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Fat Bike Ironman...
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Tuesday, 14 November 2017 00:10
By Susan Lacke (triathlete.com)
A challenge from a training buddy turned into an epic race for Vicki Ostendorf.
Ask Vicki Ostendorf why she did an Ironman on a fat bike, and she’ll pause thoughtfully before answering. “Well,” Ostendorf deadpans, “I don’t know how to ride a unicycle.”
It’s probably a joke, but then again, it’s hard to tell with Ostendorf. After all, the 53 year-old age-group triathlete completed the 112-mile bike ride at the 2017 Ironman Florida triathlon on a 9:Zero:7 Fatbike. The bike, which weighs about six pounds more than a typical triathlon bike, also features wheels that are 4.5 inches wide— far less aerodynamic than a 23mm rubber of her competition.
Ostendorf did it for the challenge. A four-time Ironman finisher, the Minnesota resident has a reputation in her training circle for her adventurous spirit. She was knocking around ideas with her friend and training partner, Dave Cossack, when Cossack brought up the idea of doing the race on a fat bike....
Why Matt?
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Monday, 13 November 2017 00:10
2017 MINNESOTA MULTISPORT AWARDS - Today we talk about why MATTHEW PAYNE (40, Golden Valley) won the men's MASTER OF THE YEAR AWARD; what, in the minds of the Selectors, gave him the edge over fellow nominees: Brooks Grossinger (40, Mayer), David Holden (47, Hudson, WI), Tony Schiller (59, Eden Prairie) and Chris Tatton (41, Blaine)....
Sister Sherpa...
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Saturday, 11 November 2017 00:10
Why Jan?
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Wednesday, 08 November 2017 17:34
MINNESOTA MULTISPORT AWARDS - Today we reveal some of the rationale behind the selection of JAN GUENTHER as Minnesota GRAND MASTER OF THE YEAR.
Neil KIng (67, Nevis) and Pam Stevens (64, Sartell) have won this award in the past and are perennial nominees. Once again, they enjoyed brilliant seasons, as did category newcomers Daniel Kirk (71, Blaine) and Spike Millslagle (66, Savage). Kirk is our state's first 70+ star since the apparent retirement of Hank Larsen. A classy guy and a great athlete.
As for Spike, in regional action, he won his AG impressively on at least six occasions, setting three AG CRs in the process. Well deserved nomination.
Of these four great athletes, it is likely that the majority, if not all, of the Committee members would have favored Stevens for GMOY. Her scorecard featured seven divisional wins, at least four in AG record time. She cracked the overall women's Top 10 FOUR times.
And then there was Jan.
Guenther only raced three times, four if you include the King Boreas Winter Duathlon (run-bike-run), which she won outright. But the 57-year-old did not race at a national class level, like her abovementioned peers; she raced at a world class level. In most cases, her performances were competitive across ALL age categories.
Let's break down her season.
- 1st woman @ King Boreas Winter Duathlon - Whether one thinks this performance should be included in this discussion or not, it is interesting to note that the field Jan beat included Jeanne Fleck (2007 Rookie of the Year, 2008 Most Improved & Master of the Year), Jenny Wilcox (2010 Duathlete of the Year & Most Improved - she won 10 multis in '10), Nancy Whillock (one of South Dakota's premier multisportswomen) and Emily Muellner, who was a 2017 Rookie of the Year nominee....
Why Taylor?
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Tuesday, 07 November 2017 23:10
2017 MINNESOTA MULTISPORT AWARDS - This was a fun category!
We're talking about JUNIOR OF THE YEAR, which was won by TAYLOR LUNDQUIST, 18, of Maple Grove, who bulldozed her competition in the last half of the season.
There was SO much Junior talent this year that it was harder than usual to narrow the field to four official nominees. The Committee ultimately selected three of the more prolific and consistent juniors--ANDERS BROMAN, 17, Eagan, CARTER DEICHMAN, 16, Mankato, and LUNDQUIST--over the more mercurial athletes who raced less often or had inconsistent results.
We added GARRETT WELSCH, 19, Redwing, to the list of nominees because the guy is just plain fast. In the beginning of the season he appeared to be the slam dunk JOY choice. His performances at Liberty Olympic (4th overall), and his junior CRs at Lake Waconia and Minneapolis were outstanding. But he only raced one more time, that event being Nationals, where his performance wasn't up to his usual standards. A good race there would have kept him in the running for JOY, otherwise he'd have to have added 1-2 more regional events to his resume, and excel at those.
Meanwhile, Broman was demonstrating that he is faster than he was in 2016 and 2015, and even won a race outright (Moose Lake).
Then there was Deichman, who by early August appeared to be the guy who would win the award. By that time, he had divisional wins at Falls Du, Heart of the Lakes, Chisago Sprint, and would go on to claim AG titles at North Mankato, Young Life Sprint, Maple Grove Sprint, Hopkins Royal and One Last Tri.
That should have done it, right? In most years a resume like Carter's would have secured the trophy.
But not this year. After losing to fellow juniors at Lake Waconia, Timberman and Heart of the Lakes, Lundquist put the hammer down in late July, racing in seven tris, winning the junior titles in each event. Not only that, she was the outright women's winner of three of those contests: Big Lake Sprint, Young Life Sprint and Blaine. In 11 starts in 2017, Taylor cracked the women's Top 10 ten...
