Race Previews

BLAINE & ALBERT LEA PREVES...Updated...

Monday, 12 May 2014 06:10

BLAINE PREVIEW -  For grinzies, let's make some predictions about this great young event, which will celebrate it's third anniversary next Saturday. First of all, we believe that the race will hit its enrollment ceiling by the end of the week, so please sign-up at your earliest opportunity, okay?

- Next, race day weather should be awesome, even awesomer than the conditions at Oakdale, which were ideal (60ish, clear and light winds). Check out Weather.com's forcast for the 17th (see graphic)....

- We predict that wetsuit wearers will be happier than those who eschew wetsuits.

- We predict that Bennett Isabella will turn in the fastest time of the day, but he will have to run down Heather Lendway to make that happen. Lendway, an amateur, is as fast or faster than any American female pro, except Sarah Haskins, in the first two phases of a triathlon. She'll likely have the fastest swim split of anyone and couple that with a monster 25-mph ride. She is somewhat vulnerable on the run, and Isabella's strong suit is the run.

Because he is more fit than most of his peers--Bennett has already raced three times this spring--we think that he'll challenge Brett Lovaas's CR, 1:09:15

Is it possible that Lendway could win the race outright? Sure. She's done that before (Minneman Sprint 2013), but we think that a 3rd or 4th place overall finish is a more likely scenario for her. She was 5th overall last year. Yes, we think she'll crush her 2013 Course Record (1:16:30). Heck, look what she did at COLT: 2nd overall in 57:13. She was diabolically fast there.

BLAINE INFO & REGISTRATION

UPDATE: We just learned that5th-year pro, Devon Palmer, plans to race at Blaine. What does this mean? He's not only favored to win, but to demolish the men's course record. A 2nd place finish for Isabella would count as a victory, as he would be recognizwed as the event's male amateur champion.

LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES PREVIEW - After nine years as a triathlon, the Land Between the Lakes race in Albert Lea is now a duathlon. It is also under new management. Local athletes have taken it over and they need your help to make the event viable. We encourage Minnesota multisport athletes to support emerging events like this one and hope that Sunday's LBTL will see a sizeable boost in registrations this week. RACE INFO & REG.

PHOTO - Heather Lendway's dog got her head stuck in a funnel.