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"Run the Mile You're in"...
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Friday, 25 September 2026 00:10
By Cami Eckhoff
Madison 70.3 Race Recap ~ “He is more than able” and “run the mile you’re in.” Two things that kept popping into my mind throughout the entire race!
Saturday was an incredible experience! As always, the volunteers and spectators make such a huge difference, and having Jeff, Patti, Rachel, and Jodi there cheering brought so much extra love and energy! I can’t thank them enough
And to Meghan, my sweet friend who instigated this whole Ironman journey, I’m beyond grateful. Taking in another race together was so special
The swim ~ I enjoyed the comfortable pace, water temperature, and most importantly, my shoulder hanging in there! It’s been giving me trouble since increasing my swim volume when I couldn’t run much this past month.
A bonus was a beautiful rainbow off in the distance I saw every breath to my right side! My goal for the 1.2 miles was under 30 minutes, and I came in at 29:07.
Running up the 3 level helix lined with cheering spectators into transition was one of my favorite parts of the day! I couldn’t stop smiling! I got in and out of T1 as quickly as I could and headed out on the bike.
The bike was fun, challenging, and engaging, with plenty of elevation and beautiful scenery. It actually went by pretty quickly! Instead of counting up to 56 miles like I usually would, I counted down the miles in groups of 10, and I think that really helped. I nailed my nutrition and loved having the extra bottles of Precision Hydration at the aid stations.
Despite my bike computer going into sleep mode every five seconds and having to rely on my watch for speed and average watts, I hit my normalized power goal and just barely snuck in under my time goal of 2:34–2:37. I came in at 2:36:57! We finished the ride up the helix and into the parking garage, and I tried to get out of T2 as quickly as I could!
The run ~ this was the part of the race I was most nervous about. I had run very little the past four weeks while dealing with a bad case of posterior tibialis tendinitis, and I was coming off a hilly bike ride.
With the two-loop course, I got to see my favorite fans and all kinds of spectators throughout the run, which was just the best! I set out to run around a 7:15 pace, and although it felt uncomfortably comfortable, I just kept reminding myself- run the mile you’re in. Don’t look too far ahead, and don’t worry about what’s behind you.
I held pretty consistently for nine miles, and then the struggle bus began!
The last mile was the toughest, almost completely uphill!!! Thankfully, my ankle was almost a non-issue, and I managed to finish the half marathon in 1:35:31.
Overall time: 4:48:12
1st place age group
2nd place overall female
70.3 World Championship Slot to Chattanooga next August
This race far exceeded my expectations and proved even more that “He is more than able.”
My heart is so full of gratitude ~ grateful for the support of friends and family, grateful to be able to race, and grateful for continued health on this cancer journey. There is still so much I can’t control, but I can choose to trust Him with it all.
Ephesians 3:20
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”
Thanks Uncle Randy, Mark and Judi...
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Wednesday, 23 September 2026 00:10
2026 One Last Tri Coverage – The 20th edition of One Last Tri is in the books, and with it our gratitude for extending Minnesota tri season. In the late 90s, you see, the Turtleman Triathlon, staged on the third weekend of August, was the last race of the year. Then Uncle Randy and Mark Bongers launched races—Square Lake and St. Croix Valley—that extended the season into early September. Then One Last Tri added another week or two to the schedule. We thank the organizers of those races for their contributions to our state's multisport community.
Last Sunday's edition of OLT registered 300 participants, 244 of which made the trek to White Bear Lake County Park despite chilly, grey and breezy conditions, and ultimately crossed the finish line. The races—Olympic and Sprint—were won athletes who were recording their first career tri victories, which we love. Brock Desens, who impressed us with his 4th place finish at Timberman in 2025, won the Olympic contest, with Tinman Sprint winner Ryan Preusser claiming second. The prior weekend's 3rd-place finisher (Square Lake Sprint), Kole Seiler, rounded out the men's Top 3.
Rebekkah Desauliers, Melissa Noel (photo) and Lauren Peltier comprised the women's podium.
Taking the Top 3 in the Sprint were Tony Lane, Aaron Deuermeyer and James Dixon. Avid outdoorswoman Ece Kremers cracked the overall Top 10 with her win on Sunday. She was followed to the finish line by Laura Friedmann and 18-year-old out-of-stater (Iowa) Kaylee Crump.
Well, another great Minnesota tri season has concluded. RESULTS - https://www.frontrunnerusa.com/race-results
2026 MMH Season Has Begun...
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Monday, 21 September 2026 00:10
By Rocky
As of this past weekend’s One Last Tri in White Bear Lake and 70.3 Michigan in, well, Michigan, Minnesota’s 2026 multisport season has come to a close. This means that the 2026 Minnesota Multisport Honors (MMH) season is just beginning! This year’s committee – the two individuals responsible for debating nominees, winners, and Team Minnesota – will be comprised of myself, Rocky the Flying Squirrel, and my companion Bullwinkle the Moose. If you know, you know.
The MMH committee’s goal has always been to showcase the strength, speed, and depth of Minnesota’s talented pool of multisport athletes. We aim to celebrate support, grow, and enhance Minnesota’s amazing multisport community. But, as in any situation where selections are made, there can and should be inherent disagreement among ourselves and between members of the community. And that’s ok.
To earn a nomination for any category and/or a spot on Team MN, athletes must have turned in 3 or more outstanding results in 2026, as has historically been the standard. Athletes must be a Minnesota resident, but those from our 4 neighboring states are considered, too, IF they turn in three outstanding performances in MN races.
Name Drops...
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Friday, 18 September 2026 00:10
With the 2026 Minnesota Multisport Honors discussions getting underway, we wanted to do some name-dropping of a few athletes who were not on our radar a year or two ago, but are now. We wanted to give them some cyber ink to let them know that we are closely following their competitive careers.
Colleen Baker, 35, Minneapolis
1st @ Tinman Sprint
2nd @ Lake Rebecca
4th AG @ Sprint Nationals
8th @ Buffalo Sprint
Shannon Braun, 42, St. Paul
2nd @ Hopkins Royal
3rd @ Timberman Olympic
14th overall woman @ Sprint Nationals
Samuel Larson, 26, Stillwater
1st @ Trinona Olympic
3rd @ Chisago 70.3
Samantha LeMay, 35, Osseo
2026 Highlights
3rd @ Square Lake Sprint (2 min. faster than 2025)
4th @ Chisago Sprint
5th @ Maple Grove Sprint (6 min. faster than in 2025)
Jacob Niemann, 33, Minneapolis
1st @ Chisago Olympic
1st @ Green Lake Olympic
3rd @ Trinona Olympic
4th @ Maple Grove Olympic
Jessica Taylor, 32, Burnsville
1st @ Trinona Olympic
4th @ Maple Grove Olympic
Kelly Van Dyke, 40, Woodbury
1st @ Trinona Sprint
2nd @ Turtleman Intermediate
"My Favorite City to Race in"...
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Wednesday, 16 September 2026 00:10
By Paige Schulz
Ironman 70.3 Wisconsin – 2026 recap for the overall women’s win.
Madison is my favorite city to race in. Monona Terrace is an amazing venue. And the capital backdrop from the finish line is iconic.
Swim: My husband had a lot of words for me before the swim about how I should “actually try”. It is not that I don’t try, but more like I lose focus. The voices in my head during the swim say “do do do do do do”, like a 3 year old. So on Saturday I tried to find feet and use the draft. I was about 1 minute faster this year compared to both 2024 and 2025. That was an immediate win.
- 77th woman
- 34:18
- 1:36/100 yds
Bike: The course in past years was shy of 54 miles. I always thought that a shorter bike course suited me because I got to the run quicker. But my cycling fitness has grown, so finding out the course this year was closer to 57 miles was no issue. The Wisconsin 70.3/140.6 race courses are known for being hilly with rough roads and tons of turns. I had to laugh at the signs saying “rough road ahead” because how was it possible to be rougher than we currently were riding? On Saturday I had my fastest average pace on the course to date, but pushed lower watts than 2024 and 2025. The words “Ironman legs” were on repeat in my head. Not as an excuse, but just a reminder to myself to not be disappointed in my watts because I have been training differently this year. Big thank yous to my bike for being fast and my bike mechanic husband for the speedy wax chain.
- Moved up to 5th and then 4th out of T2.
- Third fastest bike split – three of us were within a minute.
- 2:32:56
22.26 mi/hr
Run: I felt awful when I started the run. I had all the negative thoughts in my head and fully dismissed the idea of being able to chase down the 4 women ahead of me (5 actual women, but based on start times I had passed one in T2). My pace felt slow – it wasn’t – but I didn’t have the pep that I wanted in my feet. Really though, I needed to go to the bathroom. Towards the end of the bike I kept trying to figure if and when I would run into a porto. I told myself not in T2 because I think stopping in transition takes longer than stopping on the run. I made it to mile 4 of the run. I didn’t have GI distress, but I was worried it was going to turn into that if I didn’t stop. I came out of that porto feeling so good and finally able to run smoothly. It was the best decision to stop. And at mile 5 I was told I was leading the race. The shock on my face had to be visible. I hadn’t been told any pace splits for the leader and figured I was too far back and not running fast enough for it to matter.
Once I took the lead, I started getting splits and was told I was running the fastest for women and growing my lead. The last two years I was chasing hard. It was so nice to not be chasing this time and just be able to cruise. My family was at the mile 7 turn around and high-fiving my son knowing I was in the lead was one of my favorite moments of the race. I gave my husband the “this is easy, I’m just out for lovely run in Madison” look. I knew I wouldn’t see them again until the finish line.
After grabbing the winner's tape, I immediately saw my family in the finisher chute. My son was ready to put the medal on me. I felt the emotions of the win much more this year since I had nearly an hour to sit with the lead. It was a great day.
- First overall.
- Fastest run split.
- 1:26:35
- 6:37 min/mile
Kona is next! Two big training weekends left before we head to the island. I fell completely in love with full ironman training again this summer. I almost wish I didn’t because it would be easier to hang up the IM distance after Kona. But I think there is at least one more ironman in me after Kona.
