Race Coverage
Puppies and a Pickle....
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Wednesday, 12 July 2023 00:10
TIMBERMAN SPRINT COVERAGE - Five-time Sprint winner TARA MAKINEN has a new puppy. It's probably cute, as most non-chihuahuas are. It is also in need of training and can be demanding at times. She needs to be taught not to piddle on the carpet and poop on the bedspread. She also needs to learn that when you leave the house, you do plan to return.
So, TARA MAKINEN has been a bit sleep-deprived of late, which can result in limited triathlon training. She came into Saturday's event, her first tri of the year, worried that she was not ready to do her thing in the way she's used to doing it.
Then Race Director AMY DETTMER said "Go" and Tara splashed into Sugar Lake. Defending champ and four-time T-Man Sprint winner BETTINA KEPPERS was the woman to beat and Tara almost pulled that off. In the end, Bettina's swim split proved to be the difference. When the dust cleard, only 14-seconds separted these friendly rivals.
Now that Tara and Bettina both own five Sprint wins, next year's confrontation should b epic.
Placing 3rd for the women was perennial podium finisher--she won in 2015-- JENA OGSTON, a decorated water skier and all-around endurance athlete....
A Special Event...
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Monday, 10 July 2023 00:10
TIMBERMAN OLYMPIC COVERAGE - Approximately 320 triathletes signed up for this year's Timberman, 83 of which participated in its Olympic distance--1900 yds - 25 miles - 6 miles - race. Before PRESTON YOUNGDAHL enrolled on the eve of the event, what appeared to be a three-man battle for first between defending champ JOSH BLANKENHEIM, the Minnesotan who has Top 10ed in both the Sprint and Olympic races at Nationals for the last two years, HENRY JESSEN, and former college runner on the verge of breaking into the elite ranks MICAH WARNING became a three-man battle for 2nd. Since June of 2022, Youngdahl has been unbeatable on Minnesota soil, and that didn't change last Saturday. A quick swim and a brisk run bracketed the kind of bike split that left no doubt who would come out on top. Two-plus MPHs faster than his closest compeitors landed Preston in T2 with an insurmountable lead....
Storm Delays & Exploding Hearts...
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Thursday, 06 July 2023 00:10
By Cami Eckhoff
Steelhead 70.3 Race Report - Steelhead 70.3 was an awesome and challenging experience! The highlight was having Keith and our boys with cheering and supporting me! The kids have come to a couple local short course races but being apart of a Ironman event and spectators on race day is no small endeavor. They came with to registration and bike check in the day before and were up at 4:30 am (3:30 our time) race morning, sat in the vehicle for the hour storm delay, walked miles across sand, road, golf course and more all to cheer for a few seconds each time. Every time I saw them, my heart exploded! They were the real champs of the day!
A quick race recap~ I truly swam, biked and ran as best I could with what my body gave me on Sunday.
Swimming in Lake Michigan was nerve-racking but I took it buoy by buoy being tossed around by the waves, telling myself to be calm and just keep swimming. I was so glad to lift my head and finally see the finish arch! ...
Close Races...
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Tuesday, 27 June 2023 00:10
20th GRANITEMAN SPRINT COVERAGE - Sometimes the difference between winning and losing comes down to how fast one gets in and out of transition. On Saturday, 2018 Most Improved (Female) winner EMILY GAGE (Photo), seemingly recovered from her 70.3 effort the week before, recorded what might have been the finest performance of her tri career, winning Graniteman Sprint in 1:14:28, one of the event's Top 5 fastest times ever. Still, it almost didn't happen. Two-time champ CHERYL ZITUR, owner of two of the Clearwater times that are faster than Gage's, had launched in a later wave and was the only one who could rob Emily of the win.
Cheryl's run split would be faster than Gage's, and enough to close other gaps along the way. However, Emily spent less thime in T2 than Cheryl did, 24-seconds less. When Zitur crossed the finish line, the 1-2 outcome needed Uncle Randy's computer to uncover. Emily, as we know did win, but the margin was only 20-seconds.Could Cheryl have shaved 21-seconds off the 1:25 she spent in T2? It's fun to think about.
In any case, both women raced hard and well and both deserve genuine congratulations.
Emily (5th) and Cheryl (6th) cracked the gender-nonspecific overall Top 10, as did 2021 winner BETTE ROWLEY, who placed 8th in 1:15:18....
Leanness and Meanness...
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Monday, 26 June 2023 00:10
Jason Larson Photo - Graniteman women's runner-up Bridget Tetmeyer.
GRANITEMAN OLYMPIC COVERAGE - PETER WIKMAN is looking lean and mean these days, and he's racing that way, too. The clear frontrunner for 2023 Most Improved (Male), Peter came into Saturday's Olympic-plus race as a Top Two pick alongside reemerging JOE ADRIAENS. Wikman had two 2nd-place performances under his belt this year, finishing behind established elites ERIC ENGEL (at Buffalo) and SEAN COOLEY (at Trinona). That Peter finished ahead of Adriaens at Buffalo made him the male to beat at Clearwater.
The men's race unfolded as expected, with Joe leading after the swim and Peter making up a chunk of the deficit on the bike. It was the run that determined the Gold/Silver outcome. Advantage: Wikman.
Peter was victorious here in 2021, his 2:11 a sweet result over a course with four miles of extra cycling. Last weekend he shaved almost two minutes off that effort, his 2:09:58 the fourth fastest men's time ever at the Clearwater Graniteman venue.
Adriaen's lock on 2nd place was not as secure as it may have original seemed. North Dakota transplant BRANDON LEE, 41, made up a ton of lost time after the swim by posting the fastest bike split, followed by a speedy run. In the end, only twelve seconds separated him from Adriaens. Lee's time--2:12:55--was a Clearwater Olympic Masters record...
Washed Bikes, S-Pattern Swims and a Gem of a Run Course...
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Saturday, 24 June 2023 00:10
By Tim Brown
Ironman Des Moines 70.3 Race Report - Ironman Des Moines has been vacillating between a half and full distance Ironman event. This year was a 70.3 and timing was just about perfect for my planned build up to the full distance Ironman Wisconsin in September. I was pleased to see the event sell out resulting in tight quarters in transition. The weather was a bit unsettled with rain giving the mandatory checked bikes a good washing the night before the race. Race morning was cool and windy with gusts in the 25 MPH range.
The swim takes place in Grays Lake Park. A great location, although remote parking results in a half mile walk while loaded with gear to transition. Once you’re transition is set-up, there’s another walk to the far side of the lake to the swim start. Grays Lake was protected enough from the wind to remain fairly calm. The cool weather just barely allowed for a wetsuit legal race. The point to point swim makes a “S” pattern around the lake with a self-seeded time trial start.
The bike is a bit of a patch work of out and backs and turn arounds. Crews were out days before the race patching roads. There were a few rough patches and sections road construction to navigate but the biggest challenge was...
