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Sub-2s....

bennett_black.pngMinnesota's elite amateur men didn't rock in Olympic distance races in 2016 like they had in the previous half dozen years. Let's take a look at that.

As a rule of thumb, sub two hour times define elite amateur performances at this distance, which breaks down as follows: 1500m swim, 37-42K bike, 10K run.

How wide was the disparity in recent years? In 2015, Minnesota male amateurs receorded 21 sub-2-hour performances, with Bennett Isabella (photo L) leading the way with four. In 2016, only  nine such efforts were turned in, with Sean Cooley (photo below R) posting one-third of those.

What explains the disparity? Two explanations come to mind. First, several of our state's fastest guys--sub-2 guys--were injured or, for other reasons, did not race in 2016. At the top of this list was Isabella, followed by Devon Palmer, Brian Sames, Nick Nygaard and Larry Hosch.

Second, Nationals was contested in Omaha. Its courses were more challenging than those of the previous five years (Milwaukee and Burlington), and its weather was...

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Become a Faster Runner (Without Running)...

Unknown.jpgBy Mark Eller (triathlete.com)

Endurance athletes are a hardworking lot, so the promise of “free speed” often strikes us as empty, and maybe even a touch offensive. However, once you get us talking about improvements we have made in training, gear or diets, we are usually eager to share the discoveries that have helped improve our performances. That’s the goal with this article—to share some well-documented techniques that could help you get faster on the run specifically, beyond the obvious (and undeniably effective) advice to run more miles and train harder.

Wear Lighter Shoes

Researchers have established that reducing the shoe weight by 100 grams typically yields about a 1 percent increase in performance. That’s a pretty big gain that could be...

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Their Least Favorite Part of Triathlon...

020216_swim.pngBy WILL MURRAY | FEB. 02, 2016, teamusa.org
Their least favorite part of triathlon: how some athletes contemplate swimming in a lake, reservoir, river, bay or ocean. Just thinking about an open water swim can cause some athletes to sense shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, even sweating and tunnel vision. For others, their emotions around open water swimming run from minor dread to something just short of terror. Some athletes describe their feelings as a “panic attack.”

It doesn’t have to be this way. There are fast, easy, effective and durable techniques to help any athlete achieve comfort and enjoyment in big water. These techniques address both physical and psychological aspects of and many of them you can do by yourself in the privacy of your own mind....

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Brilliant People Wear Crazy Socks...

crazy_socks.png

ED. Okay. This is not a triathlon article. But it is very cool and, we think, relevant to your lives.

By Jenny Marchal (lifehack.org)

How do you feel about socks? Depending on how you view them, they can either be a necessity – in which case black, blue or grey will do – or they are a window to the way you can show off your individuality, personality and non-conformed attitudes. Sounds too dramatic and crazy? Well, a new study has found the whacky and crazy socks you choose to wear not only say a lot about you, but also say a lot about how people see you. Here’s how....

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"...A More Collaborative Culture."...

bill_speaking.pngED. You may have already seen this. If not, please read. It's important stuff. The MTN Guys applaud Bill Corcoran for seeing and addressing the Big Picture issues affecting multisports in our state.
 
Dear Multi-Sport Enthusiast and Race Directors, 
 
YOU'RE INVITED! 2017 MN TRIATHLON EXPO & SHOWCASE
 
After my first email, when I tried to keep it short and to the point, I heard back from a few of you.  If we are hoping to begin a wider effort of rejuvenating the sport of triathlon however, we will need more than a few of us to jump on board.
 
When I started as a triathlon Race Director here in MN over 15 years ago, there was a really awesome prevailing attitude of cooperation and collaboration amongst most races and Race Directors in the Midwest, and certainly here in MN.  RD's were supportive of other races, local sponsorships were affordable and supportive, and local bike and run shops were excited to be involved.  Although this was not the only reason that we had such success in the sport in the late 90's and early 2000's, many agree that it had a great deal to do with it....

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