Race Previews

Gotta Do This!

Monday, 04 January 2016 00:10

By Kris Swarthout

The King Boreas Winter Triathlon will take place on Sunday, January 31st starting at 10am at Phalen Golf Course in Saint Paul. The distances are 5k Run, 17k Bike, 7.5k Ski. Nestled in Saint Paul’s East side, the venue is 20 minutes from MSP International Airport and 5 minutes from the heart of downtown. The race is an official Saint Paul Winter Carnival event and is made possible through the support of it’s fantastic sponsors; HED Cycling, Now Bike and Fitness, Finn Sisu, Team RWB, Insight Brewing and Clif nutrition.

The course will consist of an rolling off road 5k run counterclockwise around Lake Phalen, a 5 lap off road bike leg which will feature the famous HED “Fly-over”, and a single lap of the Phalen Golf Course Ski course. A preview of the course will be held on Saturday...

Looking at the 2016 Schedule...

Sunday, 03 January 2016 00:10

Gosh, it's 2016 already. Can you believe it?

It's time to talk about the 2016 outdoor tri / du season. At the height of triathlon's popularity, circa 2009 - 2011, there were as many 78 adult outdoor tris and dus staged annually on MInnesota soil. This number did not include the Pigman races in Iowa, the St. Croix Valley, Croixathlon and Burrito Union races that are staged in western Wisconsin. Last year that number dipped to 69. Currently, there are 61 Minnesota tris and dus slated for '16.

What races are going away? Here's are those events that are not scheduled to return:

- Burrito Union 5 & 10-Hr. Triathlons

- Land Between the Lakes (It has been converted to a canoe tri)

- Manitou Sprint

- Ztri

- Paul Bunyan Olympic & Sprint

- Lakefront Days Triathlon

- Waseca 1/3 & Sprint

- Square Lake Long Course ....

Transition Faster...

Saturday, 12 December 2015 00:10

By Kathleen Johnson (triathlon.competitor.com)

Keep your transition area simple and clutter-free. Only set out the gear you need to use, and stash everything else back in your transition bag. You should easily be able to set everything up in an area the size of a hand towel.

Organize your things in the order you will use them, with cycling gear in front of your running gear. Lay things out so it takes as few motions as possible to put them on.

Place your helmet upside down with the back end facing away from you on the ground beside your bike or balanced on your handlebars. Have the straps open and tangle free. Open your sunglasses and put them inside your upturned helmet....

Upper Midwestern Awesomeness...

Sunday, 06 December 2015 00:10

In recent years, athletes from the Upper Midwest, i.e. Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan, have received more than their share of USAT AOY awards and HMs. It doesn't look like that will change any time soon. Here are some of the Upper Midwestern triathletes who should receive award consideration for their 2015 resumes:

DANIEL STUBLESKI, 39, Washington, MI – Dan was named AOY in 2013 and 2014 and should be in the running for that award again. For the last four years, he has been the best long distance amateur triathlete in America. Will he win the AOY again? We don't think so. We suspect that USAT will want to, as they say, spread the wealth. They will likely choose a short course star, either a guy from Virginia, or a guy who currently resides in Washington state. Either one of those guys would be an great choice. (We promised USAT that we wouldn't predict the winners by name.) ...

Race of the Year: Top 10....

Tuesday, 20 October 2015 00:10

Minnesota Multisport Awards - Official voting for 2015 TRIATHLETES CHOICE RACE OF THE YEAR has concluded, and as promised we are revealing the Top 10 Vote Getters. Next week we will publish the Top 5.

Here are the Top 10 in alpha order:

1. GREEN LAKE TRIATHLON

2. HEART OF THE LAKES

3. LAKE MINNETONKA

4. LIFE TIME TRI - MAPLE GROVE

5. LIFE TIME TRI - MINNEAPOLIS

6. HOPKINS ROYAL...

Going Long...

Wednesday, 14 October 2015 00:10

Minnesota Multisport Awards - Here are the official nominees for LONG DISTANCE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR. To be eligible, considerees must have turned in at least two outstanding long course performances during the season.