Race Coverage

Wade's Cruising And Madg's Magic...

Sunday, 06 May 2018 23:10

CINCO DU MAYO DUATHLON - There were highlights aplenty at the 11th annual Cinco Du Mayo Duathlons last Saturday. Not all of those highlights, though, were performance-related. The venue, the racing conditions, the social atmosphere and opportunities, and, of course, the post race taco feast, all conspired to make the Cinco experience a truly special one....

Still, MTN has always tasked itself with writing about triathlon and duathlon as "sports," thus the "contest" portion of the events has historically garnered most of our cyber ink.

In recent years, though, we have striven to balance the competitive stuff with "human" stuff. Examples of this from last Saturday's duathlon is not only talk about the record-setting performances by WADE CRUSER, ROB MADGWICK and MACY IYER, and the continuing success of ANDREA MYERS, who despite foot injuries, is undefeated in two starts this season, but also about folks like BRAD NELSON, who has a Magic Johnson smile and exudes a love of life that is positively palpable, or the volunteers clad in sombreros, which are simultaneously very cool and wonderfully ridiculous. There very presence brings the fun.

Our point is that the Cinco races at picturesque Square Lake was a great place to hang out last Saturday. And we need to keep in mind that most Minnesota multis offer this kind of experience. So, we recomment that athletes either race a little more often, or occasionally attend events as specators, support crews or volunteers. Perhaps if we all immerse ourselves in everything the events have to offer, not just the competitive aspects, we can restore our beloved multisport scene to its former size and glory.

Okay then, let's tell you what happened at the front of the races.

Wade Cruser once again proved that, despite being somewhat snubbed and under-loved by USAT, he is clearly one of the premier amateur run-bike-runners in the U.S. We're talking top two or three in the entire country. At Cinco he went off the front immediately and never looked back, turning in unmatched, pro-level splits in each phase. The result was a significant lowering of his 2017 long course race record. Last year he covered the 3-20-3 route in 1:20:48, which lowered the previous CR by 3:05. This time around, he threw down an insane 1:18:44. 

MTN will post Wade's personal race report tomorrow. Don't miss it.

Joing Cruser in the long course Winners Circle was two-time Minnesota Master of the Year nominee ANDREA MYERS, who was coming off a victory the previous weekend at Falls Du.

Almost forty years separated the fastest man and woman in Cinco's Sprint race, with Rob Madgwick, 53, continuing to tear up the masters scene, and Macy Iyer, 14, demonstrating that she should be a contender for Junior of the Year in 2018. If that were to happen, she'd be the youngest nominee ever. (Previously, Beth Zirbes and Lauren Steinke were nominated as 15-year-olds).

Rob, who last month excelled at Du Nationals before nuking his AG's record in a 5th place overall effort at Falls, turned in the fastest men's time here ever, a 51:38, almost a minute better than the prior best. It was suggested by multiple Cinco Sprint champ, STEVE STENZEL,who placed 2nd this time around in 53:10, that the run courses may have been a smidge short. Even if this is true, Madg's performance was clearly the best effort by a 40-plusser in the nine-year history of the sprint event. (The Long Course race is 11-years-old.)

As for the smooth-striding Iyer, her 58:19 was the best junior effort ever at Cinco, and only one woman has gone faster: Lisa Lendway (55:50) in 2015. That's great company to be in, Mace! And she finished 5th overall! In 2017, she placed 4th in 1:03:59. We are excited by her career trajectory.  RESULTS

ED. Have you signed up for Oakdale Du yet? Apple?