Race Previews

A Tradition of Excellence...

Wednesday, 01 June 2011 03:00

Let the record show that Minnesota men have not only won more editions of this race than have Iowans (or Wisconsinonianites, or Illinoisyians or athletes from any other state), but they have consistently dominated the overall Top 10. In the last ten years, Loon State men have won this race seven times. The other three victories belonged to pros from Iowa (TJ Tollakson in 2007), Indiana (Dan Bretscher in 2009) and Wisconsin (Will Smith in 2003).

As for records, St. Paul's DKT has the best pro time (1:01:03 in 2008); Medina's Kevin O'Connor has the fastest amateur clocking (1:02:24 in 2009); and Duluth's Brian Bich is the event's all-time fastest master (1:02:33 in 2009).

Will our guys fare as well on Sunday as they have in the past?

It won't be easy, but we won't bet against them. Iowa has many talented guys right now, most of them pros. The names TJ Tollakson, Nathan White, Patrick Davis, Tony White, Mike Morrison, Chris Vanderlinden and impressive newcomer, Alex Libin come immediately to mind. How many of these guys will be at Pleasant Creek State Park on Sunday is anybody's guess.

Whoever does show up will have to contend with seven-time amateur champ Kevin O'Connor, now 40 and gunning for Bich's masters record, 2010 US Athlete of the Year HM Patrick Parish (photo R) and soph sensation Dan Hedgecock, who has won, and decisively so, two of the three races he's entered, and a half dozen or so guys who have their sites set on a Top 10 finish.

Even without DKT, who is slated to race at the Rev3-Quassy (CT) Half on Saturday, and the injured Brian Bich, who will be missing the event for the first time in more than a decade, Minnesota dudes should rock in Pig Country on Sunday.

And our girls have historically done pretty goshdarn good at Lil' Pig, too. Over the last decade they have won this race five times, while home-staters have taken two titles. Girls from Illinois (2010), Wisconsin (2005) and South Dakota (2002) have won here, too.

We don't expect that a Minnesota girl will win this weekend, for two reasons. Firstly, very few of our elite women are registered. Secondly, the clear favorite is Iowa pro, Tami Ritchie. But we do predict that Rochester's Joanna Hall (photo L), who, sadly, will soon take up residence in the Iowa City area, will land on the women's podium. She was 7th here in 2010 and has gotten much faster since then. In fact, she has made steady annual improvement since taking up the lifestyle in 2007. She has raced once this season, an effort that produced a course record at Cinco Du Mayo. We're anxious to see how she fares on Sunday.

A brief race capsule with a results link will be posted on MTN the day of the race. And more complete coverage will follow on either Monday or Tuesday.