Race Coverage

The Heather Show...

Thursday, 01 December 2022 00:10

TIMBERMAN OLYMPIC - It seems that every time ex-pro HEATHER LENDWAY races, the result deserves a Performance of the Year nomination. Her results at Lake Minnetonka (1:07:57) and Timberman (2:08:55--despite some extra cycling) in 2021 are prime examples, as is her result at this year's T'Man, which is arguably the finest of the three mentioned performances. Though her time was 10-seconds slower this year (2:09:05), the swim course was, according to her "device," 1930 yards, i.e. 170-yards longer than last year's course...

She was first into the lake (TT start) last Saturday and first to the beach (fastest swim). A strong bike split, one that kept the frontrunning men in arrears, followed. Then she threw down what was arguably her best run split ever at the 10K/6 mile distance. She was not overtaken by eventual men's winner JOSH BLANKENHEIM until late in the run. No ther men would pass her. 

Josh is the "real deal," a national-caliber amateur triathlete, whose margin of victory last  Saturday over the world-class Lendway was only 28-seconds. Blankenheim also won here in 2019 and had finished second on three other occasions.

The next finisher at T'Man Olympic was 2021 Minnesota Rookie of the Year HENRY JESSON, whose time put him 1:10 behind Heather. It needs to be said that Lendway's amateur career deserves to ranked among the very best in the history of the sport in America. For those who monitor such things, women like DONNA KAY NESS (early - mid 90s), JOANNA ZIEGER (late 90s) and BROOKE DAVIDSON (2008) are prominent in the conversation, though only Ness, whose amateur career spanned decades, had achieved more than Lendway.

Second and third places for the women were earned by 2021 Most Improved nominee LISA FILZEN and ageless phenom JAN GUENTHER. Returning to Timberman after more than a dozen year absence, the now 63-year-old Guenther was the only athlete to rewrite an age group record. Her 2:35:27 took a 3:42 bite out of the prior best for 60-64W. Jan has set AG records in two of the three races she's done thus far in 2022 and has finished no lower than 7th in the overall women's standings. Remarkable stuff.   RESULTS