Race Previews

Comaraderific Fun!

Monday, 09 January 2017 05:10

For the second straight year, the USAT Winter Triathlon (run, bike, ski) National Championship will be staged in St. Paul at Lake Phalen, an awesome venue for this kind of thing.

Last year's race wasn't humongous--66 finishers--but what would one expect of an activity that has yet to create it's own culture, at least in these parts. If there were, say, four races during the winter here in Minnesota, it is possible that the sport would take hold, and its participant base would grow.

Gosh, it would be cool if that happened. This is because the St. Paul Winter Triathlon is a total HOOT! It's a wonderful, fun, comraderific event that we hope would spawn more races just like it. So, we want to encourage entrenched summer triathletes, as well as nordic skiers, to give this experience a try.

Not a skier yet? You have plenty of time between now an race day on January 29 to practice. If you do, we know you'll fall in love with the sport....

So you know, the race is called the "King Boreas Winter Triathlon." King Boreas is probably not a real guy. We googled him and learned that he, like his namesake event, is, like the event, a total HOOT! Check out the legend of King Boreas:

A long, long time ago, Astraios, the god of Starlight, and Eos, the goddess of the Rosy Fingered moon, were wed.  The union was blessed with five sons: Boreas, Titan, Euros, Zephyrus and Notos. As the eldest, Boreas was granted the title of “King of the Winds.”

As the “King of the Winds,” Boreas assigned to each of his brothers a permanent grant of great force and power. To Titan was assigned the blustery North Wind. To Euros was granted control of the irresponsible East Wind. To Zephyrus was given custody of the bountiful West Wind. To Notos was presented the balmy but unstable South Wind. The brothers cavorted gaily over land and sea. Boreas, while on his extensive travels, came upon a winter paradise known as Minnesota. He paused to behold the enchanting beauty of a magnificent group of seven gently sloping hills in whose embrace nestled a beautiful city. Boreas whistled in sheer ecstasy, “Historic Saint Paul and her seven hills! An ideal place.

I will make Saint Paul the capitol of all my domains. It will henceforth be emblazoned to the world as the winter playground of the Realm of Boreas.”...READ MORE

Another reason to do the race is that it gives out cool medals and some will receive dapper stocking caps. We hope you will want to learn more about this special experience, and that you'll visit the event's website - LINK.

Tomorrow we will tell you some stuff about some of the people who did the 2016 King Boreas Winter Triathlon.