Race Coverage

Surreal, Joyful, Eager...

Wednesday, 23 December 2015 00:10

(Great Paul Phillips / Competitive Image photo)

What does it feel like to win a World Championship title on home soil in an undefeated season?

By Gwen Jorgensen (gwenjorgensen.com)

SURREAL. I would never have ever imagined I would go undefeated this year and it is strange to sit here and find words to describe it. I don’t think it is something I will be able to grasp until my career in triathlon is over. Often Patrick and I will say to each other, “Can you believe this?” and the response is always a laugh…and a “no!”

PROMISING. Last year I debated quitting the sport after my race in Auckland. I thought I didn’t belong. At the time, Jamie and Patrick told me to take a week and just think about it and...

Tight Pants & Pith...

Wednesday, 02 December 2015 00:10

By Michelle Andres (teamandresjourney.blogspot.com)

Ironman Wisconsin Race Report - I believe we all have time for what we want to have time for. With that being said….it’s been a long time between part two and now part three. The race feels so long ago and maybe part of the reason it feels so long ago is how tight my jeans are. Race shape leaves quickly when eating too much pizza with 5 teenage boys and baking cookies. I thought I better post the rest of my blog dealing with Ironman Wisconsin since my head has already moved on to ideas of a new blog post and adventures for Team Andres. I’m getting the blog post done Thanksgiving afternoon while everyone is napping or hunting.

Part three… The RACE
If I would have listened to my bike numbers or run paces at IM Wisconsin I’m pretty sure I would not have been the first female to cross the finishing tape. I did what I could in the swim with my fitness and swim ability. However, on the bike I rode harder than I probably should have – given my ...

Hounds & High Hopes...

Friday, 27 November 2015 00:10

By Heather Lendway (heatherlendway.com)

Austin 70.3 Race Report - Going into Austin I was pretty nervous. After an awesome result in Vegas I had high hopes for this race. The start list was a much deeper field than I expected for a lower point/$ race but I guess there are a lot of ladies that want a head start on next year. Typically you can count on a few people not showing up race day but only a couple key players dropped out so I knew I’d have to have a stellar day to have a chance at another podium.

Race morning was chilly, about 45 degrees with a strong wind off the lake. I had five layers on and was still a bit cold. Transition was a mud pit. Austin had major flooding the two weeks prior and it rained the day before so there wasn’t much grass left. I walked through transition trying to pick out the path from the lake that would have the smallest probability of me doing some mud slip and slide in T1. I finished my gear prep and per usual Lendway style I headed down to the lake about 15 minutes before race start to pull my wetsuit on. Since the sun was just rising I decided to break out a new pair of reflective Blueseventy Nero Race goggles – they were perfectly clear.

Swim:

* Water temp was about 69 which was perfect wet suit weather. I warmed up quickly and knew right away I’d feel warm enough heading out on the bike.
* The ladies took off two minutes after the men. I went out a bit harder than usual to make sure I’d be in the lead or on the feet of the leader. READ MORE

Heather Rocks in Texas. Gwen Undefeated in 2015...

Tuesday, 10 November 2015 00:10

LENDWAY ROCKS AGAIN - First year pro HEATHER LENDWAY followed up her 2nd place finish at Silverman 70.3 with an impressive 4th last Sunday at Austin 70.3. Leading after the swim (25:05), she then turned in the 4th fastest women's bike split (2:33:59). She followed those efforts with a PR for the half marathon, a 1:27:39! Her total time was 4:30:38, 6:50 behind the winner, Jeanni Seymour of South Africa, whose win was a breakout effort and almost nine minutes faster here than her 2014 clocking.

Heather probably made some money but we don't know how much. She'll be blogging about her race in the near future and we'll repost her report.

Another Minnesotan, albeit a recent transplant for Iowa, also performed admirably in Austin. We're talking about former US Athlete of the Year (2007) DANIEL BRETSCHER (photo), now of Northfield, who placed 7th against a very deep men's field. Daniel's time was 4:03:46. RESULTS ...

The Best and the Worst...

Wednesday, 21 October 2015 00:10

TriJuice.com / Nick Morales Photo

By Ruth Brennan Morrey (ruthbrennanmorrey.com)

The 2015 Ironman World Championship race in Kailua-Kona on October 10, 2015 was the greatest personal test. Rolled into one, for different reasons, it was the best and the worst race of my life. Never before have I felt so strong, so ready, so eager, so fit, so mentally prepared for a race I knew in advance would be a self-inflicted battle. This thorough preparation was a prerequisite, however, not an exception—this was the world championships—pro or age grouper, everyone had put everything into this day and all were ready.

As a Kona pro rookie, the “talk” about the race difficulty put the endeavor into a tidy perspective package instilling both fear and respect in the weeks and months leading up. Typically a negative connotation, “fear” in my mind, was a positive attribute, preparing a strong athlete, mostly mentally, for the extreme and erratic conditions of fierce winds, volcanic “vog”, dense humidity, and furnace-like heat....