Cashin Sets Pump-Run Mark

    Caroline Cashin, with 120 pumps, which took the pressure off her in the subsequent run that spanned the Atlantic and Indian Wells Beaches in Amagansett, was the runner-up to Neil Falkenhan and set a record for women in the Body Tech and Old Montauk Athletic Club’s “Pump and Run” competition on Aug. 22.

    This year, “thanks to my workouts at [her husband Ed’s] Exceed Fitness studio” on Plank Road, Cashin chest-pressed the bar 120 times, 22 more repetitions than she did at the same event in 2011.

    “The great part about this race,” the 36-year-old Cashin said, “is that you don’t have to be a fast runner to do well. Two years ago Mike [Bahel] beat me by three seconds — this year I beat him by three.”

    “I stopped spinning this year,” she continued, “and focused more on functional classes, and really noticed a difference. Not only was my lower body more toned, I was more fit in general. I know athletes who train at Exceed Fitness and they get results, but Ed’s classes aren’t just for athletic people — they’re open to everyone of all fitness levels.”

    Falkenhan, who’s 28, did 71 reps of 60 percent of his body weight and ran the 1.7-mile stretch in 9:58. Given his chest-press credits, which were translated into seconds and then deducted from his run time, he netted a 6:25.

    Caroline Cashin’s net time for the run was 7:22. Behind her in the standings were Bahel, 46, at 7:25; Erik Engstrom, 14, at 8:51, and Mike Bunce, 26, at 9:32. There were 20 competitors in all.

    Henrika Conner of the Old Montauk Athletic Club said later that “without Mike this event wouldn’t happen. He provided the weights, the T-shirts, water, food, and prizes. Billy O’Donnell brought a bench and more. The club provided the clock.”