Race Coverage

"Fun Size" Duathlon...

Tuesday, 30 September 2014 00:10

(Photo - CFD medalists, from L to R: Tom Couillard, who's into Kacey Musgrave's music, the insanely handsome Ron Dockery, who had a "heart thing" a few years back, but he's fine now, Shelly Tschida, AKA "The Pride of Vadnais Heights," whose last name sounds like "cheetah," not "Shy-da" like the lake in North Dakota, and Michel Sanders, who has 34 teeth and is into "Westerny" stuff. Great folks!)

By Warren Peece

Cascade Falls Du - The final outdoor multisport race on the Minnesota calendar was last Saturday and it was a goodie. Not large, only 61 finishers, it was the special event equivalent of a "Fun Size" candy bar. Whatever it is that makes little candy bars more "fun" than the bigger ones, was probably what made the Cascade Falls Duathlon more fun ...

than most of its larger counterparts. The event had a friendly and laid-back vibe. The weather was glorious, bright and just short of warm, and the locale was picturesque, rolling and woody. Uncle Randy (photo below R on his wedding day 33 years ago) strode the venue, infecting everyone with his effervescent good humor. Rookie race director, Diane Hankee, smiled and laughed and occasionally said Canadiany stuff, like "oot" and "aboot."

Then there were the participants, like Clydesdale divisional champ Jeff Dahle, an amiable and furry fellow, who had to miss the awards presentation. A farmer, he needed to, we're not making this up, "combine his low-moisture corn." He suggested that Diane "give his medal to a kid." Nice guy.

And Barbara McKinley, a bubbly 65 that could pass for 50, from Chippewa Falls, who finally toured the Leinenkugel Brewery in her hometown last March. There she discovered "Summer Shandy," and has been hooked ever since. We're not sure, but we suspect that her water bottles contained the fruity brew.

Because the event was "Fun Size," we made a point visiting the Facebook pages of most of the entrants and learned  a lot cool stuff that would be mentioned during the race, like:

- Carol Awe likes the Packers and is into heavy metal music. "Sweet Child 'O Mine" by Guns N Roses was played just for her. Doing her first multisport race, she had yet to invest heavily in her equipment and apparel. Her bike was as old as she was, and had a kickstand and required two hands and some grunting to lift. We nicknamed her "Carol Awesome."

- Joyce Boetler likes Stephen King novels (Who doesn't?). "The Stand" is one of her favorites.

- Sara Downs watches "Ellen" and rents movies from Red Box.

- Paul Finken is a "Good Neighbor Meal" volunteer, who helps feed the lonely and the homeless twice a month. If there were a "Humanitarian" division, he'd win it, as they say, hands-down.

- David Kerber is hooked on "Mad Men" and boldy drinks Stella Artois, which he insists is NOT a girly beer.

- Charlie Manson is a big, affable fellow who doesn't read much and has seen "Barenaked Ladies" in concert.

- Whitney Knauer is originally from Pennsylvania, has a cat and eats "Glam Doll Donuts."

- Kevin Link is from Siren, Wisconsin, loves running, has read The Bible from cover to cover and is a regular at the Chattering Squirrel coffee shop.

The race featured a gently rolling run course and an insanely hilly bike route. The pre-race favorites, Brian Sames and his college friend Regina Horak, lived up to their billing, Brian doing so in dominating fashion, while Regina had to overtake Shelley Ostrander on the final run to claim her victory.

But running is what Horak does better than most of her peers. Her opening 3-mile split was 18:07. Her closing split on the same course was even faster, a 17:59.

Regina is now two-for-two in regional dus. She also won at Falls in 2012. She is very nice and a a talented athlete. We'd like to see her race more often.

Ostrander, who recorded her first two career multisport wins earlier in the season, held on for 2nd. Interestingly, it was her husband Joe who placed 2nd behind Sames, pronounced "Sahm-ess." FYI, the win was Brian's 5th of the 2014 season and 13th of his career, which began in 2012.

The podiums were completed by run-loving, coffee-drinking, Bible reading Kevin Link, and Basset Hound (photo) lover Nicole Finstad, whose reset PRs at half and full IM this year.

The "Fun Size" Cascade Falls Duathlon was a sweet event, a great way to cap a great season. RESULTS