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"...I Knew I Could Hold My Own."
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Thursday, 19 June 2025 00:10
By Amy Preusser
2025 Buffalo Graniteman Recap - This was my third race of the year, and I was looking forward to having more competition in Buffalo. Some of the names on the olympic race preview were big, but I knew I could hold my own. Getting set up in transition, I was able to chat with some of the female athletes: I love hearing where they come from. A lot of us were moms, which is my favorite. I, myself, came tomulti-sport after becoming a mom, which makes it extra special to connect with others on race day!
My pool has been closed the last few weeks, and despite being a confident swimmer, I was nervous about the water temps. My plan was to stay calm and comfortable, and not worry about my pace. This strategy worked well for me! It was a little crowded & tough to get out of the initial chute onto the main swim course, but time flew by and we were back to shore before I knew it. The lake was calm, and the swim course was a good refresher to sighting and swimming in open water! It was also good practice in getting my wetsuit off - an area where I do not excel.
Going into the bike, I knew that the course was fast. I was excited for a fun ride, and ready to tackle some hills (which I don’t get to train on very often)! I came out of T1 really well, and was flying down the hills. Unfortunately, after a climb, my chain fell out of the front chainring. I am a self-taught bike mechanic, so I was able to handle it myself. In the minutes that I had my wheel off and was fixing this, I had at least a dozen athletes cycle past and ask if I needed help. I love the camaraderie of triathletes!! In total, the chain issue cost me 3-4 minutes, which was frustrating but I stayed calm. I pushed myself really hard through the next ~18 miles so I didn’t
lose any more time....
Preston & Stephanie Are 2025 Fairmont Favorites...
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Wednesday, 18 June 2025 00:10
Photo - Erica Benson finishing strong at Fairmont '24.
2025 Fairmont Sprint Triathlon Preview - TEVIN NEEGAARD's brilliant course record --54:32--at the umpteenth Fairmont Sprint last year put him squarely on the "tri radar" in our region. The heretofore unknown, in elite circles, that is, went on to claim the well-deserved 2024 Most Improve Male honor. And though he was not on the partial list of entrants that we saw on Monday, we wouldn't be surprised if he raced on Saturday. This race was his launching pad, after all.
If Tevin makes it to Gomsrud Park and were to better his 2024 time, that probably wouldn't be enough to win the race. Why? Because three-time Minnesota Triathlete of the Year PRESTON YOUNGDAHL has signed up. Preston has proven to be unbeatable in Sprint and Olympic in our region since his return to his home state from Louisiana in 2021.
Other men's podium hopefuls include two-time Junior of the Year NOAH BILLINGS, 19, three-time JOY nominee SEAN PICKLE, 20, and ageless and ubiquitous KEVIN MITCHELL, now 55, who won this race in 2023 and 2022. In 2021, he placed 2nd behind Billings....
"A Fast and Furious Hour of Power"...
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Tuesday, 17 June 2025 00:10
By Corey Nygaard
Buffalo Sprint Race Report - Buffalo was back for 2025 and the nervous energy was present as all the athletes got their transitions ready for what was shaping up to be a beautiful 65 degrees, calm wind day. The forecasted conditions for the race were perfect for quick and enjoyable racing and in my opinion, the meteorologists finally got something right!
For the race I competed in, the sprint, it was a fast and furious hour of power. The swim was over in a hurry and we headed out on the single loop all right hand turn bike course. The loop has rolling hills and forces you to keep your momentum to keep speed throughout the 12.25 miles. I was making good progress on the bike until the last final turn where I dropped my chain over some bumpy pavement behind the stores on an awkward turn, I was able to get off and get rolling in less than 10 seconds. Came into T2 feeling exceptional and that I could have a good run. It was beautiful running next to the lake and on my run out I could see the Olympic race playing out while they were motoring back into T2. At the 1.5 mile turnaround I got splits to 2nd and 3rd as we passed in the opposite direction, I decided to try and negative split the back half, and did! ...
Steve Outruns the Field...
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Sunday, 15 June 2025 00:10
Oakdale Spring Classic Du - Run-bike-run has been in a sad state of decline for more than a decade. There are directors that still produce them, but few them are still able to hold onto any optimism.
The Oakdale Spring Classic used to draw good numbers (400+) and were enthusiastically embraced by our state's premier multisports men and women, as well as recreational athletes, and we applaud OSCD director Judi and her crew for hanging in there. But the sport is suffering everywhere in the US, not just here in Minnesota. The pandemic has played a major role, of course, as had the apparent apathy of the sports governing body.
We at MTN love duathlon and would love to see it resurrected, but we don't have the answers to how to accomplish that. Sorry about the grim prognosis.
Threats & Promises....
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Thursday, 12 June 2025 00:10
Photo - Micah Warning and Christian Mirabal
2025 Trinona Coverage - Was Mother Nature threatening the 500+ participants enrolled in last Sunday's Trinona, or was she just teasing them? It turns out she was doing both. Her early morning chill and nasty gusts were a tease, as long as rain didn't follow. But as the Olympic participants started to line up for the seven AM swim start, she threw down with torrential rain and enough thunder and lightning to postpone the start for an hour, which resulted in the replacement of the Olympic race's storied bike route with the 11-mile ride used by the Sprint racers. Those with strong running backgrounds, guys like MICAH WARNING, who ran for Winona State, and UW-Madison triathlete/marathoner MATTEO KOZLOWSKI, immediately became the guys to beat, if they weren't so already.
As the morning wore on it became apparent that Mother Nature was just teasing. She wasn't interested in forcing a full cancelation, or even a more eloborate restructuring, i.e. turning the tri into a du. Instead, her cloud ceiling parted and optimistic sunshine poured through. Temps then rose steadily into the low 70s, a full twenty degrees more than when transition opened.
And yes, Micah and Matteo went off the front, their positions secure almost from the get-go. The same was true for EMMA WARD, who according to her boyfriend, came into the race intending to win. She impressed us with a Top 5 effort at Timberman Olympic in 2023, so we weren't surprised when she, like Warning, was victorious. They both posted margins of ..
