Race Coverage
Andy & Simone....
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Saturday, 29 September 2018 23:20
Photo of Michael Tate courtesy of Paul Johnson Media.
13th FALL CLASSIC DUATHLON - It was a very chilly morning and all of the duathlon's 141 eventual finishers were dressed accordingly, all except MICHAEL TATE, that is. Clad in just his basic tri kit, Tate, who rocks a cool David Lee Roth, circa 1984 do, said after the race that he wilts in hot weather, and thrives when the conditions were like they were on Saturday, i.e. cloudy with dank temps in the mid-30s.
Michael wasn't lying. He would finish in 4th place.
The guys that would finish in front of Tate were pre-race favorite ANDY WIBERG, who would collect his 9th career multisport victory, and his second of the 2018 season in four starts, 2017 Fall Classic winner JUSTIN JONES, a former collegiate triathlete (ISU), whose time was almost a minute faster on Saturday than it was last year, and 2018 Rookie of the Year nominee THOMAS DATWYLER. ...
Weekend Coverage...There and Here...
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Saturday, 22 September 2018 23:10
AUGUSTA 70.3 - Couples led the way in both the pro and amateur competitions this morning in toasty Georgia. Tim O'Donnell and wife Mirinda Carfrae shared the top step of the pro podium.
The amateur titles were claimed by Rochester couple TED TREISE and DANI VSETECKA. (How cool is that!)
Dani's victory, the milestone 10th of her young multisport career, came as no surprise to us, not after her performance in 2017 at Madison 70.3, and more recently at Superiorman 41.5. Her Augusta time was very impressive--4:29:28 aided somewhat by a friendly current--and her margin of victory over North Carolinia Meghan Fillnow, a sub-10-hour Ironman, was even impressiver: 6:35!
Prior to the race our fingers were crossed for Ted. We believed that a podium was possible, but wondered if he was ready to give pre-race favorite Nathan Buttrick of South Carolina, a run for his money. Buttrick's PRs at IM and 70.3 are among the best in the country for an amateur: 8:37 and 4:02.
But as we know now, Teddy not only gave him a good race, he beat him, and did so somewhat handily, thanks to a superior run split (1:21:34 with temps in the high 80s). Treise's time was a personal best 4:08:28. Buttrick clocked in at 4:11:10. ...
Racing Happy....
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Friday, 21 September 2018 23:10
“We do not learn from experience... we learn from reflecting on experience.”
-- John Dewey
By Dani Vsetecka (danvsetecka.com)
I came across the quote above the other day, and after a long hiatus from blogging, I’ve decided to try my hand at the keyboard again and reflect on one of my favorite race experiences thus far. I'm not sure if people really read these anymore (really, please let me know! I’d love some feedback!), but I was proud of my mindset before and during the race and I want to make sure I record what worked for future reference!
On Sunday, August 26th, I raced the SuperiorMan 41.5 Triathlon in Duluth, MN. It was better than I expected and I highly recommend the race to anyone. It had a small town feel, was extremely well organized, and scenery was breathtaking. Personally, Duluth holds a special place in my heart. Being my mom’s hometown and home to my grandparents and extended family, I grew up visiting the city often and in terms of racing, have extremely fond memories of the Garry Bjorklund Half-Marathon in 2016 and my half-marathon PR. Although the past year (I know!) has been a roller coaster of several various injuries, having the chance to race was a pure joy. Instead of the standard swim/bike/run recap, I want to share five things that worked really well for me and that I hope to take with me to every race going forward. ...
Stop Obsessing....
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Wednesday, 19 September 2018 23:10
By Sara Carlson (sarastrilife.blogspot.com)
Ironman Wisconsin Race Report - Madison and the surrounding areas were hit with 11 to 15 inches of rain just shy of 3 weeks before race day. Multiple subsequent storms created issues with flash flooding up to 60 hours before race day. For about a week, I was like an addict checking the most updated Madison news, weather, and FB posts anywhere I could find to try to stay appraised the situation. But, my husband Mike, had encouraged me to stop obsessing and focus on controlling only what I can control. I knew he was right. I put myself on Madison news probation and felt like a new person after about two days of not getting my news fix. Logistics for this race was not my job. Getting to that start line healthy (both mentally and physically) most certainly was!..
Finding the "Joy" in the Journey...
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Tuesday, 18 September 2018 23:10
By Erin Klegstad (sweetsweatlife.com)
IRONMAN MONT-TREMBLANT RACE REPORT - I told myself a pretty shitty story last year, one that manifested into a pretty subpar season. So this year, I reframed my mindset: I *get* to this (even the hard stuff!).
And it made all the difference. I found the joy in the journey again – and that’s a bigger win than punching a ticket to the Big Island. (Though I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed because I wanted to so damn bad. Mostly because there were so many friends I wanted to see!) ...
Cake Icing....
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Monday, 17 September 2018 23:10
ONE LAST TRI - What could be better than hanging out in a picturesque park alongside a beautiful lake on a sunny, sultry, late summer Sunday?
Well, hundreds of folks collected at such a location with the aforementioned conditions two days ago. The place was Ramsey County Beach on the northern shoreline of White Bear Lake. The folks were there to watch and cheer for the 350ish triathletes that were doing the final triathlon of the Minnesota season.
The mood was celebratory and the action non-stop and exciting.
Sure, the spectators were more comfortable than the hard-working athletes themselves, but like those athletes, they would need a swim or a shower later in the day. That's because temps and dew points rose steadily throughout the morning.
Still, the experience was hard to beat.
Much was on the line for some of the athletes, especially those packing elite-level credentials. Post-season recognition was on the line for some, and most of those folks threw down great performances.
Before the race, the women's pre-race women's favorites met each other for the first time, and became instant friends. That kind of behavior defines our tri community, and it is a beautiful thing....
