FEATURES
21st Century Men's Team Minnesota...
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Monday, 20 February 2017 23:10
As promised, today we are posting our "21st Century Men's Team Minnesota," doing so in alpha order, not by rank. These are the guys who set the performance bar in our state over the last decade-and-a-half:
- BRIAN BICH - Several time nominee for US AOY and MOY, actually winning the MOY in 2008, this four-time Minnesota TOY (5x Mn MOY) has amassed 46 multi wins this century.
- SEAN COOLEY - Since 2013 the transplanted North Dakotan has won sixteen Minnesota multis and has risen as high as the #2 spot on Team Minnesota. His four wins at Superior Man, especially his CR - 4:04:21, tipped the scales for him in our opinion.
- BROOKS GROSSINGER - There have been several mercurial athletes, guys with stellar results in their short careers, guys like Sam Hauck, Rob Gilles, Jeremy Sartain, Sam Janicki that were considered for spots on this Team, but we opted to honor a guy whose career is highlighted by longevity and consistency. With 29 tri/du wins this century, plus consistent placement on Team Minnesota, Brooks managed to edge out Brett Lovass (30 wins), and Kris Spoth, who needs just one or two more great seasons to displace any of the guys on this list.
- DAN HEDGECOCK (photo L) - Between his rookie season in 2010 and his final full season in 2014, the two-time Minnesota TOY collected 27 multisport victories and was twice named US AOY Honorable Mention. His major wins include Hy-Vee 5150 National Champs (2012), Life Time - Minneapolis (2012, 2011) and St. Anthony's (2012). He is also a former US Duathlete of the Year.
Beating the Winter Blues...
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Friday, 17 February 2017 23:10
By Danielle Liubicich (triathlete.com
You’re inspired by the new year, but it’s winter, the days are short, maybe your neighborhood is buried under a foot of snow, and triathlon season feels like it may never start up again. Sound familiar? You’re not alone! The winter training blues happen to everyone whether you live in a warm southern climate or the frigid north. Everyone struggles with motivation and consistency as they recover from their previous season and start laying the foundation for the next year of racing.
Here are five tips to keep you moving in a positive direction through the long winter months.
1. Take some time to reflect on what triathlon means to you. What do you enjoy about training and racing? What parts of the experiences are most enjoyable to you? Triathlon is a sport and it should be fun. Whenever you...
Keeping the Love Alive....
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Thursday, 16 February 2017 23:10
By Meredith Atwood (triathlete.com)
What happens when the love for tri seems to be headed for divorce? ...
Bennett and Sheena...
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Monday, 13 February 2017 23:10
Photo - Bennett Isabella and another guy.
Yesterday we discussed some of the pleasant surprises that happened during the 2016 season. Hanna Grinaker and Wade Cruser, for instance, outperformed everyone's expectations, except perhaps their own, and Sean Cooley's.
Today, we'll talk about the pleasant surprises of the 2015 season.
2015 - The most pleasant surprise on the men's side was Bennett Isabella's breakout season, one that not only earned him his first-ever berth on Team Minnesota, but landed him in the Top 5. Bennett had been, as they say, "knocking on the door" since 2011, thus many assumed that his eventual placement on Team Minnesota was a foregone conclusion. Cracking the Top 5 however, required a herculean season. Isabella raced in fourteen multis, winning twice--Memphis in May Olympic and Graniteman...
Pleasant Surprises...
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Sunday, 12 February 2017 23:10
The MTN Guys like surprises. We can't wait to be surprised by the new talent that will rock our tri and du scenes next season. We are anxious to find out who the Team Minnesota newcomers will be this year.
Let's look back at the 2016 rookies and Team Minnesota breakthroughs.
2016 - Hanna Grinaker was the Rookie of the Year and topped women's Team Minnesota. Only one other athlete has done that during this century (Sarah Kolpine in 2005). Many knew that she would make her tri debut in 2016. They expected her, a former collegiate runner, to be good, but few if any (other than Sean Cooley, perhaps?) could have predicted that she would rise to the top of the deepest list of amateur women that our state has ever seen.
After the 2015 season it seemed likely that there would be a spot on the 2016 Team for Wade Cruser. His competitive trajectory suggested that a 7th - 10th was possible. But Wade exceeded everyone's expectations, except his own. He rose to the #3 spot in 2015....
