Race Coverage

Madison Magic....

Saturday, 19 September 2015 00:10

By Mike Aulie (Brainerddispatch.com - 9/14/15)

MADISON, Wis - Michelle Andres, 38-year-old mother of five from East Gull Lake, won the women's division of the Ironman Wisconsin Sunday completing the grueling 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile marathon in 10:08.05.

Andres, who was competing in her fourth Ironman Wisconsin, finished nearly eight minutes ahead of the next woman, Kelly O'Mara of San Rafael, CA, and about three minutes off the course record she set for her age group in 2012 when she finished sixth behind five professional athletes. Andres finished 39th overall.

Professional athletes did not officially compete in this year's event. Arizona's Tomas Gerlach won the men's division finishing in 8:59.59. Nearly 3,000 athletes competed including the largest contingent ever from the Brainerd Lakes area - 12 racers - all of whom finished the event....

Andres has one more race in her — at least for now. She will be taking on an almost unheard of challenge of competing in another major race less than a week later when she competes in the World Championships, an Olympic distance triathlon, this Saturday in Chicago.

She almost didn't compete in this year's Ironman Wisconsin or the World Championships. Although she had qualified and entered the races, she withdrew earlier this year amid concerns about having too busy of a schedule as she worked to complete her master's degree this summer and was looking at starting a business with her husband. Things changed and she got back into racing and started training about 10 weeks ago. READ MORE