Race Coverage
Metric Tons of Love...
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Friday, 22 August 2014 00:10
YWCA of Minneapolis Women’s Tri 2014 Race Recap...
By Nicole Cueno
Last Sunday, the Seventh Annual YWCA of Minneapolis brought at least 1,050 women, a metric ton of love, and more smiles than anyone could count, across their finish line at Lake Nokomis in Minneapolis. The race, known both for fielding a strong open wave and catering to all level of female athlete, did not disappoint: records were broken by top competitors and hearts melted at the tear-jerking Friends and Family finishes.
Heather Lendway, continuing her streak of wins and smashing course records was the unsurprising winner in 1:03:16 on the sprint course (500y swim, 15.5 mi bike, 5k run). She lowered the previous record by an astonishing 4:09, set by Claire Bootsma in 2011, after not only winning USA Triathlon Nationals the previous weekend but after racing just the day before at the U25 Elite Development Draft Legal Race in Detroit, MI. Look for her race reports on both that race and the YWCA of Minneapolis Women’s Tri later this week.
Lendway was followed by another Lendway. Lisa Lendway crossed the finish line in 1:10:52. For the special family awards at the YWCA of Minneapolis Women’s Tri, they made for unmatchable competition in the family Sister-Sister Awards. Gaby Bunten (1:11:04), Claire Bootsma (1:11:43…post and pre-overnight RN shifts), ...
Stuff From Last Weekend...
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Wednesday, 20 August 2014 00:10
ST. PAUL TRIATHLON - The husband/wife team of SCOTT and ANDREA MYERS shared the Winners Circle at the St. Paul Olympic Tri at Lake Phalen ast Sunday. Both won by commodious margins, Scotty by 4:59, Andi by 6:55. The event had 74 finishers. RESULTS
ST. PAUL SPRINT - This event was won by MARCUS DUVAL and CATHERINE LEE, whose husband Terry took care of their totally cute toddler named Elliot so she could race. That arrangement worked out well. Cathy knows a lot about food and food preparation. Marcus is a former star swimmer at Illinois Wesleyan University and he has spiky blond hair. Three hundred and seventeen athletes crossed the finish line. RESULTS
MINNESOTA SENIOR GAMES TRIATHLON - The St. Paul Triathlon hosted this event which we think is a National Championship event for 50-plussers, but we're not sure. Coming out on top of the 25-member field was Stillwater's MIKE LYNER, 60, who's from England and has a great accent. The women's winner was KATHRYN JENSEN, 50, who is a St. Paul Triathlon veteran with consistently great results. On Sunday she was 2nd overall. She sometimes winks at her friends when she comes out of the water (photo L). RESULTS ...
Minnesotans Rock in Pigland...
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Monday, 18 August 2014 00:10
17 Annual PIGMAN HALF & 3rd Annual PIGMAN OLYMPIC - David Thompson did NOT win the Pigman Half yesterday. Had he done so, the victory would have been his 10th at this, the upper MIdwest's oldest half, and the 19th 70.3-mile win of his career.
He didn't win because he didn't race. Instead, he went out and torched the course record in the Pigman Olympic Tri, a companion event inaugurated in 2012. The old CR --1:58:20--was set in 2013 by 2007 US Athlete of the Year Daniel Bretcher, a totally cool guy who got his pro license in 2008. David, who outsplit the entire field in every phase of the competition, posted a 1:54:56. Moreover, his margin of victory over the runner-up - Bretscher--was a porky 7:15.
The victory was the 92nd of Thompson's multisport career, and his 7th W of the 2014 season. David is currently sporting a semi-mohawk and it looks really, really cool....
Lake Marion Capsule & Assorted Results Links...
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Sunday, 17 August 2014 13:45
4th Annual LAKE MARION OLYMPIC TRIATHLON - Ideal climatological conditions--mild, cloudy, reasonable humidity--and a strong men's field yielded a new course record this morning at Antlers Park in Lakeville. In fact, the Top 3 guys, starting with reigning Chaska champ RYAN BAILEY (2:03:03) and followed in order by 2012 LMT winner KYLE SERREYN (2:04:32) and Nordic ski stud / occasional triathlete MATT LIEBSCH (2:05:11), bettered DENNIS DANE's year-old CR (2:05:22).
The fourth place guy, 2011 LMT winner JOSH BLANKENHEIM only missed the old mark by eight seconds.
The women's Olympic race was won by 46-year-old LYNETTE BACON (2:31:38) of Mankato. A five-time North Mankato Tri winner, according to our records, Dr. Bacon's last tri effort was in 2011, an 11:00:25 at Ironman Louisville.
Bacon (photo L) enjoys standing in shallow water with her husband.
The remainder of the women's Olympic podium was claimed by reigning Elysian champ, KATIE BURR (2:32:41), who's getting married in a few weeks, and LESLIE SEDLAK (2:36:19), whose orange tri-suit totally rocked. RESULTS ....
"A Target on My Back".....
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Sunday, 17 August 2014 00:10
By Heather Lendway (heatherlendway.com)
USAT NATIONALS RACE REPORT - Going into nationals I had a target on my back. Winning the USAT AG National Championship last year was a pretty big surprise to everyone, but this year people would have high expectations. Could I repeat my overall win?
The week leading up to the race I actually wasn’t too nervous because I had raced the course before, I knew my competition, and my body had done this many times at this point. The nerves finally kicked in on Friday, maybe in overload, as I was feeling somewhat sick trying to eat dinner. I got to bed early and surprisingly easily thanks to my earplugs. After the nighttime noises at Pigman and Trinona I learned not to travel without them.
Race morning was pretty calm. I woke up at 5 with no hurry to get to the race site since my wave wasn’t until 9:50. I ate breakfast on the drive to downtown, got setup in transition fairly quickly and found a nice place ...
CY Notches Win #70....And Other Stuff...
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Saturday, 16 August 2014 13:21
HITS - WACONIA HALF IM - CATHY YNDESTAD was the outright winner of this morning's HITS Half. Off the bike in 3rd, she ran down eventual men's winner EVAN REED and the first relay team. Her final time was an impressive 4:35 and the win was the 70th (!) of her multisport career. This was CY's fourth half IM victory. She also won Soma 2013, Pigman 2011 and Newfoundland 70.3 in 2007.
Arguably, the most impressive performance of the day belonged to women's runner-up KELLY TROM, 27, of Minneapolis. Kelly (photo) is a rookie triathlete who was making her long distance debut. Her virginity-losing time was an amazing 4:47. Results will be available later today.
11th Annual YOUNG LIFE OLYMPIC & SPRINT - SEAN COOLEY won the Olympic-distance race for the 4th straight year. His time was 1:58:32, a PR on this Detroit Lakes course. His co-champion was fellow North Dakotan MARNIE WALTH, who has...
