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Holden Wins Again! Sortland Surprises!
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Tuesday, 18 June 2019 23:10
Photo - Talented teens Natasha Sortland and Noah Billings.
FAIRMONT TRIATHLON - Since 2013, DAVID HOLDEN has won at least 10 multisport races. During this period he had been nominated for Master of the Year several times. And 30% of those wins had been at Fairmont, with another three Ws recorded there between 2007 and 2012. Holden's only non-win at the FT was a close 2nd behind talented tri-rookie TOBY HENKELS in 2015. Only seven seconds separated those men.
And yes, Holden, now 50, won the Fairmont Olympic race last Saturday. His margin-of-victory was substantial--3:42--though not as thick as in most years. And his time was a very solid 2:04:45.
Placing 2nd was South Dakota teen LIAM REESE, with 3rd going to North Mankato's KYLE KRAUSE, whose 2:12:27 was eight-and-a-half minutes faster than his runner-up time here in 2018.
Mankato's JULIE BUSCH, 45, winner of Fairmont's Sprint race in 2018, and Olympic runner-up here in 2017, led the women's field. Lakeville's JESSIE MEYER claimed the silver, with Sioux Falls' KAMMIE PETERSON filling out the women's podium....
Drama & Big Trophies...
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Sunday, 16 June 2019 23:10
LAKE MINNETONKA TRIATHLON - Fifty weeks ago, JOSH MORK sped out of T2 in first place at the Lake Waconia Triathlon. He was facing what was certainly the deepest men's field of the season, and though he was recognized as possessing "elite" credentials, it certainly appeared that he was, as they say, "in way over his head." The guys he was facing--PARISH, O'CONNOR, CRUSER, TREISE, BLANKENHEIM, ADRIAENS et al--were men he'd never beaten before....
Eight AG Records Fall at Lake Minnetonka!
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Saturday, 15 June 2019 23:10
LAKE MINNETONKA TRIATHON COVERAGE - TOM COUILLARD, a newcomer to "Level 7," set a new 70-74M age group record yesterday at the 16th edition of this classic event. On Facebook, he succinctly, yet eloquently, described the race:
The Lake Minnetonka Triathlon does not go small on trophies for age-group winners. Like the lake itself, this race offers big challenges on a nasty weather day on the big water ... choppy waves in the half mile swim; never-ending hills and headwinds on the 15-mile bike; and nothing but rain, mud, muck and misery on the 3-mile run. Fun race!
Those last two words, especially, summed up the experience, not only for Tom, but for the other 466 participants who crossed LMT's mud-bog finish line.
In case you didn't know, Couillard, aka "The Pride of White Bear Lake," is a HOOT! He also shaved seven minutes off his AG's record. Here are the other AG records that were rewritten yesterday:
- 00-19 BOYS - KYLE SWENSON - 1:10:43 - Kyle, who also rocked an AG record at Buffalo Sprint, lowered a MICHAEL WILLIAMS (three-time Minnesota Junior of the Year!) record that has stood since 2006 (!) by 2:06....
Mentally Positive and Open to Education...
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Thursday, 13 June 2019 23:10
By Jan Guenther
I flew into a concrete curb. Figuratively & literally. That Wed, May 29th much of my active life, changed.
Ironically this bike crash happened shortly after writing the previous blog, which expressed gratitude. Now I must live my words. I made a mistake on our Gear West group bike ride. While cruising about 22+ mph in my aero bars on a wide open industrial park road, discussing new shoe models with our Hoka sales rep, I saw the huge pothole at the last second. With just enough time to hastily transfer my arms from the aero position to the side bars, I decided to avoid bringing Mr Hoka down, and instead attacked the hole head-on. That did not work too well. I remember feeling that my bike broke in half (it was my aero bar wing that gave way) as I catapulted in a spin? Airborne? 44 ft into the concrete curb. I don’t remember much.
From there, I have only experienced the best that hospital care from North Memorial offers for my injuries: a fib/tib plateau compression fracture and four broken ribs. Surgery the next morning drilled in 6 screws and a plate and I am off my feet for three months. Greatest difficulty now is to avoid sneezing....
"...Filled With Nostalgia"....
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Wednesday, 12 June 2019 23:10
Back to my Roots....
By Jacob Braaten
TINONA RACE REPORT - Technically speaking, the 2009 Minnewaska Triathlon was my first tri. It came a month before I started my junior year of high school, on a bike I had gotten three weeks before the race. I spent the whole ride in the little chain ring because, quite frankly, I was too dumb to know how bikes worked. I don’t count this as the start of my triathlon career because it is not the race that hooked me.
The race that got me hooked was the 2012 Trinona. In late April of my first year of college, my dad called me and said, “Your brother and I are doing this race. I am signing you up for the Olympic Distance.” And that was that. I did laps in the pool for the first time the next day. Those first few attempts, I couldn’t get more than 3 or 4 lengths before I had to stop. I kept hammering away and made it to the start line knowing that I could swim the distance because I had done 1500 yards straight through with open turns (YIKES!).
It turned out that first race was a blast! One of those days where everything went to plan, and I passed my brother on the way to a podium position in my first race! ...
