Tinker man notches half-Redman finish Published Oct. 7, 2010 By John Stuart Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Conditions were perfect for the Redman Triathlon in Oklahoma City, the Sooner State's Iron distance triathlon. Tinker's Charles Sherwin was on the scene for the Sept. 25 race, going for a finish in the half Ironman category -- a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run. The weather at the course, which starts with a dunk in Lake Hefner, couldn't have been better. "The weather conditions on race day were nearly perfect," said Sherwin, a colonel with the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center. "At the start it felt like 61 degrees, winds were calm and visibility was 10 miles." Competing in the 45-49 age bracket, Sherwin finished the race in 6:17:31, a little slower than his goal. "The race went great for me," Sherwin said. "I passed some people and some people passed me in all three legs of the triathlon. My finish time placed me right in the middle of my age group." Sherwin has completed multiple sprint and Olympic distance triathlons, as well as six half-Ironman events and one full Ironman race in 2000. "What stood out to me from this event were the people," Sherwin said. "From the people putting the race on, to the volunteers, to the athletes themselves. Everyone had a smile on his face and supported each other with tremendous charity."