FEATURES

Fueled Hunger...

Thursday, 07 January 2021 23:10

Last Monday we reached out to about fifty of our state's most accomplished triathletes. We asked them to offer some post-pandemic motivational words for Minnesota's multisport community. The goal is to get folks fired up for the 2021 season.

We immediately heard from several athletes, and chose to kick off these posts with the wise and inspiring comments of long-course stud DAN ARLANDSON, the only Minnesotan to win two Iron-distance races (Vineman and Great Floridian) in the same season.

Hi MTN, happy to share my thoughts:

I am a fan of “Once a Runner” although the message of that book can be applied to triathlon, as well. This is one of my favorite quotes.
“You don't become a runner by winning a morning workout. The only true way is to marshal the ferocity of your ambition over the course of many day, weeks, months, and (if you could finally come to accept it) years.”
― John L. Parker Jr., Once a Runner

The “ferocity of my ambition” has been fueled by a lost season from the following realizations:
1) We are lucky to be able to race and train for this silly sport. Super duper lucky.
2) This silly sport is anything but silly....

A "Participation Boom" in 2021?

Tuesday, 05 January 2021 23:10

By Barry Siff (triathlete .com)

Iggy Pop, an icon of 70s rock, said in Rolling Stone Magazine recently: “I know when I do come back onstage, it’s going to feel great. Imagine what kind of party we’re going to have.” The same can be said of endurance events. When we get to come back to races, it’s going to be a party!

Essentially shut down now for nine months now, mass participation events like triathlons, running, and cycling races have been postponed, canceled, or held virtually. The question is what is going to happen when they finally get to come back?—when the new normal sets in, when the vaccine takes hold, and when mass participation events get the green light again...

The "Pain Train" is Male "Athlete of the Decade"....

Saturday, 02 January 2021 23:10

ATHLETES OF THE DECADE - Determining the female AOD was tough, with HEATHER LENDWAY ultimately nudging RUTH BRENNAN MORREY for the honor.

Figuring out which male athlete best deserves the AOD was even harder, but in the end it was "The Pain Train" (MATTHEW PAYNE) who came out on top....

HEATHER LENDWAY IS "ATHLETE OF THE DECADE!"

Saturday, 26 December 2020 23:10

ATHLETE OF THE DECADE - 2011-2020 - Today we reveal the female AOD and explain some of the reasons for our choice. It's important to remember that what is being determined is which athlete had the most successful decade of racing, not which person is perceived to be the best tri / du-athlete.

Next, success is relative. Amateur athletes are measured against elite standards for amateur athletes, and pro athletes are measured against credentialed pro athletes. Two of the female athletes that are vying for AOD had brief amateur careers, wherein their performances were measured against the highest amateur standards, before turning pro, when their efforts were compared to fellow professionals.

Let's now attempt to explain why the MMH Committee selected HEATHER LENDWAY as AOD ahead of fellow nominees RUTH BRENNAN MORREY, GABY BUNTEN and HANNA GRINAKER.

Heather, RBM and Hanna enjoyed meteoric starts to their careers, that is, they started winning in their first season of racing. Gaby, on the other hand, raced for at least four years before she started winning. Her first W was posted in 2014 and her first recognized national-level victory (Minneapolis) happened in 2017. She then went on to win at Nationals (2018) and St. Anthony's (2019), and place 2nd overall female amateur at Worlds in 2018.

She had paid her dues, and has been recognized by her peers as one of the premier amateur triathletes in the US....