Great Race XXVII was barely in the books. So what was on Bob Murdock's mind? Great Race XXVIII, of course.

Racing in tandem with Billy Norton, the duo had recently taken fourth place in the dual division #- Murdock was the runner, Norton the cyclist and they both paddled.

Murdock wanted more.

His goal was to jump into the top 20 overall to be an award winner in central New York triathlon tradition.

So he made some phone calls #) to some athletes he had never even met #) and formed a new team.

“He seemed real enthusiastic and really committed to be on a team that was an award winner,” said Brian Hahn, a cyclist whom Murdock called out of the blue.

It didn't take long.

Murdock's new team, L8 For a Date, was nothing like the name suggested. The foursome took 10th place in its first go-around, and finished 15th a year ago. The team had planned to try to crack single digits in Great Race XXX, but Murdock, of Auburn, won't get the chance.

Murdock was killed on July 26, when his UPS delivery truck was involved in an accident on the New York Thruway near Salina. He was 49.

“He was just a great guy,” said Gerry McOmber, the runner on L8 For a Date. “(He was) very dedicated to canoeing, very dedicated to running, dedicated to everything. He was always in a good mood.”

Even when most people would find it hard to be happy.

After Murdock had asked McOmber to join the team, the two quickly became friends and running partners. The duo would run every Wednesday at 6 a.m., rain or shine #) or snow.

“We would be in Onondaga Lake Park in February when it's 10 degrees outside,” McOmber said. “Guaranteed he'd be there. He's ready to go with a smile on his face.”

Needless to say, training without him has been a difficult journey.

“It's been kind of an emotional roller coaster,” McOmber said. “I've been up and down with my running. (Sometimes I) go out and run too fast, caught up in the emotion.”

McOmber added that his times have been more consistent lately, and he's transformed that emotion into motivation.

“It's now become an inspiration because I know he'd be out there doing it with me,” he said. “I got to keep going for my team.”

Still, when race day hits, it won't be easy for his teammates to keep their emotions in check. They've already talked about adapting the team name to honor Murdock. If not this year, then next year for sure.

“It's going to be pretty hard to deal with,” McOmber said of race day. “He was pretty well knitted in; he just knew everyone in Auburn. It's going to be difficult when that fifth mile comes around and you're hurting.”

But Murdock would have pushed through it. And his former teammates know they'll have to as well.

“You get a guy like that on your team, it makes you want to give 110 percent, too,” Hahn said. “That was the best part about having him on the team.”