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Lots & Lots of Great Stuff....
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Tuesday, 28 June 2011 03:40
(Cool Nick Morales Photo - Waconia's podium guys, Dan Hedgecock, Patrick Parish and Matt Payne, all of whom have tentatively accepted their BOUS slots.)
NEWSY NOTSEY STUFF...
* Minnesota will send a super-amazing-awesome-expialidocious Team to the 2011 Best of the US National Championship in Gulf Shores, Alabama, on September 10. (Trudy almost peed her pants when she got the news!) Yes, we see podium finishes for several of these athletes, who also appear to be slam-dunks for Team awards. Minnesota's qualifier, as always, was the Lake Waconia Triathlon, and the following folks received BOUS invitations:...
Leaving It All On The Course...
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Tuesday, 28 June 2011 03:20
ED. Heidi Keller-Miler is racing like a banshee this year. Two big wins, a 2nd and a 3rd so far. She is also an "Old Schooler," who loves slobbery aggressive racing and doesn't mind losing when it is clear that she and her adversaries have, as they say, left it all on the course. She loves to push the red line and all the grunting and gasping and distended veins that goes with it. It was this aggressive style of racing that defined what unfolded at the front of the women's pack on Sunday at Lake Waconia XXII. The photos of Becky Youngberg and Michelle Andres were generously provided by Nick of TriJuice.com.
A Race to Remember...
By Heidi Keller-Miler
Unfortunately there normally aren't a whole lot of women racing in the elite wave so it was really a blast to be part of the best & biggest field of the year thus far in 2011. There were 19 women in the elite division at LWT. That is one more than the men had toeing the line, that has to be a first! So it was quite a raucous start with all 37 of us heading out in the same wave. The swim start...
Brisk Racing At Hiniker....
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Monday, 27 June 2011 03:00
Race Coverage - Times were brisk at Sunday's North Mankato Triathlon, and hometowner Todd Landgraff's clocking--57:33--was the briskest of all. It appeared that Todd had managed to lower Sam Janicki's year-old race best by a full minute, but this year's swim course was measured differently than in year's past and believed to be a scosh short.
Landgraff, a delightful fellow, was also victorious here in 2009.
Runner-up Taggart Downare, 41, of St. Cloud, turned in a 58:16. Had the swim been full distance it is quite likely that he would have lowered Dan Friedrich's previous masters record (1:01:00 in 2009). David Hercules Lyon, 49, of Schofield, WI (formerly Mankato) muscled his way into the Top 3 with a totally fast 59:25.
Stellar performances for cinco-genarians Brad Johnson, 51 (North Mankato) and Greg Taylor, 57, of Yankton, SD (formerly Mankato) landed them both in the Top 10. Brad was 6th in 1:01:47. Taylor, Minnesota's Master of the Year in 2010, finished 8th in 1:02:49....
Becky Is So Back & Other Cool Weekend Stuff...
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Sunday, 26 June 2011 13:59
* Lake Waconia - The women's race at the Lake Waconia Triathlon has never been more exciting. It all came down to the run and six girls were in contention for the win. Ya had to be there!
In the end, though, it was Becky Youngberg (photo L) who came out on top, proving emphatically that it won't take the full season for her regain the form that had produced 25+ multi wins. (As some moron predicted in an earlier post.)
There will be lots more words and photos on Monday and Tuesday, and not all of them will be dedicated to the thrilling women's contest. There were plenty of great story lines in the men's race, too. For instance, Dan Hedgecock won for the 6th straight time this season, doing so in course record, and perhaps, Performance of the Year, fashion.
Then there were the Best of the US slots. Minnesota will be sending a truly righteous team of national level stars to the Gulf coast in September. We repeat: Lots more words will be follow. Stay tuned, okay?
Sticking It When The Sun Don't Shine...
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Sunday, 26 June 2011 03:00
By Bonnie Lumen
The glow stick of shame.
Sadly, many of you know what I am talking about and hang your head in unison with me. For those of you who do not know of this unwanted trophy, I will explain. The glow stick of shame is that object that you are handed right around the 12 hour mark of your Ironman. Let me paint this diffusing picture for you. So there you are, racing your guts out- you have a bloody nose and a black eye from the swim, your bum is bruised and you feel like you've just been released from the roughest state penitentiary around, and your legs are on fire and about to explode, but you've got another half marathon to go. Another circuit on the old race course. You head up towards the chute and the crowd goes wild- they think you are about to race towards the finish line. Nope. You stare at your feet, quickly lower the brim on your hat, flip your race number...
