IRONMAN 70.3 COEUR d'ALENE: That first time feeling

COEUR d’ALENE — The fans along the course kept Ryan Lewis going Sunday.

Even after blasting through the Ironman 70.3 course in 4 hours, 6 minutes and 32 seconds, Lewis didn’t want to stop.

No, not even a little bit.

Lewis finished the 1.2-mile swim in 26 minutes, 28 seconds, then the 45.5-mile bike ride in 2 hours, 16 minutes and 56 seconds, then closed the race by finishing the 13.1-mile run in 1 hour, 18 minutes and 24 seconds for his first Ironman title.

“At that last turnaround, I knew I had a four-minute gap,” said Lewis, of Oceanside, Calif., who won by a little over five minutes. “I just kept thinking to myself, ‘Don’t blow up’ and stop at the aid stations. Barring something crazy happening, I knew I had it with about 3 to 4 miles left.”

His lead was so big that he planned how he’d finish, knowing parents Mike and Denise and girlfriend Kylee Giblen were waiting at the finish line, eventually handing the first-place ribbon to his dad after the race.

“It’s kind of hard to explain,” Lewis said. “I was running through what I was going to do in my head with a mile left because I had a good gap. When I crossed the finish line, all my happy emotions took over.”

Kristina Koepke of San Francisco was the first female to cross the finish line, finishing in 4 hours, 34 minutes and 31 seconds. Like Lewis, it was her first Ironman win.

“First win, first time here,” Koepke said. “It’s been a great experience. It wasn’t an easy course, but the swim was great, the bike (course) was beautiful. The run was hard, but everyone really kept me going.”

Karrie Stewart of Seattle, last year’s women’s champion, was second in 4 hours, 45 minutes and 1 second.

Stewart has been dealing with some undisclosed medical problems in the last seven months, but never considered backing out of the race.

“Just making the start line actually was big for me,” Stewart said. “It’s been a rough seven months so making the start line and being able to do this. I’ve been having some ongoing health issues that are still not fully figured out, so making it here. Being here, this place is awesome and my favorite place to race.”

Koepke will compete in Ironman Lake Placid on July 20.

“It was a great experience and I really enjoyed racing here,” Koepke said. “I’m racing in Lake Placid in four weeks, so hopefully I recover well and take this into Lake Placid.”

Brandon Schow of San Francisco was the second male finisher, clocking in at 4 hours, 11 minutes and 55 seconds.

“The gap between Ryan and I was pretty consistent through the run and bike,” Schow said. “It was great going after him, but he was on another level today.”

It was both Lewis’ and Schow’s first time at the Coeur d’Alene event.

“It was so fun,” Lewis said. “I think this is my new favorite course. The crowds were just so fun, especially on the run. They just kept me going. Signs, people yelling, and to have my family and girlfriend here was the coolest thing ever. It’s super special to me. They come to all the races they can, and I think they’ve missed one. To take the win with them here, it’s probably the most memorable thing in my life.”

Stewart has done three half-Ironman competitions and two full competitions in Coeur d’Alene.

“Last year, I won, so I was one off my best finish,” Stewart said. “My first triathlon was here in 2018 and that’s what gave me the bug. So I love coming back every year I can. It's a great community for this race.”

“I’m very happy with my finish,” Schow said. “It’s a beautiful course. The swim was amazing and everything was beautiful. Even though I wasn’t looking up much, the scenery was beautiful. It’s a fun course with great competition. I couldn’t have asked for more.”

A total of 50 qualifiers from the Coeur d’Alene event will advance to the World Championships on Nov. 8 in Marbella, Spain.

TOP 10 MEN FINISHERS — 1, Ryan Lewis, Oceanside, Calif., 4 hours, 6 minutes, 32 seconds. 2, Brandon Schow, San Francisco, 4:11:55. 3, Nolan Weinstein, Phoenix, Ariz., 4:18.03. 4, Brett King, Salt Lake City, 4:21.27. 5, Emerson Montano, Missoula, Mont., 4:22.04. 6, Curtis Glanville, Melfort, Saskatchewan, 4:23.35. 7, Elliot Kawaoka, Auburn, Wash., 4:25.14. 8, John Rak, San Francisco, 4:26.33. 9, Matthew Engle, Greenacres, Wash., 4:27.15. 10, Justin Thornley, Las Vegas, 4:27.31.

TOP 10 FEMALE FINISHERS — 1, Kristina Koepke, San Francisco, 4:34.31. 2, Karrie Stewart, Seattle, 4:45.01. 3, Katherine Thompson, Kent, Wash., 4:49.56. 4, Kinga Kimbrel, Maple Valley, Wash., 4:51.41. 5, Marni Sumbal, Greenville, S.C., 4:55.19. 6, Kimberly Walter, Beaumont, Alberta, 4:56.11. 7, Amelia Zwiener, Tucson, Ariz., 4:59.11. 8, Isabella Luckie, Mexico City, 5:01.54. 9, Michelle Erwin, Cody, Wyo., 5:03.03. 10, Kalee Tyson, Seattle, 5:04.0.

    JASON ELLIOTT/Press Denise Lewis hugs her son, Ryan, after his win at Ironman 70.3 Coeur d'Alene on Sunday. Also pictured is Ryan's father, Mike.
  

    JASON ELLIOTT/Press Brandon Schow of San Francisco crosses the finish line after coming in second overall in Sunday's Ironman 70.3 Coeur d'Alene.
  

    JASON ELLIOTT/Press Kristina Koepke of San Francisco celebrates after being the top female finisher in Sunday's Ironman 70.3 Coeur d'Alene. Koepke claimed her first Ironman in 4 hours, 34 minutes and 31 seconds.