Race Previews
The Final Multi of the Season...
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Tuesday, 25 September 2018 23:10
FALL CLASSIC DUATHLON - The 13th edition of this season-finale event will happen this Saturday, and we hope that Minnesota athletes will take advantage of the opportunity to extend their seasons.
Have you read the event overview on TriFitnessWBL.com? Even if you have, we are reprinting it here because it's enticing stuff.
Will Minnesotans Rock at IMOO? We Think So...
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Wednesday, 05 September 2018 23:10
IRONMAN WISCONSIN - Can you believe that Ironman Wisconsin will celebrate it's 17th anniversary on Sunday? It's true. Our region's grandest multisport event, one that is arguably the premier "domestic," ie. "mainland," 140.6, has been around for almost two decades already.
Time flies when you're having fun....
Square Lake XIX Preview...
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Tuesday, 04 September 2018 23:10
SQUARE LAKE PREVIEW - Next Saturday and Sunday the Square Lake 70.3 (Saturday) and Sprint (Sunday) will happen. We glanced at an entrant list last week and saw that world class amateur endurance athlete JAN GUENTHER, now 59, was on the 70.3 start list. This got us excited. We recall the 2001 Square Lake races when Jan won the Half IM on Saturday, returned on Sunday and placed 2nd in the Sprint. Two years later--she missed 2002 because she was busy WINNING Ironman Wisconsin, which shared the same weekend--she won the half again. Exhausted, she lay in the grass afterward and asked how hot it was. She was told that temps were in the mid-90s, with dew points in the mid-70s. She replied, "Good. That explains why I feel so lousy."
Despite the broiling temps and juicy air, Jan set a course and masters record in 2003. Her time was a circumstantially remarkable 4:49:21...
Hopkins Preview...
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Thursday, 30 August 2018 23:10
HOPKINS ROYAL PREVIEW - Doobie's event, a perennial "Race of the Year" nominee--it won the award in 2015, is all about celebrating healthy living and building community. It has never been about creating a highliy competitive race, though it has always managed to draw a few credentialed athletes.
This year is slightly different, though. Like it or not, Doob, you have got yourself a very talented field, but that won't diminish the event's deeply imprinted celebratory / community building legacy.
(FYI - One of the ways Doobie promotes "community" is by inviting the directors of other races promote their events at the Hopkins Royal Triathlon. His message is one of "unity" with other races, not competition among them. Pretty cool, huh.)
So, while the majority of the 400 entrants are playing and recreating this Saturday, a couple of dozen regional and national elites will almost certainly rewrite some records.
The current women's course record is SARAH MERCER's 1:09:39, set it 2014. That is also the women's masters record. While it is a very solid MR, SUZIE FOX proved in 2015, that it may be a tad soft as an overall CR. The bike course was longer that year, and Suzie's 1:11:02 was the equivalent of a high-1:06 / low-1:07 result.
We mention this because there are at least two women in this year's field that, weather permitting, and it looks like it will, should pop 1:06s or faster. We're talking about BECKY YOUNGBERG and NICOLE HEININGER. Youngberg will come in as the favorite, as she has won her last three races, all in record time. The 43-year-old Eden Prairie resident appears destined to receive a Triathlete of the Year nomination. We'd be very surprised if she didn't cover the 750 yard - 13 - 5K course in 1:05, or faster.
Then there's Heininger, who collected her 14th career win at Chisago Sprint. Since her Rookie of the Year season in 2013, she has established herself as a threat to win every race she enters....
Maple Grove Name-Dropping...
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Thursday, 23 August 2018 23:10
MAPLE GROVE TRIATHLON PREVIEW - It's hard to believe that the Maple Grove Triathlon will celebrate its 9th anniversary tomorrow. But its true.
Those who have done this race know that it is awesome. It is well-attended and staged beautifully at a truly world class venue....
A Superior Race....
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Wednesday, 22 August 2018 23:10
SUPERIOR MAN TRIATHLON - The 7th edition of this decorated (three-time "Race of the Year") event is next Sunday, and we can't wait to get there. It is truly an exciting event, and the competition, especially in the half IM, is awesome. Did you know that an amateur men's state record was set there last year--MATT CYMANSKI's 4:01:40--and a women's amateur state standard--NICOLE WALKER's 4:25:05--was set there in 2016?
It's true, and how cool is that!
Do we expect those records to tumble on Sunday? We are reluctant to predict that, but it could happen. HANNA GRINAKER (photo) popped a 4:28 at Chisago, and was on pace to go that fast, or faster, at Liberty when weather surgerized the run course.
With her IM debut just weeks away, we suspect that Hanna will target the men, not the women, on Sunday. Her goal will be to catch and pass as many credentialed guys as possible. We're predicting a sub-4:30 for her, and a spot in the overall Top 5-7.
Grinaker's boyfriend is 2017 MInnesota Triathlete of the Year SEAN COOLEY, who has already won Superior Man FOUR times. His personal best here is 4:04:21. Can he take the CR down next weekend? Sure. In our opinion, he's the one Minnesota guy who, at this point in time, has a legit shot at cracking the 4-hour mark.
We're hoping that the weather will cooperate on Sunday--current forecast is for temps between 60 and 72, with light winds out of the NNE--so that more Superior Man magic will happen.
Here's some of many things we hope to see: ...
