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Deep Woods Off & Crazy Ivans...
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Friday, 09 August 2019 23:10
By David Leard
Chisago Lakes Half Ironman Race Report – 1.2-mile Swim, 56-mile Bike, 13.1-mile Run. When I went Paradise Park in Chisago City on Saturday for packet pick-up, cars were parked all over the place. My first thought was “I need to get here at about 4:30 tomorrow for any hope of finding a decent parking spot.” I made my hotel reservation late in the spring and had to stay about 20 minutes away, just across the state line in Wisconsin, in a spot with almost no cell phone signal. Set my alarm clock for 3:15 AM – and pretty much didn’t sleep during the night. Kept dozing off, waking up, checking the time, realized I forgot to bring a banana for breakfast and would that throw my whole race off, wondering if you bred spiders in low gravity in outer space in 100% oxygen atmosphere and relatively cool environment could they grow huge in size? Has NASA already tried this in the ISS?
Finally, at 3AM I just decided to get up and get moving. I could always take a nap in the car after securing a parking space. Double dose of oatmeal with blueberries, a slice of bread with peanut butter, coffee, and no banana, for breakfast. Loaded the bike. Headed to the race site. Arrived at just about 4:30, only two other cars in the parking lot. Perfect. Now that I’m back in Minnesota, I have cell phone coverage, so I checked the news and weather until the Transition Area opened at 4:45. The weather forecast was looking good. Temps in the 60’s and 70’s, partly cloudy, storms and rain supposed to hold off until the early evening.
Who comes to an event at a lake in Minnesota in pre-dawn hours and DOESN’T bring Bug Spray? Pretty much everyone but me, I guess. The Mosquito is the State Bird, for crying out loud. I became the most popular person in the transition area once it became known I had a can of Deep Woods Off. HAD being the nominal word. It’s empty now....
Weekend Mini-Previews - Sunday, August 11, 2019
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Thursday, 08 August 2019 23:10
Yesterday we posted mini-previews of this weekend's Saturday events. Today, we do likewise with the Sunday races.
GREEN LAKE TRATHLON - This Spicer event is one of the most fun, laid back triathlons on the Minnesota calendar. It is also one of the most scenic events, and the post-race amenities are awesome. Enrollment is up this year, despite its crowded date. This is a good thing.
And you can still get in.
Everyone needs to do this race, and once they have, they'll keep it on their annual calendar. RACE WEBSITE...
Mini-Previews....Saturday, August 10...
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Wednesday, 07 August 2019 23:10
The busiest racing weekend of the season is almost here. Slated are six in-state triathlons, a very cool SwimRun event, and the USAT Age Group National Championships. Two of these events have filled--Northwoods, and YWCA Women's Triathlon--so we implore those of you who are not currently signed up for an event this weekend, to select one (or two) of the remaining five races.
It is important that all of these fine races remain on the calendar.
So, here are the Saturday events, in alpha order:
GREAT UP NORTH TRIATHLON - ASHLEY HALL is the director. She's a very cool person with a very cool mission: to resurrect, and improve, what used to be known as the Rainy Lake Triathlon. Located in International Falls, this tri's slogan is: "Come For the Race. Stay For the Adventure."
When was the last time you visited International Falls? RACE WEBSITE...
A Memorable Day at Island Lake...
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Monday, 05 August 2019 23:20
BREWHOUSE OLYMPIC - WADE CRUSER, that silly goose, won this race in 2018. In the process he stripped JOSH BLANKENHEIM of the men's course record. Josh had hoped to reclaim the record this year, and do so against his nemesis / good friend / silly goose / Wade Cruser.
But Wade, Minnesota's 2018 Triathlete of the Year, did not make the trip to Island Lake this year. In fact, he hasn't traveled to ANY races this season....
Sisters Rock at Big Lake..
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Monday, 05 August 2019 23:10
GRANITEMAN BIG LAKE SPRINT - BRIAN SORHAUG loves the Graniteman races, and he excels at them. In fact, five of his triathlon victories have been G-Man events, the most recent of which happened last Saturday at Big Lake.
To make W #5 happen, he had to throw down the event's fastest run split.
Until he hit T2, Brian was racing basically neck-and-neck with PETER COLEMAN, a Nebraska transplant who likes to fish, and has been to Norway. His six-minute miles in phase three got him to the finish line in 1:06:07, a personal best on this course.
Coleman hung on for 2nd, twenty seven seconds in front of bronze medalist STEVEN WERT, a tri rookie with a lot of potential.
Juniors took three of the Top 5 spots in the women's Sprint. Gold and Silver were well-earned by the talented LUNDQUIST sisters, TAYLOR and SIMONE (photo), both of whom were podium favorites coming into the race.
Taylor won this event in 2017, the year she was named Minnesota Junior of the Year, but Saturday's Big Lake Sprint was her first tri of the summer, an injury keeping her on the sidelines until now. Was she healthy enough to win again? Would rust be an issue?
Taylor raced as if she had been racing successful all season long. No pain. No rust. And yes, she won. Her time was 12 seconds faster than her 2017 clocking. The 19-year-old Maple Grovian now has five career adult triathlon wins....
