Team Lyons finishes race for fallen athlete

Karen Lyons with her husband, Joe, who died of a heart attack during the swimming portion of last year's triathlon. (Helene Norton Russell)

COHASSET - The message on the sea of green T-shirts worn by Team Lyons at the second annual Cohasset Triathlon said it all: "We will finish what you started."

Joe Lyons, 38, died of a heart attack last July while swimming in the first Cohasset Triathlon. His widow, Karen, and 52 teammates finished the race last weekend in his memory.

They raised more than $62,000 for juvenile diabetes research in the process. Altogether, the event, which drew close to 900 athletes, donated more than $270,000 to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

"It couldn't have felt more right," Karen Lyons, 44, said afterward. "I didn't know how I would feel when I got there, but I was so surrounded and supported by people, it just carried me through.

"What struck me were all the smiles, all the emotion. Nobody was flat. And that truly reflects the spirit of Joe. . . . I think my husband would have been incredibly proud beyond words."

Their son, Sam - diagnosed with diabetes when he was 2 - held the flag for the national anthem during the opening ceremonies and fired the cap gun that started the race.

"He had a smile on his face the entire day," Karen Lyons said. "He's only 8 so I'm not sure he's reflected on it yet - but I know he had a great day and he was very proud to be who he was."

Race organizer Bill Burnett said foggy conditions meant shortening the quarter-mile ocean swim, but the race - which also includes a 12.5 mile bike course and 3.2 mile run - went smoothly. Olympic triathlete Jarrod Shoemaker of Maynard was the winner, with a time of 50 minutes 43 seconds. His wife, Alicia Kaye, led the women with a time of 56 minutes 19 seconds.

"I am so proud for Karen, so proud of the athletes and so proud of our town," Burnett said. "It brings a community together and I'm so happy for that. It's why I started the thing. I'm definitely going to do it again."

Burnett said his favorite part of the day was seeing Team Lyons take the stage at Sandy Beach in the post-race ceremony, as the crowd applauded.

Karen Lyons doesn't remember exactly what she said at that moment but "I know I said thank you."

Johanna Seltz can be reached at seelenfam@verizon.net.