Race Previews

Dala Horsies & Pancakes...UPDATED..

Wednesday, 20 July 2011 03:00

(Photo - Julie Hull winning the 2008 Chisago Lakes Half. Her 4:37:13 still stands as the women's amateur course record.)

Chisago Lakes Preview - Of all the great multis that have been added to Minnesota's annual schedule in the last 10 years, the three most ambitious events are Life Time-Minneapolis (2500-3000+ entrants), the Buffalo Triathlon (1500 entrants) and the Chisago Lakes races (1800ish entrants in 2011).

The sixth edition of the Chisago Lakes Half / Minnesota State Long Distance Championships and Sprint will be grandly staged at beautiful Paradise Park in Chisago City this Sunday. As ever, the field will not only be huge, it will feature a veritable plethora of our region's most talented athletes. It's impossible to look at the start list and not get excited.

We are especially anxious to she how the women's Battle of Super Cinco-genarians shakes out in the half. Two-time Ironman Wisconsin amateur champ, Jan Guenther, 52, of Mound, Minnesota, who has won for halves since turning 40, will go against North Dakota's Barb Kuhlmeier, who owns Chisago's 50-54W CR (4:52:47).....

We won't bet against Guenther. No way. We believe that a sub-4:50 will be necessary to win her battle with Kuhlmeier and very few 50-plussers can do that. But Jan can, and we think she will.

At last glance, there were no female pros on the start list. That could change, but if it doesn't, the time to beat at Chisago will be Julie Hull's 2008 amateur course record, 4:37:13. It's a very solid CR, but there are six women that we feel have a chance, weather permitting, to take it down. Easier said than done, of course. They are