Race Coverage
"I Never Looked at My Watch"...
-
Friday, 07 August 2026 00:10
By Tiffany Kari Cizmas
First time at the Shell Lake Lions Triathlon! What a fab event! The course was lovely and very well marked with volunteers at every corner. The organizers exuded love and pride for their event. It had a very homey vibe like a home cooked meal.
The race:
The swim was calm, nice, and short just the way I and most like it however extra short because the leader missed a bouy and everyone followed (thank you leader!) With all the splashing, arm swinging, and foggy goggles it can be hard to see anything except for the people around you when you take a quick breath so we all just followed unknowingly like a herd of swimming cattle (with goggles).
The bike route was beautiful with good pavement for much of it. It rolled through farmland and then around Shell Lake. Despite a rougher feeling week and no real taper my legs felt pretty solid. Did my best to hold a strong steady effort that I could potentially hold at the 40K distance in two weeks at Nationals. Today was just about practice which really dropped the stress and nerves. If I could only feel that way at every race.
As for the run I eased in and never looked at my watch. I find checking my watch for pace only gets in my head. I wanted to purely run by feel and not judge myself. I knew there was about 1.25-1.5 mile of slightly uphill gravel on the back half that would also slow my roll. Looking to see how much slower I would be going on that stretch is something that has taken me years to learn not to do.
To my surprise I ran better than I expected. Hit some paces I hope to see in two weeks at my A race. Pulled off a 1st overall for females and 5th overall. And course record for women.
The real reason I signed up for this race was to hang with my dear friend Deanna. She has mentioned it for years but the timing wasn’t right. This year I made it a priority and so glad I did! Thanks D for the bed, fun hang, the cheers, and fabulous lunch! Oh and the pictures! Maybe we’ll get you in a relay next year.
Jeron's Breakout!
-
Wednesday, 05 August 2026 00:10
2026 Graniteman Big Lake Sprint Coverage – Jeron Hall, 20, came into the race hoping to come away with his first career tri win. He felt confident that a sub-1:10 would do the trick. He'd need to go three-plus minutes faster than last year to make that happen.
It was his bike split that made his goal seem not only possible, but likely. He surprised himself when he crossed the finish line in 1:05:24. He was reasonably sure that later starters could not match his time, much less better it.
He was right.
As it turned out, Jeron was not the only guy to beat the 70-minute mark, though. Last year's runner-up Brenner Hohenstein (1:11:39 in 2025) turned in a 1:09:27. Last year's 4th placer Ben Hall finished one place higher this time, his 1:12:34 proving to be 24-seconds faster than his 2025 time.
Knowing that pre-race favorite Andrea Myers, who had won two prior Graniteman Big Lake titles, started in a later wave, Alyssa Knese, pronounced Kah-naze-ee, was visibly anxious when she crossed the finish line ahead of the women's field. Then it was time to play the waiting game, and as Tom Petty so eloquently put it in song, “The Waiting is the Hardest Part.”
Myers, a 30-year multisport vet, has a victory-filled resume, her most recent being at Lake Rebecca, but she was unable to close the gap with Alyssa, who was visibly ecstatic when her victory was officially declared.
Andrea held on for second with 3rd place earned by Maggie Werba, who placed 6th earlier in the year at Graniteman Buffalo Olympic.
Werba, a former collegiate swimmer, is a neophyte triathlete who unsurprisingly has become addicted to the sport. She plans to file a race report soon. Stay tuned for that.
Sprint AG Top 3s:
0019M – 1. Connor Heltemes – 1:14:52, 2. Jack Jendro, 3. Gavin Runke
0019W – 1. Adeline Hitter – 1:36:56, 2. Eden Hill, 3. Haley Huntley
2029M – 1. Jeron Hall – 1:05:24, 2. Brenner Hohenstein, 3. Derek Schlitz
2029W – 1. Maggie Werba – 1:17:11, 2. Kamryn Robarge, 3. Elizabeth Altman
3039M – 1. Ben Myers – 1:12:34, 2. Brandon Brogly, 3. Steven Boos
3039W – 1. Alyssa Knese – 1:14:11, 2. Michelle Deedrick, 3. Olivia Erickson
4049M – 1. Andrew Volkenant – 1:114:05, 2. Jason Neumann, 3. Joe Casey
4049W – 1. Sarah Thompson – 1:24:30, 2. Daniele Niedermaier, 3. Kristina Burrack
5059M – 1. Timothy Huntley – 1:16:22, 2. Scott Myers, 3. Daniel Klein
5059W - 1. Andrea Myers – 1:15:59, 2. Tonya Rak, 3. Jill Silvernail
6069M – 1. Jeff Gilmer – 1:18:55, 2. Paul Schroeder, 3. Jim Nack
6069W – 1. Mary Deeg – 1:25:07, 2. Judith Peters, 3. Patricia Reeve
7079M – 1. Mike Borneke – 1:43:25, 2. Joe Gryskiewicz
7079W – 1. Carol Gragert – 1:49:34, 2. Jan Rubsam
Preston & Amy Lead the Way!
-
Monday, 03 August 2026 00:10
2026 Graniteman Big Lake Olympic Coverage - In 2025, 324 triathletes / tri relay athletes registered for the Big Lake Triathlon. Yesterday's edition of this great event registered 404 people, an 80-athlete growth spurt. We hope this portends increased race attendance generally in the post pandemic era.
Favorites prevailed in the Olympic race. Amid mild, hospitable weather conditions, Preston Youngdahl and Amy Preusser outsplit all rivals in each phase, giving each significant time to relax and rehydrate as they waited for their challengers to finish. Preston's fast 2:08:39 on a course that boasts four extra miles of cyling was uber impressive, not only because it provided a corpulent margin of victory, but because it now means that Preston, Minnesota's three-time Triathlete of the Year, owns the four fastest times on the six-year-old expanded course.
Amy should have been tired and sore after her podium finish in brutal conditions at Chisago 72.4 (not a misprint) six days earlier. If she was, it certainly didn't show. Her 2:31:10 ranks 2nd behind Cami Eckhoff's 2021 effort on the expanded course, and was a 6:48 improvement on her runner-up clocking last year. Her 2026 scorecard now consists of two fast wins and a 3rd.
Placing 2nd behind Youngdahl was Steven Voss, who also finished in the silver medal position last year. Voss was 4:03 faster this time around.
Placing 2nd, 5:37 behind Presseur, was a 35-year-old Periodontist from Tampa, Florida with an elite amateur racing resume. Her name is Kailand Cosgrove and her race application suggests that she may be living in Hopkins. We sure hope that's true. She would be a wonderful addition to the women's tri scene here in Minnesota.
Graniteman Big Lake Sprint coverage, with AG Top 3s, will post on Wednesday on Preston &'s Facebook page.
Olympic AG Top 3s
0019M - 1. Aiden Laue - 2:52:14, 2. Miles Hjelle
0019W - 1. Emerson Vetter - 3:39:10
2029M - 1. Ryan Preusser - 2:31:10, 2. Kyle Sweeney, 3. Brendan Smith
2029W - 1. Amy Preusser - 2:31:10, 2. Floria Elliott, 3. Erin Ruis
3039M - 1. Preston Youngdahl - 2:08:39, 2. Bryan. Tinajero, 3. Peter Goldberg
3039W - 1. Kailand Cosgrove - 2:36:56, 2. Audrey Davison, 3. Emily Williams
4049M - 1. Steven Voss - 2:18:24, 2. Craig Scgroeder, 3. Daniel Hurka
4049W - 1. Kristen Sauders - 2:53:31, 2. Jillian Reiner, 3. Marissa Mahowald
5059M - 1. Don Steenson - 2:38:38, 2. Richard Geisen, 3. Tony Casassa
5059W - 1. Holly Graubins - 3:12:36, 2. Holly Gigure
6069M - 1. Jim Gaubert - 3:02:42, 2. John Hoffman, 3. Jeff Lukasavitz
Sprint AG Top 3s
0019M - 1. Connor Heltemes - 1:14:52, 2. Jack Jendro, 3. Gavin Ruehl
0019W - 1. Adeline Hitter - 1:36:56, 2. Eden Hill, 3. Haley Huntly
2029M - 1. Jeron Hall - 1:05:24, 2. Brenner Hohenstein, 3. Derek Schlitz
2029W - 1. Maggie Werba - 1:17:11, 2. Kamryn Robarge, 3. Elizabeth Altman
3039M - 1. Ben Myers - 1:12:34, 2. Brandon Brogly, 3. Steven Boos
3039W - 1. Alyssa Knese - 1:14:11, 2. Michelle Deedrick, 3. Olivia Erickson
4049M - 1. Andrew Volkenant - 1:14:05, 2. Jason Neumann, 3. Joe Casey
4049W - 1. Sarah Thompson - 1:24:30, 2. Danielle Neidermaier, 3. Kristina. Burrack
5059M - 1. Timothy Huntley - 1:16:22, 2. Scott Myers, 3. Daniel Klein
5059W - 1. Cynthia Myers - 1:15:59, Tonya Rack, 3. Jill Silvernail
6069M - 1.Jeff Gilmer - 1:18:56, 2. Paul Schroeder, 3.Jim Nack
6069W - 1. Mary Deeg - 1:25:07, 2. Judith Peters, 3. Patricia Reeve
7079M - 1. Mike Borneke - 1:43:25, 2, Joe Gryskiewicz
7079W - 1. Carol Gragert - 1:49:34, 2. Jan Rubsam
"I Fell in Love With the Sport of Triathlon"...
-
Sunday, 02 August 2026 00:10
By Aiden Doughman
Turtleman triathlon race recap - Earlier this year I completed my first triathlon which was the Ironman 70.3 Oceanside. Before that race, I didn’t have any experience with swimming or biking and was a runner. While training for that race I fell in love with the sport of triathlon and a big help with that came from my coach, Ted Treise. I decided I wanted to continue to train for another triathlon and signed up for the Turtleman Olympic distance.
Going into the race I dialed back my training hours from what I was used to for the 70.3 but focused on my main training gaps: open water swimming, getting used to outdoor biking, and aero biking position. I spent two and half months leading up to the race doing most of my bike rides outdoors and swimming at Masters in Hopkins which helped my swimming form a lot.
Race day
The conditions on race week leading up to Saturday were brutally hot and the air quality was very poor due to the Canadian wildfire smoke. Luckily the air quality improved just in time for the race and the morning of the race the temperatures were a bit more mild.
Swim: B
The water temperatures were 86-87 degrees on race day which made the swim difficult. There was also more chop on the lake than I was used to from my other open water swims. Overall my pacing was good and was happy with my swim time.
T1: A-
My T1 was 1 minute 20 seconds and my heart rate was high coming out of the water. I was able to calm myself and quickly get on my bike.
Bike: B+
I was happy with my bike performance but felt as though I could have pushed on the up-hill sections more. I was able to hold Aero position for 90% of the race which was something I worked a lot on.
T2: B
My T2 time was 1 minute and 26 seconds. I struggled to get my socks on prior to my run and dropped one of my gels on the way out of transition.
Run: A-
At this point in the race the conditions were hot and my legs were tired. I was able to push and get a top 3 run course time to get 2nd overall in the race. Congrats to Dylan Courtermash for winning the race! I wasn’t able to catch him at the end with his strong run.
"Back and Forth With Lisa"....
-
Friday, 31 July 2026 00:10
By Christel Kippenhan
Timberman Sprint Triathlon – July 11, 2026 - Timberman Triathlon is one of those triathlons that I try to fit into my race calendar whenever possible. It is just such a great triathlon in such a great location. For those not in the know, Timberman takes place at Sugar Lake Lodge on Siseebakwet Lake (AKA Sugar Lake) near Cohasset, MN.
The weather forecast was for a hot and humid day. I was hoping that I would be done with the race before the temps got uncomfortably hot, yet the humidity reared its muggy head early on.
I love swimming in Siseebakwet Lake, the water is so nice and clear. This year the water level seemed to be higher than usual or was it lower? Either way, the already long, shallow water entry seemed even longer. I felt like I was jogging in just below knee-high water for the longest time: too shallow for swimming or dolphining, yet too high for running comfortably. But you really cannot complain about swimming in this really pristine lake, it is always a joy.
I did not feel as strong on the bike as I would have liked. But the great route with its rolling hills made up for somewhat flat legs and heavy breathing.
They say that the run goes first as one gets older, and this year it definitely feels this way. My legs were turning over OK on the flats, but whenever it was going uphill, I felt like was coming to a standstill. Luckily it is going downhill towards the finish line. I could just let gravity take over and I actually looked like I was running fast.
The whole triathlon, I was in a back-and-forth with Lisa Lendway. It was kind of motivating. With the time trial swim start, we started back-to-back. We came out of the water together. We started biking together. But then Lisa took off like an arrow, and I did not see her for most of the ride, until I reeled her in again at the end, and she entered T2 and exited T2 just ahead of me. I could pass her at the beginning of the run and managed to stay ahead of her to the finish line.
In the end, I finished 2nd overall, and decided the Women’s Master category for me. Not bad for a 61-year-old. Let’s hope I can find my running legs leading into Nationals in Milwaukee, WI on August 7th-9th.
"It Was Tough, But Oh So Worth It!"
-
Friday, 31 July 2026 00:10
By Doobie Kurus
20 years later - The Chisago Lakes Tri just celebrated their 20th anniversary. Congratulations! Chisago Lakes Tri (2007) was actually my first triathlon ever. Why Chisago? It had the shortest swim I could find! No joke! I went down the list on MN Tri News of 70+ MN triathlons (Yep! We used to have a lot more triathlons when I first started) looking at the swim distance options. ".5 mile? No!", ".3 mile? No!", "1.2!?! Never!", .25? Um, I guess?"
In 2007, I nervously walked down to the beach in a wetsuit, joined my wave, and took my first strokes when the horn went off. On Sunday, I opted to forgo the wetsuit, did a practice loop on the actual swim course, and confidently walked over to the starting line. I guess after 20 years and countless triathlons, I should expect to do more. In 2007, the bike course was 21 miles. On Sunday, it was 22.5 miles. In 2007, I ran in a simple plain black pair of tri shorts and a sleeveless C9 shirt from Target. On Sunday, I ran in a football jersey (underneath was a single piece tri-suit.) In 2007, it was hot and humid. On Sunday, it was hotter and humider!
I had done the Chisago Lakes 3 times before, including 2008 (sprint again) and 2010, when I did the 70.3 distance. Every year since though, I have been volunteering at the mount/dismount line as a way of giving back.
PSA: If you volunteer at races, THANK YOU! If you don't...DO IT! Volunteer please! It's not beneath any of us and is essential to events.
This year, I originally thought I was going to be gone for the Chisago Lakes Tri, as I was (believe it or not) setting the buoys for a 2-mile lake swim event in Stillwater. Turns out, the event got moved back to Saturday, so I asked Bill and Mandy Hansel (the current Chisago Lakes Tri Directors) if they would be okay with me participating instead this year. They said, "Yes!"
My wife, Joyce, and I came up Saturday afternoon and stopped off at Paradise Park for packet pickup. I chatted with Mandy and Bill to see how things were going. They mentioned about the latest weather forecasts, water temps, rescue trucks, deliveries of thousands of pounds of ice, contingency plans, etc.
PSA #2: Event Directors have a lot of moving parts, especially leading up to race day. Give them a break and benefit of the doubt. They have little reason to maliciously make a decision that would purposely and negatively impact your race day experience. However, they still have to make decisions, and some might not be what you want or as timely as you'd like. In any case, they will be the ones to make the decisions. The last thing they need are conversations on social media platforms questioning what they are doing. Not every decision will be the absolute best, but it will be with your best interest and safety in mind.
Joyce and I stayed overnight at a local hotel, as I've done numerous times in the past. We drove to Center City for their town festival and listened to a live band and some food and drink. We actually stopped at numerous places this weekend, including the Pickled Loon where I had a great conversation over drinks with a former mayor of Chisago.
PSA #3: Spend money in the towns you do events in! It's good for the local economy, plus it really helps the local businesses and citizens get on board when someone questions why the city allows the event to disrupt things in the community. Anyone recall that just a few years ago, the Chisago Lakes Tri got cancelled/suspended due to push back from the city? Be visible in the community and represent our sport well.
Now for a little race recap. I was up bright and early on race morning. The staff at the hotel we were staying at graciously opened up breakfast an hour early for us. As soon as I stepped out of the hotel, I could tell the air was moist from humidity. I pedaled over to the race venue and saw an army of volunteers in the dark ready to go! I quickly moved through the queue and found a good spot in the transition area. It was right next to a nice guy I spoke with before and after the race named Nathan Strudle, whom I found out was the overall winner of the sprint event. Impressive! I also spoke to a first-time triathlete who had a few friends around showing her the ropes. Nice! I got my transition area set up, went for a short bike ride and jog, before heading down towards the lake for a swim. I was in wave #13, so didn't enter the water until 7:37, which was 37 minutes after the first wave. The lead swimmers from the 1.2 mile distance were already coming out of the water before I started my swim. When the horn went off, I jogged a few steps in the water before finally diving in and swimming out to the first buoy. I felt I was swimming pretty straight and caught up to the wave(s) ahead of me by the first buoy. I felt pretty comfortable swimming and had lots of energy to run up the hill back to Transition. I later found out my swim time was the 15th our of 200+ sprint athletes. Nice!
On to the bike. Bill Hansel made a decision to move the mount/dismount line down to the street which really seemed to help keep congestion to a minimum. Within a mile, the bike route took us out onto Highway 8 for a couple of (bumpy) miles before turning back onto the (smoother) county roads. I felt pretty strong on the bike, but as the sun poked out from behind the clouds, I could feel streams of sweat going into my eyes to the point it was easier to remove my sunglasses altogether so I could wipe my eyes often. The bike course had been changed from 15 miles to 22.5 miles due to some road construction. Bill said it was either add 7 more miles or have people bike a mile over gravel. Good decision! I started feeling a little sluggish around mile 17 or so but plugged away. Before I knew it, I was back in Transition and slipping my football jersey on and running off with my football. I ran the whole way, only stopping to drink from the cup at the aid stations. The clouds came back which offered a nice reprieve on the run course, but the humidity was still high. I opted to NOT push it on the run, as I didn't want to take any chances. Nice and steady, I found myself crossing the finish line and spiking my football to race the emcee's delight. Moments later I was downing a Johnny Pop and some post-race food, while talking with other fellow triathletes. I'm not going to lie. It was tough at times on Sunday, but oh so worth it! It was also worth it that hotel room across Highway 8 where I was able to get out of those funky clothes and take a quick shower before heading home.
Thank you Bill and Mandy Hansel (the current race directors), Ben and Gloria West (the original race directors), the legion of volunteers, AND the great people of the Chisago Lakes area!
