pleased to announce the results of the 2019 First State Duathlon trail run and bike competition, which took place on Saturday, July 20, 2019 at Bellevue State Park in Wilmington. Despite it being one of the hottest days of the year (93 degrees at race time), more than 100 spectators who came out to cheer the 62 competitors who finished this year's annual race, which consisted of a trail run (3.1 miles), trail bike (approximately 7 miles), and a trail sprint (approximately 7/8 mile) (total distance about 11 miles).

 The 2019 race was divided into several scoring competitions. The winners were:

  • Men's Individual Division: Brian Diksa (Havertown, PA) 55:17

  • Women's Individual Division: Tara Huang (Bryn Mawr, PA) 1:04:09

  • 2-Person Men's Relay: Team Morrison/Armstrong, Scott Armstrong (Pottstown, PA) and Don Morrison (Coatsville, PA) 54:26

  • 2-Person Co-Ed Relay: Team Torque, Elizabeth Browne (Wilmington, DE) and Tony Catalano (Wilmington, DE) 1:17:37

  • 2-Person Women's Relay: Team Reed/Sheehan, Juliana Sheehan (Hockessin, DE) and Jenn Reed (Wilmington, DE) 1:15:23

  • 3-Person Co-Ed Relay: Team Unicorn, The Brestle Family (Riverton, NJ) 1:30:16

  • 3-Person Women's Relay: Team Wonder Women, The Crossan Family (Havertown, PA)

Full results, pictures, and video from the competition are available on the First State Duathlon website, Facebook, and Instagram.

The First State Duathlon is also the official summer fundraising competition for the Delaware Charity Challenge, a unique fundraising and athletic competition designed to give organizations, families, and individuals a fun way to raise money and awareness for their favorite causes. Since Spring 2015, participants in the different competitions have collectively raised more than $175,000 for more than fifty different area nonprofits. Five different nonprofits were represented by different teams in this year's race: Combined Campaign for Justice, Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, Mike Clark Legacy Foundation, Newark Bike Project, and Urban Bike Project of Wilmington. The winners of the seven different scoring different divisions each won $50 prizes to donate to those nonprofits. Huang, Team Morrison/Armstrong, and Team Reed/Sheehan donated their prize money to Urban Bike Project. Diksa, Team Unicorn, and Team Wonder Women donated their prize money to Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition. Team Torque donated their prize money to Mike Clark Legacy Foundation. Both Newark Bike Project and Combined Campaign for Justice were awarded funds from the stretch pool. In total, the five nonprofits won $400 through the First State Duathlon and Delaware Charity Challenge in this summer's competition.

"The First State Duathlon (and the Delaware Charity Challenge in general) is a fun way to keep active and to support great nonprofit organizations," says Adam Morgan, Treasurer of Spur Impact, the nonprofit that organizes the First State Duathlon and the Delaware Charity Challenge. "It is a family friendly event that encourages fun, fitness, and community service."

The 2020 Delaware Charity Challenge competition kicks off in on Saturday, January 4 with the 5th Annual Winter Run, Row, Bike Indoor Triathlon at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, followed by the 6th Annual Spring Games at Lums Pond on Saturday, May 2. The 2020 First State Duathlon will be scheduled soon and that date will be announced on the First State Duathlon website and Facebook and Twitter pages once it is finalized.

For more information about the First State Duathlon, visit firststateduo.com. For more information about the Delaware Charity Challenge, visit delawarecharitychallenge.com.

Download a copy of the press release here.

View full results from the 2019 First State Duathlon here (PDF)

About the First State Duathlon

The First State Duathlon is a trail-race duathlon, with all three legs of the competition taking place on different trails at Bellevue State Park and is the official summer competition for the Delaware Charity Challenge. Visit firststateduo.com for more information.

About the Delaware Charity Challenge

The Delaware Charity Challenge fundraising and athletic competition is designed to give organizations, families, and individuals a fun way to raise money and awareness for their favorite causes. Since Spring 2015, participants in the different competitions have collectively raised more than $175,000 for more than fifty different area nonprofits.

About Spur Impact Association

Spur Impact Association is a Delaware-based nonprofit whose mission is to be the premier hub developing, engaging, and inspiring tomorrow's leaders by fostering connections with people, nonprofits, and businesses to promote growth personally, professionally, and philanthropically. The First State Duathlon and the Delaware Charity Challenge are both initiatives of the Spur Impact. For more information, visit spurimpact.org.