Race Coverage

Just Like "Real Life"....

Sunday, 30 October 2016 23:10

By Sara Carlson (sarastrilife.blogspot.com)

Ironman World Championship Race Report - t is still surreal to me that I actually did it!! My IWC is completed and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the race and experience. To say I enjoyed the race would be a bit of an overstatement. At some point in the day Ironman racing hurts for everyone. There are many ups and downs throughout the whole event. But, just like “real life”, it’s the attitude we take in handling these challenges that can reveal what we’re truly committed to and what we’re willing to do to reach our goals. In my training leading up to Kona, I felt like I did as much as I possibly could (for a Minnesota girl) to prepare for the heat and humidity. I spent more time in my training room with my three heaters on full blast & no fan while pedaling away on the trainer than I’d like to admit. I allowed myself outdoor rides when it was hot and windy (which is minimal in MN) and, of course during the few races I did this year. But the conditions I encountered on race day were significantly more difficult than anything I could’ve created....

"Not My Best...Or Was It?"

Saturday, 29 October 2016 23:10

0.5 mi swim / 35.4 mi bike / 5.6 mi run // 41.5 mi total

By Christel Kippenhan (seecktri.wordpress.com)

Expect the unexpected, my mother once said. Because the unexpected most certainly will be expecting you.
~ Marjorie M. Liu

Leading up to the race

Superior Man 41.5 was my last scheduled triathlon for the 2016 season. Since it was two weeks after the USAT Nationals and two weeks after my work at Bemidji State University had started up again, we tried to hold over my A-race fitness with high intensity, low volume training....

"...I Just Wanted to Cry..."

Wednesday, 26 October 2016 23:10

By Heather Lendway (heatherlendway.com)

Mont-Tremblant 70.3 Race Report - I’m really far behind in race reporting so I’m going to implement rapid fire races reports. They’ll be short and sweet: 10 things good, bad and/or ugly. A quick note on why I haven’t been writing… I felt my last few races have been far from stellar and I find it hard to write about disappointment. I don’t want to be a broken record and I needed some time to process. On top of that life outside of triathlon has been keeping me on my toes....

"I Gave it My All"...

Saturday, 15 October 2016 23:10

ED. Voting for Triathletes Choice Race of the Year concludes tonight at 11:59 PM. VOTE

By Johnny Surprise

Ironman Maryland Race Report - My goal of completing 10 Ironman's was somewhat met on Saturday. The conditions were really bad and the flooding and high tide that engulfed the second half of the marathon was the craziest thing I've ever experienced in a race! With the cancellation of the swim, we were forced to do time trail start which pushed my start time to 9:40. The late start guaranteed me to get stuck in the muck and water. I gave it my all physically and I made sure to stay calm and just keep grinding and smiling!

This sport has had major role in my life since 1999. It is and will always be a measuring stick for me to test my mental and physical toughness as well as my ability to suffer and to do my very best when I really don't want to. It was here when I needed it most during the early years of my sobriety. It has given me long lasting friendships that I am so very thankful for. Evan Reed and Jennifer Martone are two of my dearest friends and fierce training partners and competitors who have always been there for me and who have made me better.
On Saturday, I had Wendy, my boys and Mimi who traveled down from West Point just to support me. This was Dylan and Jax's first time watching me compete in an Ironman. To see them along the course was incredible for...

"It All Made Sense"...

Friday, 14 October 2016 23:10

By Brad Mitchell (obsessivetripulsive.weebly.com - 9/8/16)

Des Moines Olympic Race Report - Six days a week. 51 weeks a year. Lots of miles. Lots of hard intervals. On Sunday it all made sense.
I have come a long way in four years from beginning as a non-runner, cyclist or swimmer. On Sunday I raced a 2:10:21 olympic distance race and a few things stood out;

*Beat a male pro's bike split and came within 20 seconds of another two
*Beat three male pro's run splits (* including TJ Tollakson. He did have knee surgery 9 weeks ago, but when you can average 27.8mph on the bike in the same race, you must be feeling pretty good!)
*Won my 40-44 age-group, was 9th overall amateur and first over 40 year old.
*I did this with a very slow swim (I see that as a positive moving forward)
*I LOVE to race. This distance is the ultimate challenge for me - hard out like a sprint but twice as long....

This & That....

Monday, 10 October 2016 23:10

IRONMAN LOUISVILLE - Maple Grove's ERIN HYNDMAN-FARRENS, a 2016 Most Improved nominee, became Minnesota's 2nd all-time fastest woman at the IM distance two days ago at Ironman Louisville, where she finished 3rd overall in the women's race in a time of 10:02:29, which was an 11:50 improvement on her prior personal best set at Ironman Arizona in 2015. Only MICHELLE ANDRES of East Gull Lake has a faster 140.6 PR (9:50:23 - Kona '13).