FEATURES

RAAM Odyssey...

RAM-Medal.gifED. We got this email last weej from Dan Gruhlke:

Dear MTN Guys,
.... I wanted to pass along some tidbits about a local boy (well, young man), Luke Kocher, who’s preparing for the MN RAAM ride July 25th. I know it’s not a tri, but his story speaks to those who are in it for health, with a competition kicker.


I first met Luke as a kindergarten student of mine. Well, now he’s grown (in his mid-20’s), and has competed in the MN RAAM 120 (2013) and is presently preparing for the MN RAAM 400 that may qualify him for the big Kahuna itself (RAAM 2016). ....


In the meantime, here’s some background info. that I asked Luke for my own edification:  ...

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A Great Book & a Cool Scientific Study...

melanie-book.gifED. MELANIE is one of our region's tri/du pioneers. We've known of her for more than three decades and met and instantly befriended her in 1998. We love her to pieces. She's won a ton of tris and dus in Minnesota and is well known and liked by our state's multisport veterans. We've just finished reading her book, and it's wonderful. We recommend it with ever fiber of our being.

FYI, she'll be racing at Chisago on Sunday.

Amazon.com - Melanie Carvell is a gifted athlete who grew up in a small town in southwestern North Dakota in the 1970s. This beautiful memoir tells the story of Melanie’s remarkable journey, from the agricultural village of Mott (population 732) to world duathlon and triathlon competitions, then a splendid career as a physical therapist, director of the Sanford Women’s Health Center in Bismarck, North Dakota, and a widely sought-after motivational speaker.

Melanie learned to run on the northern Great Plains where the winters are long and harsh and the wind tests the human spirit. She attributes her national and international success to her agrarian roots and the challenge of biking, running, and swimming in one of the most formidable landscapes of America. Her motivational philosophy is, “If I can do these things, given the modesty of my upbringing and the harshness of the Dakota climate, so can you.” Running with the Antelope inspire readers to begin a program of athletic training, weight loss, or general self-improvement....

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Jenn's Journey...

jenn-tape.gifBy Jenn Scudiero (for usatriathlon.com)

Running has always been part of my life. In high school, I joined the track and cross country teams. I played rugby in college and ran on my own throughout. I began running more seriously, including racing, after graduation. The year I graduated college I ran my first marathon, and then another, and another. Seven marathons later I was getting a little burned out. Running was still my passion, but I needed to add in something else to break it up a bit. That’s when my husband got me back on a bike. It made me feel like a kid again!

In 2007 I decided to combine my passion of running with my newfound passion of biking and compete in a duathlon. I chose an all-women’s duathlon, Iron Girl, as it seemed a bit less scary at the time. I instantly loved the challenge and camaraderie! I continued to race Iron Girl as well as local running races for a few more years. In 2010, I decided to focus more on duathlon. I added a few more to my racing schedule and haven’t looked back. It has become a part of my life. At the end of 2010, I became pregnant with my daughter. I ran through pregnancy, even running events until 36 weeks pregnant. I resumed duathlon racing again in 2012. I had ....

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Mouthgasmic Summer Fare...

grilling-stuff.gifBy Katie Davis (usatriathlon.org)

With summer here, it is prime grilling time. Light up the grill and kick off the season with these fresh ideas and a recipe for grilled shrimp and vegetable kabobs. Grilling is a healthy way to prepare food for many reasons.

1. Grilling Decreases Fat
Instead of cooking in fat, the fat drips off of the food, which decreases the overall fat content of the meat.

2. Grilling Retains Moisture
Grilling sears the food, which helps retain moisture. This means added fats such as butter are unnecessary, which further helps to reduce total calories....

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Bouncing Back....

clock-lady.gifBy Jason Gootman and Will Kirousis

Let’s get nerdy for a moment and look at three definitions.

Metabolism: The sum of the chemical and physical changes occurring in tissue, consisting of anabolism (those reactions that convert small molecules into large), and catabolism (those reactions that convert large molecules into small).

Catabolism: A series of degradative chemical reactions that break down complex molecules into smaller units, and in most cases releasing energy in the process....

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