Race Coverage

A Jurassic Experience....

Sunday, 23 July 2017 09:10

BERTRAM BLAST II - Most know the gorgeous wilderness area near Monticello as Bertam Chain of Lakes Park. Last Saturday the park was transformed into the disco version of Jurassic Park, replete with dancing T-Rexes (photo).

Seriously cool.

Such was the awesome backdrop for the 2nd annual Bertam Blast Off Road Tri / Du / Trail Run, the brainchild of DR. BRETT ODEN, the man who gave us the Buffalo Triathlon. What he created at Bertram was a true "blast," as in a totally fun experience.

The event celebrated lots of good stuff, like the restorative power of nature, and the  healthful and social benefits of a special event where "play" outranked "competition." It was all about fun, and creating wonderful memories.

And it truly did accomplished those things.

Dancing / high-fiving T-Rexes, arguably the cleanest lake in Minnesota, scenic single and double track trails, nummilicious food and great music. The vibe was relaxed and jovial. Jurassic Bertam was a great place to hang out; a great place to recharge one's batteries for a few hours....

Because race reportage is what we do, here's what happened on the competitive side. Thunder Bay's JON BALABUCK has been popping  down to Minnesota for the last fifteen years and winning many of you state's most competitive and prestigious races, events like Buffalo Olympic (2011), Brewhouse (2011, 2009), Liberty Half (2009), Burrito Union 10-Hour, and Chisago Half (4:05 in 2006). He came into the BB as the favorite, and he didn't disappoint, winning by almost a minute over off-road rookie / road elite BROOKS GROSSINGER. 2016 Chequamegon Fat Tire Tri winner JOEL LAFRANCE claimed the final podium spot, matching his 2016 placing. All three of these guys broke 1-hour.

Last year's winner ANTHONY HIRSCHMAN placed 4th overall in a time that was 21 seconds faster than his 2016 clocking.

The women's tri was won by multisport rookie / European vacationer EMILY MUELLNER (photo R), who lowered the women's course record by 4:19. Muellner appears to be the current frontrunner for female Rookie of the Year. Her podium-mates on Saturday were avid outdoorswoman and Xterra vet NANCY WILLOCK of Aberdeen, South Dakota, who also bettered the old CR. Third went to JEN NEUMAN, a off-road newbie, but winner of eleven career road multis. She is the Mary Tayler Moore of the Minnesota tri community. She really can "turn the world on with her smile."

DANE RAMSEY of St. Michael, torched the men's duathlon course best, taking it down from 59:24 to 55:42. Fellow St. Michael-ian TARA PINK (1:04:04) joined Dane on the Top Step, or in this case, Top Stump, of the podium.

SEAN PICKLE, 12, aka "the Gherkin," and son of timer BRAD PICKLE, won the 5K trail run. His 23:54 was a course record, as was LISA SWEDZINKI's 26:09.

Approximately 125 athletes crossed BB's finish line in 2016. One hundred and sixty-six finished this year's races. RESULTS