Race Coverage

Hot Minutes, Home Turf & Beans..

Sunday, 03 March 2024 00:10

By Corey Nygaard

Alexandria Triathlon Race Report - It's been a hot minute (2021) since I have jotted down any of my thoughts about a race. But I had a feeling this one would be worth noting... Racing Your favorite sport on your home turf with all of your favorite people, what's better than that? Right now, I can't think of anything...

The third year of this event was nearly perfect from every point of view. The Alexandria triathlon has taken over as the race in town since we lost the COLT in the late twenty teens. However, I believe this race holds its own against any race in Northern MN. The swim is in warm lake, the bike course is fantastic and rolling and the run is challenging, especially when running through the mountain bike park.

So a few days prior to the race Spencer Syvertson and I took a tandem bike (yes looking like dumb and dumber) and swept the corners of the bike course. Did this actually help? I'd like to think so. We wanted to make sure we could help prevent anything from ending an athletes day with a flat tire.

The race itself:

I had a feeling it was going to be a fast day. And that it was. We started the swim off at full tilt and did not let up until 55 minutes later. I stayed with two athletes in the swim and we took a few turns at the front until ultimately Easton decided maybe he wanted to turn at the wrong bouy and Spencer decided to take us out of the water.

Transitioned as fast as I physically could, and headed onto the bike behind Spencer.

We made it about a mile before I decided it was time to put the pedal down and give it the beans. Eventually I would take the front and put the pressure on the rest of the field to ride hard. Real hard. The out portion of the bike is on a buttery road, and the return portion is a less buttery but still decent road. So it's fast for sure.

Ended the bike with a respectable bike split and was confident it would be a great run too.

Anyone who does sprint racing knows there is no rhythm, there is no groove, it's just go go go. So from the exit of T2 I was in go mode. I knew I still had to run well to stay in the lead.

Out onto the central lakes trail. Before the first turn where the water stop is located. Here the fantastic volunteers of the Warzecha family threw their cups of water at me and it felt great!

The next mile or so was basically uphill to where you run into the mountain bike park. All I kept trying to do here was keep a quick cadence and stay in go mode. Once into the park, it's very technical and hilly, no flat bits whatsoever. It is definitely not an easy run course, but it sure is interesting!

The last 4/10 of a mile is back on the central lakes trail and that flat ground gives you a good distance of speedy running before the finish line.

I crossed the line in 55xx and didn't have much time to spare before Spencer came rolling in. We train together often and we push each other at the races we do together.

It was a few minutes before I knew what place I got for sure because the human roadrunner of Andy Zabel (photo L) started in a later wave.

My place ended up holding and we got our first ever top step.

Hard to believe it took 10 years to get the first W, but i couldn't think of a better place for it! The combo of a home turf race, family and friends racing and amazing weather all played a part in it being one of the best days in triathlon I've experienced. I look forward to this race growing even more...

The speedo even took the top 2 spots and certainly won the best looking kit contest.

To top it off, this event was captured by Bulldog Photgraphy owner and local Blake Steinbring who got over 2500 pictures of athletes on the day. Great job Dude!

Until next year Alexandria Tri!! - RESULTS

Great photos provided by Bulldog Photography / Blake Steinbring