Race Coverage
Couples Weekend...
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Monday, 16 July 2018 23:30
MINNEAPOLIS TRIATHLON & HEART OF THE LAKES - Something unprecedented happened last weekend. A triathlete turned in back-to-back Performance of the Year-worthy efforts. It would be almost unimaginable if both performances did not receive POY nominations.
But, who knows what super efforts this athlete will add to her incredible resume before the end of the season.
We're talking about HANNA GRINAKER (photo L). Last Saturday at the Minnespolis Olympic Triathlon she matched the event's 2nd fastest amateur women's time, a 2:08:07. That clocking matched the one recorded by North Carolina's Alyssa Doehla in her winning effort in 2016. (Doehla got her pro card later in the 2016 season.) It should be noted that wetsuits were allowed in 2016, but not this year.
What made Grinaker's race even more spectacular was the fact that conditions were brutal, and she managed to outrace defending champ GABY BUNTEN, who rocked a brilliant 2:09:12. Bunten, the 2017 Minnesota Female Triathlete of the Year, came into the race with a reputation for being one of the US's premier Olympic-distance amateurs. Her 2018 scorecard coming into the race boasted two major Olympic-distance wins and a 2nd at New York City.
Hanna followed up her Saturday performance with an equally, if not more, spectacular effort at Heart of the Lakes on Sunday, where she placed 6th overall in a time, the likes of which we hadn't seen since 2009, when Cathy Yndestad popped a 1:39:16, a performance that helped her WIN the USAT Athlete of the Year award. Cathy's effort was recorded during HOLT's wetsuit-legal days. Since then, wetsuits have not been allowed for Elite Division athletes. (Beside, the water temp on Sunday was 84-degrees.)...
Singing Heart Rates & Wicked Pride...
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Sunday, 15 July 2018 23:10
By Ted Treise (venturetri.com)
Eagleman 70.3 Race Report - I get a nervous feeling before any race. It’s been there since my motocross days and has transitioned over to triathlon. We can call this feeling, maybe, the send-its? It’s a feeling of uncertainty like ‘Is this really about to happen?’ or ‘How did this moment actually arrive in the present?’. The send-its may come right before saying yes to a new job, going in for an unexpected first kiss, or even telling the barista with confidence, “Venti”, sacrificing the regular order and exploring something new on the menu. To me, the send-its are a rare feeling making life a heck of a ride. After standing in the swim start shoot at Eagleman and reaching over the banners for one last pre-race hug from mom, the send-its were in full force as the rolling start began. We are racing, I thought; this is actually happening.
Swim
I spent the greater part of the Minnesota spring swimming with Genesis Aquatics in Hopkins. Each lane has its own RX’ed yards and pacing creating a choose-your-own-adventure practice for each swimmer. My daily swim strategy with this format is to A.) Go into a lane that’s probably too fast, B.) Try to lead it until someone most the lane politely ask to cut ahead, and C.) Not get lapped on anything over 400 yards. I feel like this fish or fish bait strategy helped me greatly improve going into 2018. ...
Nebraska Road Trip...
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Saturday, 14 July 2018 23:10
Over the rocks and through the seaweed to transition one we flow. Minnesota knows the way, we’re ready to slay, a race we must undergo…
By Josh Reece
The University of Minnesota Collegiate Club Triathlon Team competed in Nebraska over the course of this weekend, in and around Werner Park in Omaha. With a unique dual-transition course setup, the Gophers battled through mounds of rocks and seaweed in the lake, climbed rolling hills and sand mounds on the bike route, and navigated challenging trails on the run. Despite the extreme conditions of the course, Minnesota came out on top of the Midwest conference colleges.
Gopher athletes swept the floor in the collegiate race with 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place finishes in the individual Olympic men’s race alongside 1st and 2nd on the women’s side. Nikolas Pardoe took first for collegiate men, Andy Hardt took second, Joshua Reece took third, and Garrett Williams took fourth. Mélanie Mahoney took first for collegiate women and Julia Riedl wasn’t far behind in second place! Michelle Ring and Elizabeth van Laarhoven were fourth and fifth to round out the scoring for the Gophers....
A Truly Unique Event...
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Friday, 06 July 2018 23:10
ELYSIAN TRIATHLON – This event started thirty-five years ago, though there have been a few weather-related cancellations along the way. And speaking of weather, we doubt that the Elysian Tri was ever contested under more ideal conditions than it experienced yesterday. Temps were in the high sixties, the sky was cloudless and winds were light.
And though it was a perfect day to race, bucolic Elysian is not a place where the majority of its participants come for a competitive experience. Most entrants come to play, which we think it truly cool.
The reason for this, we think, is that the event is the epitome of minimalism. Grandeur can be intimidating. Color and noise and "stuff" can be nerve-racking. Keeping it low key, i.e. minimally staged, makes this experience a very comfortable one.
But, of course, there were those who did come to race, especially those rare few who have been blessed with the genetic wherewithall, which when coupled with intelligent training, places them at the front of the pack. And because race coverage is what we do at MTN, we are going to fill you in on what happened at the front. Just know that a good time was had by all....
It's Time to Take Mental Readiness Seriously....
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Wednesday, 04 July 2018 23:20
By Simone Lundquist (sisterswhotriblog.com)
Lake Waconia Race Report - When I was younger I always heard people say how important it was to mentally prepare for your race. I never really knew what that meant and it didn’t matter that much to me when I started racing, but I learned over the years just how important it truly is. When I first started competing whether it was track, cross-country, or triathlons, I would usually just show up, race, get the free food, and leave. It never once crossed my mind to picture my race in my head and to get into the right attitude to compete. As I continued to race my coaches and parents would always emphasize how it would help all my competitions if I did that. So I decided to give it a try to see what would happen.
Mental preparation was something I never had taken advantage of, and I was so glad when I finally started to. To picture yourself crossing the finish line with a new PR, or finishing knowing you put it all out on the race course, was something that made actually doing it seem much easier. It gives you the excitement of actually wanting to do it, or the determination of knowing that your goal is in reach. Mental preparation will also put you in the right mindset of believing in yourself and remembering why racing gives you the joy to continue to compete....
Sometimes It's About What Goes Right...
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Tuesday, 03 July 2018 23:10
By Aaron Wilson
Ironman Boulder Race Report - I have been on a long journey to achieve the goal of qualifying for Kona. I started out my Ironman career by crashing on my bike and finishing at 15+ hours. I have been on the side of the road or worse, in the Port-a-Potty’s throwing up. I can tell lots of stories. This one is a little different than the rest....
