Race Previews

Serious Fun in the Snow...

Friday, 04 January 2013 01:10

Iceman Run Extreme 5k...January 12, 2013

Jerry's up for the challenge, are you?

by Bill Corcoran

When I started the Graniteman Triathlon in Central Minnesota 10 years ago, I never dreamed that it would lead to managing an event like Iceman. Patterned after our summer Mudman Race, the Iceman Run, at Daytona Golf Club in Dayton, MN, is a perfect mix of wintery obstacles and hard core trail running. Daytona Golf Club is on the north side of the Twin Cities and has a huge indoor area to keep warm before and after the race.

Like any signature Graniteman event, if you are looking for a personal challenge that provides a fantastic family friendly atmosphere then look no further! At Iceman, the challenges are vast. On top of the snow laden trails that will lead you through parts of this golf course that normally only guys like myself see, you will cross frozen ponds, crawl through tunnels, climb over walls, up cargo nets, and leap over fire to get to the finish line.

Although the event is guaranteed to be more fun than you have ever had at any multi-sport event, this 5k will push you to a new limit. As a triathlete of almost 15 years, I love the different types of challenges that these types of adventure races pose to my overall fitness level both mentally and physically. These short course adventure races are not for the weak at heart at all. The misconception is that they are not for the serious competitor, however, until you try it, don't knock it. No longer can I just be a straight forward runner or biker that swims because I have to. I now spend my winter months working on lateral exercises to keep my ankles, knees, and hips strong. I have added rope climbs, pull ups, handstands,and more core exercises to my standard triathlon training regiment. All of that together will not only make me healthier, but will make me faster come June.

The best thing about Iceman for us off season triathletes is that it is a perfect opportunity to get off the couch, get some fresh air, and shake off the winter blues. As an added bonus, MTN's