Race Coverage
Part I - Limiting Exposure...
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Sunday, 12 March 2023 00:10
By Jennifer Martone
Ironman World Championship Race Report – Kona, Hawaii 2022 - Finding “the spirit of Aloha within,” that’s what those of us competing on the world’s stage were asked to do as we navigated through the barren lava fields, along with the strong wind, heat and sun on October 6thand 8that this year’s World Championship Event. For so many athletes, this race was a few years in the making. The last time Kona hosted Ironman was in October 2019, meaning that three years of qualifiers were split into two separate race days, with women racing Thursday, and [most of the] men on Saturday. Moving forward, Ironman plans to continue this 2-day event format, with more women receiving qualifying slots in 2022-23 to even out the gender numbers, a somewhat polarizing topic.
Our trip to the Big Island began at MSP airport where I met Caryn Herrick and Peter Wikman at the gate prior to boarding (I actually met Peter’s very sweet mom first, and then introduced myself to the speedy MN royalty triathlete couple as we traded Godspeed sock friends), and they coincidentally ended up in the seat across from me on the first leg of the flight to Honolulu. They are the cutest and friendliest couple. Peter’s AG was assigned to the Thursday race, along with some of the older male AGs to even out the numbers this year. David Swanson, another veteran triathlete, who I first met back at IMFL in 2012 was also on our flight. Always easy to pick out the Ironman athletes with their ripped calves, backpacks, and caps.
My husband Brent, son Sam, and I booked a condo in Waikoloa, about 35 minutes north of all the action. This was somewhat intentional, as I thought it might be too overwhelming to be right at game central. Looking around at athletes from all over the world with zero percent body fat, incredibly buff bodies, and $15,000 bikes can be intimidating. I took the advice from Matt Dixon’s Purple Patch Podcast to limit my exposure and think of this event as a “long training day at the end of a vacation”. A good way to remain calm, and not overdo it in the days leading up to race morning. His advice proved to be spot-on. Brent, Sam, and I took a little day trip to the lush Hilo side of the island on day 2, splashed around in the beautiful ocean on day 3, and took...
Inspiration and Family Fun....
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Saturday, 04 March 2023 00:10
By Doobie Kurus
4WOMEN TRI RACE REPORT - It started with someone telling me, "The weather looks great this weekend for the 4WOMEN Tri!" Well if a flashflood, down trees blocking my street, and winds blowing my transition area and buoys around is great, I don't want to see what horrible weather looks like!
Fortunately, our volunteers were able to pick things up and put them back in order in time for the wave of rain, I mean racers to arrive. We had over 150 women registered and joining us from 5 different states, and as far away as Michigan. Our oldest competitor was Judy "T-Rex" Rykken (age 84) and our youngest was Denali Perusse (age 3!), and they both made it a family thing! Judy, an inspiration for many, got her daughter, Anne Rykken, and granddaughter, Allie Rykken, to join her this year. Anne was bestowed the coveted #1 bib, for working to overcome her somewhat recent Parkinsons Syndrome, and viewing triathlons as a way to manage it, and engage in healthy activities with her family. We decided to give Anne #1, Judy #2, and Allie #3, which was pretty close to how they finished in their age group (Anne 3rd place, Judy 1st place, and Allie first place). Denali on the other hand was a willing participant with her mother, Yari, who does physical activities to help raise awareness for her daughter's list of medical issues, such as cerebral palsy, perinatal stroke, and cortical visual impairment. Being a preschool special education teacher myself, I welcomed the opportunity to find a way to make this happen. To find out more about Denali, go to: https://pledgeit.org/milesforlittlebee ...
Records for Ted and Heather...
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Wednesday, 01 March 2023 00:10
Photo - Two-time MGO winner Ted Treise with freakishly handsome 2010 champ Devon Palmer.
MAPLE GROVE OLYMPIC COVERAGE - TED TREISE is a pro, and he certainly has been racing like one in 2022. When not competing in national and interantional 70.3 events, he has been busy torching regional course records, many of which have stood for many years. It started at Buffalo Olympic (1:53:40). Then he threw down a barely believable 1:51:39 at Tri West. Then yesterday he sliced a pudgy 5:16 off Wade Cruser's course record at Maple Grove Olympic, his 1:49:05 arguably the the best performance by a Minnesota male triathete on Minnesota soil in the last several years.
HEATHER LENDWAY used to be a pro. After a three-year absence, she returned to racing and her results have been pro level, especially her performance at Maple Grove yesterday, when she blew away the women's course record. Her 2:01:30 was jaw-dropping, and lowered the women's seemingly untouchable, i.e. untouchable during Lendway's apparent retirement, at least, CR--Becky Youngberg's 2:05:01 set in 2018--by 3:31. HL's time would have won the overall title in three of the twelve editions of this race....
Something You Don't See at Most Races...
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Thursday, 23 February 2023 00:10
By Doobie Kurus
Moose Lake Race Report - A couple of years ago, I had an idea. "Wouldn't it be cool if I extended an invitation to past participants of the Hopkins Royal and 4WOMEN Triathlons to join me in a small town triathlon?" The thought being to get some familiar faces together to socialize and compete, while making a noticable increase to a smaller size race's registration numbers. Well after doing Moose Lake Triathlon (for the first time) last year, I decided that it might make a good option to try it out. For those that don't know, the Moose Lake Tri is located a little over 100 miles north of the Twin Cities, the bike course uses a few miles of the Willard Munger Trail, and the rest stop for the run course is next to the Moose Lake Correctional Facility. Got to admit, that's not something that most races can offer.
There Will Be Blood...
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Tuesday, 21 February 2023 00:10
By Michael Weissenborn
Turtleman Race Report - Friday Night, Before the Race. Text conversation:
Friend: Do you have a cute outfit picked out for racing?!?
Me: It's a tri suit. I bought it a few years ago.
Friend: So is it a cute outfit?!?
Me: It will be at the end of the race – when it's covered in sweat, snot, blood, and gels.
Friend: *shocked emoji face*
Little did I know how prophetic that conversation would be...
Repeaters...
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Sunday, 19 February 2023 00:10
YOUNG LIFE SPRINT TRIATHLON COVERAGE - In our race preview we predicted that rising star CAMI ECKHOFF would rewrite a course record. We were wrong. But she did set a new record...
