FEATURES
Cami, Elena & Vanessa...
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Tuesday, 28 March 2023 00:10
If the MMH Committee decides to name nominees and winners this year, Matt and Damon will favor what they consider three slam-dunk candidates for Most Improved female triathlete. After having studied the resumes of at least a dozen athletes, these are the trio, in alpha order, that they recommend most highly:
CAMI ECKHOFF, 35, Detroit Lakes (photo below) - Runner-up for Rookie of the Year in 2021, Cami's speed and competitiveness improved dramatically this season. Her course record win at Alexandria, and her victory at Young Life Sprint are good example of those things. She placed 2nd overall at both races. Granted, those are not super competitive events, but she threw down the kind of fast times that established amateur elites would be proud of. At Alex, she lowered the women's course record by 4:23.
But it was her 2nd place performance at Square Lake Half that sealed the deal for her. Arguably the most challenging 70.3 in our region, she posted a 4:54:16, and sub-5s are rare on that course. The time bettered her personal best at the distance by 16-minutes....
Luke, Daniel, Craig, Thomas & Jeffrey...
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Saturday, 25 March 2023 00:10
Today, Matt and Damon are looking at the 2022 resumes of our state's Grand Masters, i.e. men age 60-and-up, women age 55-and-up. They are looking for AG wins and records, understanding of course, that not all records are equal. A divisional record at older and typically more competitive races--Apple, Buffalo, Chisago, Maple Grove, for instance--are more "attention-grabbing" than at a small and/or younger race. Still, the smaller races sometime produce very fast AG times and Matt and Damon do not want to overlook or discount those efforts.
In needs to be mentioned that GM athletes are measured against some very high standards. World class age group athletes like TONY SCHILLER and JAN GUENTHER have garnered most of the GMOY titles recently, doing so on the heels of their talented predecessors --NEIL KING, GREG TAYLOR, BEN EWERS and PAM STEVENS.
High standards, indeed.
Here, in alpha order, are some of the men that are currently in the GMOY nomination discussion: ...
"Your Body Can do a Lot More Than You Think it Can"...
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Wednesday, 22 March 2023 00:10
By Evan Michealson (saukrapidsherald.com)
Amy Woolsey was looking for a new challenge when she participated in the Chain of Lakes Sprint Triathlon in Alexandria in 2002. When she completed the race, she not only discovered an additional way of testing herself, but also a sense of purpose....
Honoring a Legend...
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Wednesday, 08 March 2023 00:10
By Nick Morales
The MN Triathlon Community and Triathlon in general lost a great and inspirational athlete with the passing of Bob Powers at the age of 98. This picture was from 2015 at the Heart of the Lake Triathlon. He was probably 90 or 91. Heard he did his last triathlon at 92.
Bob took up the sport of triathlon at the age of 65.
In his later years he wasn’t the fastest guy on the course, but for sure he was the most determined guy to get to the finish line. Even though he was tired after crossing the finish line he was always surrounded by people talking to him.
I interviewed Bob once. He was more interested in what I was up to versus talking about himself. I learned he was a Marine who served our country in war, he might have received a medal or two for his service (would have to find that old interview but recall something like this).
Exercise and Living Longer...
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Sunday, 26 February 2023 00:10
By Sara Berg, MS (ama-assn.org)
Consistent exercise is good for a person’s health and well-being—that is well known. But how many minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity are needed to lower the risk of premature mortality? A study published in the journal Circulation defines that number and shares guidance on what level of physical activity is needed to maintain health and improve fitness.
While the 2018 physical activity guidelines recommend that adults engage in at least 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate exercise, 75 to 150 minutes each week of vigorous movement or an equivalent combination of both intensities, it turns out that if adults do more than the recommended amount, it can help them live longer. Moderate physical activity is defined as walking, weightlifting and lower-intensity exercise. Meanwhile, vigorous exercise is categorized as running, bicycling and swimming....
