Race Coverage
Records for Ted and Heather...
-
Wednesday, 01 March 2023 00:10
Photo - Two-time MGO winner Ted Treise with freakishly handsome 2010 champ Devon Palmer.
MAPLE GROVE OLYMPIC COVERAGE - TED TREISE is a pro, and he certainly has been racing like one in 2022. When not competing in national and interantional 70.3 events, he has been busy torching regional course records, many of which have stood for many years. It started at Buffalo Olympic (1:53:40). Then he threw down a barely believable 1:51:39 at Tri West. Then yesterday he sliced a pudgy 5:16 off Wade Cruser's course record at Maple Grove Olympic, his 1:49:05 arguably the the best performance by a Minnesota male triathete on Minnesota soil in the last several years.
HEATHER LENDWAY used to be a pro. After a three-year absence, she returned to racing and her results have been pro level, especially her performance at Maple Grove yesterday, when she blew away the women's course record. Her 2:01:30 was jaw-dropping, and lowered the women's seemingly untouchable, i.e. untouchable during Lendway's apparent retirement, at least, CR--Becky Youngberg's 2:05:01 set in 2018--by 3:31. HL's time would have won the overall title in three of the twelve editions of this race....
Similarly impressive was her 11:54 margin of victory over elite master / MGO runner-up KORTNEY HAAG. It was the third 2nd place finish in three starts for Haag at Maple Grove.
Lendway's swim and bike prowess are what propelled her to the Top Step of the podium at two amateur national championships, a World Championship, plus a pro Rookie of the Year award. Her run had always been her weakest sport, but this year her run splits have improved dramatically. Only fleet-footed PAIGE SCHULZ, who placed 3rd on Saturday had a quicker split, albeit by only 17-seconds.
Back to Ted, who won this race in 2019 as an amateur in 1:56:55. Via FB Messenging he had this to say about his 2022 performance:
... Quick words on yesterday from my perspective. Elite wave was pretty big and had some great swimmers. Things were aggressive early and I believe Henry Jesson got away from Preston, Mork and I.
On the bike, I took the lead from Kyle Swenson at about mile 5 and was alone for a while until Preston came by at about mile 17. Looking at his Strava, the guy put in a MASSIVE effort to bridge up. 480 watts! We rode together until T2.
On the run, I didnt see anyone and was able to run at my own pace. Promoters put on a first class experience and hope everyone enjoyed this race.
MGO was clearly the most competitive men's race of the season. An unprecedented eight men managed to better two hours, two more than in 2018, starting with Ted, who was followed by amateur winner PRESTON YOUNGDAHL (1:54:51, third fasest amateur time), JAKE KEEHAN (1:55:12), Pigman Olympic winner STUART GILDEA (1:55:19), who was 3rd here in 2021 (2:02:06), Chisago Sprint winner BRAD WOODFORD (1:56:40), 2021 US Junior of the Year KYLE SWENSON (1:56:46), former MG Sprint winner ANDREW KERSHAW (1:58:01) and HENRY JESSEN (1:58:21), 2021 Minnesota Rookie of the Year / our state's fastest male athlete at Nationals the last two years.
One Age Group record was rewritten on Saturday courtesy of CHRISTEL KIPPENHAN, 57, one of many of our state'smany elite-level female 55-59ers. Her 2:23:29 lowered Tracy Serreyn's prior mark (2:26:20 in 2019) by almost three minutes.
ED. Our coverage of the Maple Grove Sprint will post on Tuesday.
Photo - Heather Lendway and Mr. Incognito, Devon Palmer.
