Square Lake Half Stuff...

September 10, 2011

(YndeCam Photo - Dan Arlandson winning Liberty.)

Square Lake Long Course Semi-Preview - This year's MMAs will feature a new award category: Long Course Athlete of the Year. To receive consideration for a nomination, one must have turned in at least two elite LC (half IM, 111 and longer) performances this season.

What is an elite level performance?

To illustrate, let's peek at Dan Arlandson's 2011 LC resume. He won the Liberty Half in 4:13:09, the 2nd fastest time in the history of the event. He then won Full Vineman in northern Californian in a course record / PR / Performance of the Year nomination-worthy 9:04:07. These efforts are, in our opinion, elite level. ...

Arlandson is the current men's frontrunner for the LCAOY award, and he can strengthen that status with a win / fast time tomorrow at Square Lake, where he is the defending champion. A glance at the current reg list suggests that Dan should become a two-time SL champ, if his tires stay hard, that is.

Other guys who are potential LCAOY nominees include Matthew Payne (1st amateur at TriStar 111, 5th amateur at New Orleans 69.1) and Thunder Bay's Jon Balabuck (3rd amateur at Ironman Canada, 4th amateur at Eagleman 70.3). Jon has only raced in Minnesota twice this season. He needs at least one more race here in order to be eligible for consideration. We're told that he plans to race either at Square Lake (short course) or One Last Tri.

The leading contender for female long course athlete of the year has to be rookie phenom Ruth Brennan Morrey, who placed 3rd at Chisago and at Pigman. She's amazing!

Another great performance at Ironman Wisconsin could secure a nomination for Jan Guenther, who placed 2nd at Liberty in June and 5th at Chisago in July.

Back to Square Lake.

And speaking of talented women over the age of 50, we believe that 56-year-old Melinda Silbernick (photo R), a three-time Square Lake winner, has a shot at a podium finish on Sunday.

Who'll win the women's half?

Melinda might. But we suspect that a late registrant will triumph tomorrow.