FEATURES

Breaking 2:10...

Monday, 21 March 2016 01:10

In women's amateur triathlon the number 2:10 is magic. We're talking about Olympic distance racing here. Few women ever match or break that standard, and those that do tend to get their pro license shortly therafter.

In this millennium, HEATHER LENDWAY has the fastest Minnesota amateur time at 1.5-40-10K: 2:05:06 - A USAT Nationals record, set in 2014. The only Minnesota women with faster Olympic clockings are GWEN JORGENSEN (1:59) and HEIDI KELLER MILER (2:03-04ish). However, both of those women were pros when they set their personal bests....

Two other Minnesota amateur women, CATHY YNDESTAD and KORTNEY HAAG, have cracked 2:10. CY posted a PR-2:08:12 at Dallas US Open in 2007. (She broke 2:10 on at least four other occasions, too!) Kort popped a 2:09:36 at St. Croix Valley in 2011. We are assuming that the courses in question were basically accurate.

Other's who have come close to breaking the 130-minute mark are Claire Bootsma (2:10:05 - Nationals '13) and honorary Minnesotan Marnie Walth (2:10:06).

The MTN Guys are predicting that one or more Minnesota amateur woman will pop a 2:09 (or faster) this season.

Why?

Because several Minnesota women have Olympic PRs that are within just a minute or so of doing so. The women we believe have a legitimate shot at cracking 2:10 in 2016 are:

Alpha order (current PRs in parentheses):

GABY BUNTEN (2:11) - At 24, the youngest of the women mentioned here, Gaby's year-to-year improvements have been huge. Her Olympic PR has improved by nine minutes over the last two seasons. We're convinced that she'll break 2:10. Will it be this year? We hope so.

SUZIE FOX (2:11) - Gaby raced in seven Olympic distance events in 2015. By comparision, Suzie raced in one. Suzie is capable of a sub-2:10 but may not race often enough at 1.5-40-10 to get there this year.

KORTNEY HAAG (2:09) - Injuries and motherhood have kept Kort from returning to her 2009 form, when she placed 2nd on Team Minnesota. We suspect that she is more interested in popping 4:30s at half IM then sub-2:10s at Olympic.

LISA LENDWAY (2:12) - She's got Lendway blood in her veins and Lendway fire in her heart. Yes, we think she'll crack 2:10 someday. Her O-distance PR improved by almost four minutes in 2015. Can she drop another three this year? It's possible.

BRIDGET MCCOY (2:12) - Winning at Minneapolis! Yeah, she's capable. The fact that she'll chase and be chased by the women mentioned here makes us optimistic that she'll crack 2:10, possibly this season.

CHRISTINA ROBERTS (2:11 - photo L) - We love the way Christina races. She impressed our socks off last year. Prediction: She will pop a 2:08 this season and crack the Top 10 at Nationals. (Some of the other women mentioned here may do likewise. Our phalanges are crossed.)

It should be noted that ELAINE NELSON, PR-2:12, is preggers and will not be racing in 2016. Also, we believe that DANI VSETECKA, who has yet to race at Olympic distance, MICHELLE ANDRES, DIANE HANKEE, NICOLE CUENO and KELLY TROM (among others) also have the potential to crack 2:10 someday.