MT WASHINGTON – The weather was suspect. Warnings of possible thunder and lightning cancelled the swim leg of the Sea to Summit 2.0 Triathlon. Sixty to 70 mph winds altered the push to the summit. Still, triathlete Scott Layton, of Rockport, conquered Mount Washington.

A year ago, Layton placed third. He then spent the winter working to improve his cycling; his training paid off. Not only did he secure first place this year, Saturday, June 24, but he crossed the finish line 44 minutes ahead of the second place athlete.

"I was quite stoked when I was the first biker to arrive in T2," Layton said. But, "I didn't want to get excited because anything can happen in a race. I stayed focused and pushed as hard as I could while being smart about descending on the wet rocks."

All of this year's 59 participants had to accomplish at least one half-Ironman race, or equivalent, in order to qualify for registration for the Sea to Summit 2.0.

"This is not a race for beginners," according to the registration website. The course consists of an approximately 1.5 mile swim, 95-plus mile bike ride and strenuous 5.5 mile run up the "most dangerous" mountain on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States.

Yet the racers don’t race entirely alone. Each participant is required to have a support person, known as a Sherpa, manage his or her gear at each transition station. The Sherpas aren’t allowed to follow behind in their cars as the athletes race. Vehicles on the course can be hazardous to the athletes, and to hand off any materials to competitors on the race course is cause for instant disqualification. Instead, the Sherpas are required to drive to designated transition points to meet their athletes.

Layton’s wife, Kate, acted as his Sherpa.

“She is as much the winner as I was,” he said. “There is no way I could do what I do without her doing what she does and supporting me so well.”

However, there was that one moment during an otherwise great run when Layton got a little nervous.

“In the last 10 miles Kate had to pull a U-turn and I was worrying she would not be at transition two with my running shoes. But she got there.”

Aside from that brief nervousness, Layton doesn’t claim any low points to his day. His race went very well, and his body, nutrition and attitude were on point all day, he said.

He and Kate competed in their first triathlon at the 2007 Maine Sport Triathlon. Four Lake Placid Tris followed in 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015. Layton didn’t compete in 2013 due to Kate’s breast cancer diagnosis that year.

Layton has also participated in the following:

Hope Sprint Tri, Maine Sport Olympic Tri, Belfast Sprint Tri, Lobsterman Olympic Tri, Timberman Half Ironman, Mooseman Half Ironman, Boston Marathon. Portland half marathon.

Additionally, Layton participated in the Kona Ironman.

Even for the accomplished athlete, the win at the Sea to Summit 2.0 had its glory.

“Sea to Summit is a fantastic race,” he said. Layton also praised the directors of the event.

“It really took some time for the win to sink in, but I have been really happy since.”

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Also see:

Rockport man qualifies for Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii

Rockport racer takes on Mt. Washington’s tough spring weather

 2017 Sea to Summit 2.0 race results

Sarah Thompson can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com