FEATURES
Cool Kid Stuff...
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Monday, 01 April 2024 00:10
By Colleen Prudhomme
For most, it was the year of COVID, but for me, 2020 was the beginning of a fabulous, new adventure! I had been thinking of putting together a triathlon program for kids but wasn’t sure how to get things started. In early 2020, I spoke to my master’s swim coach (who also trained me for my first Ironman), Cheryl Zitur, about my idea and learned that she already was one of the coaches for a kids’ tri club in Maple Grove called Forte Tri Club for kids. They were an official USA Triathlon club and were looking for someone to start up a new location. This was the perfect opportunity for me to get something started while learning from the experience of the Forte coaching group. By the first week of summer break, 15 kids had registered for the Rockford, MN location of Forte Tri Club....
Scott's Quest...
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Tuesday, 26 March 2024 00:10
By Katy Bloomquist Freitag
In 2017, When Scott Freitag was 53 years old, and we were newly married, he got the news that no one ever wants to hear – he had cancer. At that time, he was highly active and had zero symptoms. He was diagnosed with a biopsy after a simple blood test showed he had an extremely high Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA).
We were both shocked to learn that Scott had aggressive prostate cancer. Later that year he learned that his cancer was already stage 4 and it had metastasized. He had surgery to remove the prostate and two months of daily radiation, plus hormone deprivation therapy which temporarily stalled the cancer.
Scott has always been an athlete – growing up participating in football, hockey and baseball. He kept active throughout his adult years with running, cycling, hockey and softball.
Because I enjoyed doing triathlons, especially ironman, Scott started doing more biking and running with me. Scott does not like to swim but did complete the Hopkins Royal triathlon as Doobie promised he could stand up during the swim portion of the short distance if...
"Etched Moments"...
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Thursday, 22 February 2024 00:10
My Mother, The Bear
By Dave Carney
On October 5, 2023, my beloved mother, affectionately known as The Bear, passed away. Allow me to tell you about my loving and wonderful Cheerleader.
Mom always supported me as a child in sports, but her attendance was minimal as she was a single parent raising five kiddos. Her hands were full for sure. Sports were not her love or passion, being a mother was.. Mom would tell us she did a horrible job and mistakes were made. But to me, she was perfectly imperfect and I wouldn’t change a thing.
During my triathlon days, Mom became my biggest supporter. From driving me to local Minnesota triathlons to encouraging me at Ironman Wisconsin, her encouragement propelled me forward. Then at Ironman Waco, her words of wisdom “God has your wings, let him do it through you” rocked my race and earned me a spot at Kona. It broke my heart she was unable to travel to Kona due to health limitations…
Ditching the Tech...
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Wednesday, 07 February 2024 00:10
By Gloria West
Do You Race? Analytically or Intuitively
The traditional approach to triathlon training and event performance is to use a number of devices, whether it is our GPS heart rate monitor, watts, zone levels or bike power counts.
During competition, racing thoughts, critical thoughts or too many thoughts can be too much of a distraction that actually slows us down.
Many athletes don’t recognize the valuable resource already within them. It never occurs to them there is also another option. They can tap into a different approach. Whether you call it an inner sense, gut feeling, hunch or intuition, it does not matter. Have you ever tried just going with your intuition or those gut feelings?
Hearing from one of our Chisago Lakes Triathlon participants, Ryan Richardson, made me reminisce how I used to approach the Ironman and marathons. I didn’t use these external devices as my “inner critic” would get loud if I wasn’t meeting a certain “number” on my Garmin. In fact, one of my best performances was at the 1988 Grandmas Marathon when I didn’t use a watch (that’s about all we had back then) nor did I look up at any mile markers....
"We Are Definitely Coming Back Next Year"...
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Wednesday, 24 January 2024 00:10
By Jackson Berenberg
Once upon a time, my journey into the world of fitness began with an unexpected adventure. As a father-son duo we stepped into the realm triathlon. My eldest son and I, both novices to the world of triathlon, embarked on this fitness escapade together, an experience that would reshape our perspectives on physical activity.
We chose the Chisago Lakes Triathlon which was not just a race; it was a spectacle that unfolded through the Chisago County well paved roads and the Chisago Lakes streets that brought out a welcoming community. My son, in his first-ever triathlon, managed to earn a medal, a tangible symbol of his triumph and newfound appreciation for the challenge ahead. What struck him the most was the collective energy of the city, a sentiment he expressed marveling at how incredible it must have been for our community as well as for the participants.
As we navigated the course, the support from our neighbors and fellow residents became a source of inspiration. In a moment of challenge when my son punctured a tire, multiple officers extended their help, offering him a lift back. Undeterred, he refused, fueled by the cheers and encouragement from both officers and bystanders. Crossing the finish line together, he caught his breath and declared, "We are definitely coming back next year." ...
