Race Coverage

Dad Rocks "The Birthplace of America"...

Sunday, 31 August 2014 10:09

4th Annual HARVEST DUATHLON - ANDY ZABEL is a cool guy in his mid-thirties. He shaves his head and it looks really good and he has six or seven kids (photo L with two of his offspring). No kidding. Yesterday he won the Harvest Duathlon in Alexandria, "Alex" for short, a place that claims to be "The Birthplace of America." It's a Viking thing. It was the second W of his young multisport career.

Zabel's margin of victory on Saturday over runner-up MICHAEL STOICK, a two-time Minnesota Duathlete of the Year (2002, 2003), was 1:18. PETER RAINEY rounded out the men's Top 3.

For the third consecutive year, local athlete ANGIE JOHNSON won the women's race. She sometimes eats breakfast at a place called The Northwoods, where the portions are huge ...

and there is a smiley, extremely energetic waitress with a jarring 80s hairdo who is probably the best dang waitress in Minnesota.

AMY DETTMER and KATIE MATZKE also podiumed. Amy went to Northern Michigan University and is a pretty darn good nordic skier. We think that Katie got married recently, but we're not sure.

This year's du had 110 finishers. RESULTS

- HY-VEE 5150 CHAMPIONSHIPS - Here's how some of the Minnesotans fared in Des Moines this morning (Sunday):

- DAVID THOMPSON - 27th Pro - 1:52:25

- RYAN BAILEY - 16th overall Amateur

- MIKE BUENTING - 39th amateur - 3rd 40-44M

- BRIDGET McCOY - 6th amateur female - Bridget has been known to eat half of an entire cake (photo).