PASS THE TOFURKEY...

Hey, Kortney, you really EAT this stuff, right? Even the mushy gunk in the middle? Do you like lutefisk, too?

To be continued...

BUFFALO WINGS & SEAN PENN...

When Sean Penn's name was announced as the winner of the "Best Actor in a Leading Role" Oscar last February, nobody was happier than triathlete/tri-coach Dan Cohen (left). He--Cohen--sprang joyfully from his sofa. As he did, his right knee caught and lifted the edge of the coffee table, sending the styro carton containing the remaining four "Blazing" chicken wings--he'd ordered the 18-pack from a nearby Buffalo Wild Wings and did not plan to share--to the chronically un-vacuumed carpet.

Imposing the "5-Second Rule," Dan frantically scooped

up the befouled appendages, plucked away the visible debris, and resumed consumption.

This did not really happen.

But it could have, because there are few things that Dan Cohen loves more than Buffalo wings and Sean Penn movies.

You probably didn't know that, right?

Well, there's a lot of stuff that most people don't know about Dan. Sure, he's a tremendous multisport athlete and successful coach. We all know that. But he is also, according to his own resume, an "Adjunct Instructor."

What the heck is that, you ask?

We don't know either, but it sounds important.

We sent out a questionnaire to all 20 members of Team Minnesota '09 asking them to share some personal, non-tri-related information about themselves. What we learned is that these great athletes are also cool and occasionally down-to-earth people.

Here's some of what we learned about Dan Cohen:

* College: BA Psychology (St. Mary's University); M.Ed Kinesiology/Exercise Science (University of Minnesota)

* Favorite TV Shows: "House" and "Iron Chef"

* Favorite Movies: "Fletch", "Color of Money", "Lord of the Rings"

* Favorite Actors: Sean Penn, Robert Downey, Jr. & Jody Foster

* Music Preferences: Phish, Widespread Panic, Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead

* Favorite Junk Food: Ice Cream & Apple Crisp

* Favorite Restaurants: Pei Wei, Spoon River, Sakura Sushi

* Favorite Adult Beverage: Any beer; the darker the better

* Non-Tri Hobbies: Movies & Traveling

* Dream Vacation Destination: Hmm...A lot of places in Europe

Coming next...Kortney Haag...Getting ripped on Caipirinha...

HOW THEY DID...

(Tempe, AZ - November 22, 2009) MTN congratulates all the Minnesota Ironmen who took the IM Arizona challenge last weekend. We are proud to publish your results:

* Brooks Grossinger (Mayer) - 9:52:06

* Greg Taylor (Mankato) - 10:09:28 - 55-59M Course Record

* Jen Lenarz (Apple Valley) - 11:24:34

* Ben Ewers (North Oaks) - 11:32:49 - 2nd 60-64M

* Wade Folske (Golden Valley) - 11:33:22

* Marty Weiland (Lakeville) - 11:40:45 - See photo - Can you guess Marty's favorite beer?

* Dave Flynn (Woodbury) - 11:51:15

* Kelli Hayes (Winona) - 11:55:28

* Angie Hong (Savage) - 12:05:11

* David Barnes (Lakeville) - 12:19:24

* Joe Conlin (Deephaven) - 12:21:05

* Lindsay Osborn (Shakopee) - 12:28:17

* Mitchel Talbot (St. Louis Park) - 12:37:25

* Don Weirens (St. Louis Park) - 12:55:01

* Matthew Snell (Blaine) - 12:57:22

* Gerry Hagen (Minnetonka) - 13:02:41

* Michael Sherer (Duluth) - 13:04:09

* Kim Locher (Lakeville) - 13:09:31

* Sara Will (Burnsville) - 13:16:13

* Frank Blackstock (Plymouth) - 13:23:04

* Julian Jones (Elk River) - 13:26:29

* Dawn Garlough (Bloomington) - 13:41:32

* Rob Bryant (S. Paul) - 13:41:42

* Caroline Hale-Coldwell (Minneapolis) - 13:47:45

* Mark Kwamusi (Pequot Lakes) - 15:00:21

* Anthony Maiers (Hutchinson) - 15:02:02

* Harvey "Smiley" Thorleifson (Minneapolis) - 15:12:31

* Sue Weiskopf-Larson (Lino Lakes) - 15:16:37

* Noburo Tobonari (Northfield) - 15:43:21

* Joseph Pedersen (Lindstrom) - 15:53:33

Did we miss anyone? Let us know.

NOTE: No Minnesotans were on the DNF list!

IRONMAN ARIZONA COVERAGE..

Sunday - 6:25 PM - Another CR for Greg Taylor! Greg smoked the old 55-59 course best, taking it from 10:27:39 to 10:09:28! It's Taylor's second IM CR this year and could earn him a USAT Master of the Year HM. We'll see!

Way to go Brooks! Mayer's Brooks Grossinger just joined the Sub-10 Club! His PR time was 9:56:02!

Sunday - 5:05 PM - Samantha McGone sets the women's record, a brilliant 9:09:19!

Sunday - 4:50 PM - McGlone is still leading the women's race but Montana's Lindsay Corbin is only 3 1/2 minutes back with about 8K to go. Everyone, as expected, is slowing down. Michellie's mark may stand for another year.

Sunday - 4:15 PM - Scarborough, NY's Jordan Rapp has won Ironman Arizona. His 8:13:35 bettered Andreas Raelert's course record by 41 seconds and the time he (Rapp) recorded here in November '08 by 6:10. Rapp was also victorious at Ironman Canada last August. As he did in April '08*, Des Moines' TJ Tollakson finished 2nd, his 8:20:22, lowering his PB by 12 minutes.

(* There were two Ironman Arizona races in 2008. Several errors were made in earlier editions of this post. Thanks to the ever-observant Terrance Lee for updating our information.)

Canada's Samantha McGlone appears to be in control of the women's race. And, yes, Michellie Jone's CR (9:12:53) is in jeopardy.

Sunday - 3:50 PM - Through the swim and bike portions of today's Ironman Arizona several Minnesotans are racing strongly. Remember, it's 140.6 and anything can happen (and often does). Nevertheless, Greg Taylor and Ben Ewers are on pace to set divisional records and Brooks Grossinger and Jennifer Lenarz, appear to be heading for personal bests.

IMAZ Athlete Tracker:

MINNESOTANS IN TEMPE...

(Photos: Greg Taylor napping at Timberman and Jen Lenarz kicking tush at Chain of Lakes.)

Weather should be an ideal for racing at Ironman Arizona on Sunday. Temps should range from 50 degrees at the start to 75 by mid-afternoon. The pro fields are deep and Michael Lovato's and Michellie Jones' course records (8:20:56 and 9:12:53) could fall. Prediction: Canada's Samantha McGlone will dip under 9:10.

Several AG records should be rewritten, and don't be surprised if a pair of Minnesotans do some of the editing.

Who?

Mankato's Greg Taylor and North Oaks' Ben Ewers.

Taylor, 55, has already set one divisional IM record this year, doing so at Coeur D'Alene. If he were to match his CDA time--10:22:40--on Sunday, he'd trim 4:59 off AZ's 55-59 CR. Greg is hungry after his DNF in Kona last month and also knows that a victorious effort in Tempe could put him back the hunt for a USAT Master of the Year Honorable Mention.

Based on his winning effort at Vineman 70.3, Ewers, 63, who was crowned Minnesota Grand Master of the Year at TriNight on November 7, appears capable of slipping under the 11-hour mark at Arizona. (The formula: 2 x your best half + 1 hour. Ben's 70.3 time was 4:58, thus he should be able to go as fast as 10:56 on Sunday, if he has maintained his fitness, that is.) The current 60-64CR is 11:09:21.

While Taylor and Ewers chase records, the fastest of the 37 Minnesotans who will be racing on Sunday should be Mayer's Brooks Grossinger. If everything goes well, i.e. if he races like he did a Chisago last July (4:03:47), expect Brooks to crack 10 hours.

And who will be the fastest Minnesota woman on Sunday?

Our guess is that Jen "Swat Girl" Lenarz of Apple Valley, will outdo the 11:37:26-PR she set at Louisville last August. We also think that Shakopee's Lindsay Osborn will better 12-hours.

MTN's NOMINEES FOR US ROOKIES OF THE YEAR..

St. Louis Park's Suzie Finger was the 2009 Minnesota Rookie of the Year. Do you know who the national Rookies of the Year are?

Of course you don't.

Presently, neither USAT Triathlon nor the national tri mags (Inside Triathlon & Triathlete) include ROYs in their season-ending athlete recognition. Hopefully, this will change in the relatively near future.

Since 1998, MTN editor Jerry MacNeil has assisted in USAT's AOY selection process by providing athlete bios. In the research process, he has come across some very talented first-year triathletes. Had the Federation had a ROY category in 2008, for instance, Jerry would have recommended New Jersey's David Slavinski for the men's award.

Who would his 2009 nominees be?

Florida's Sean Jefferson and Massachusetts' Crystal Anthony (pictured above).

These athletes have made impressive transitions from elite running to multisports. Anthony demonstrated great range, excelling in long and short course triathlon, and, less surprisingly, in duathlon. Jefferson's early season efforts were "medium-dazzle," but from August on he raced as well as any US amateur.

Check out these resumes:

CRYSTAL ANTHONY, 29, Beverly, MA

* 1st amateur @ Lake Steven's 70.3 - 9th overall woman (4:46:54)

* 1st overall @ Pumpkinman Half - 4:30:41

* 1st overall @ Mayflower International

* 2nd overall @ USAT Duathlon Nationals (She finished 8 seconds behind NJ's Suzanne Huelster, the 2008 USAT Duathlete of the Year and 2009 ITU World Amateur Champion)

* 3rd overall @ Mooseman Olympic

* 8th amateur @ 70.3 Worlds - 4:21:21

SEAN JEFFERSON, 27, Palm Beach Gardens FL

* 1st @ Huntington's Disease Triathlon

* 1st @ Loggerhead Triathlon

* 1st @ Tropical Triathlon

* 2nd overall amateur (25-29 National Champion) @ USAT AG Nationals

* 3rd overall @ Toyota US Open Elite

* 4th @ FAU Wellness Triathlon

* 4th @ Tradewinds Triathlon

* 10th @ Key Biscayne

Some may wonder why National AG Champion Joey Maloy of Brighton, MA was not recommended for ROY honors. Many believe that 2009 was his first year in the sport. The truth is he raced at least twice in 2008 (Witch City and Belleplain).

Anthony's closest competition for 2009 ROY was Emily Dewald, 26, of Bloomington, IL. Dewald's scorecard featured several regional wins, a 2nd (behind Minnesota's Kortney Haag) at Pigman Half and a 3rd at Chicago Elite.

THE AWAKENING OF DUATHLON?

The late 80s and early 90s were the "Glory Years" for the sport of duathlon. The Coors Light Series was as popular as the USTS/BLTS (United States Triathlon Series / Bud Light Triathlon Series) back then.

By 2000 both the Dannon Duathlon Series and Powerman Alabama, the most prominent events on the national du landscape, began to visibly whither, and by 2004 the sport of duathlon in America appeared to have slipped into a coma.

In 2009, the sport seemed to wake up. Attendance at Nationals was heartening and new races are popping up here and there. Nowhere is the proliferation of duathlons more evident than right here in Minnesota.

Four years ago Minnesota was a "Triathlon State." The four run-bike-runs--Oakdale, Gear West, Apple and Iron Girl--that were on the calendar were generally perceived as waterless tris, contested on dates when local lakes were not swim-ready.

Today, our schedule features at least 13 dus. That's right: 13!

Don't believe it?

Check this out: Winter Be Gone, Cinco de Mayo, Falls Duathlon, Oakdale, Gear West, Apple, Du the Dam, Kingswood Off-Road, Minneapolis, Treadman, Cannon-Wells, Young Life and Osceola. There is also the possibility that the Duluth Duathlon will return in 2010.

Sure, the attendance at some of these events are small (less than 200 entrants), but trends suggest that they will grow. And some of these races are in the "good size" range e.g. Gear West, Oakdale, Apple, each drawing more than 400 participants. Two of our state's dus--Minneapolis and Iron Girl-- pull 4-digit fields.

To be continued...Coach and du advocate Jason Digman will assess the state of duathlon in America in future posts.

FAST IN FLORIDA...

Angie Schmidt (photo by YndeCam.com) was one of several Minnesotans who turned in strong efforts at the 70.3 World Championships last weekend. Here, in alpha order, is how the triathletes from our state fared (let us know if we missed anyone):

* Jey Carlson, 43, Minnetonka - 4:39:14

* Errin Farrens, 29, Maple Grove - 4:58:05

* Todd Firebaugh, 47, Woodbury - 4:20:59

* Julie Hull, 37, Farmington - 4:36:35

* Tracie Kent, 35, St. Paul - 5:04:48

* Julie McMonagle, 43, Eagan - 5:21:05

* Angie Schmidt, 39, Woodbury - 4:42:22

* Nathaniel Tollefson, 43, Minneapolis - 4:36:47

* Michael Wendt, 34, Minneapolis - 4:27:43

* Cathy Yndestad, 31, Apple Valley - 4:24:02 (2nd 30-34W)

STUFF...

* Ambivalence about the MMAs....(Photo: Marlo McGaver.)

Selecting nominees then determining winners is an inherently controversial process. And it is the disputatious nature of this enterprise that makes it newsworthy. As the Selection Committee Chairman, I have had several arguments, most of them of the good-natured variety, with those who disagree with the final picks.

The truth is, I disagree with some of the final picks, too. The selection process, you see, is democratic; members submit their picks individually and the athletes receiving the most support take home the awards. Not every committee member gets what they want.

The further truth is, and I think I speak for all five of the Committee members, we feel both good and bad about the selections. In my case, I'm very happy that Kevin O'Connor was named Duathlete of the Year, but I'm sad that an athlete of Marlo McGaver's caliber and '09 resume went home empty-handed. I'm happy for Jan Guenther (Master of the Year), but feel blue that Jeanne Fleck didn't win anything. I feel badly for Hank (Larsen), Rhett (Bonner) and especially Greg (Taylor), while I heartily applaud the winners in their respective categories. And I feel badly for EVERYONE nominated in the Performance of the Year categories, except for the winners, of course.

And then there's Team Minnesota. What a super assemblage of athletes! I think the names are correct, but the order needs tweaking. I won't mention who I feel are ranked too highly, but I will say that I think that Dan (Cohen) and Brook (Mutzenberger) placed lower than I though was appropriate.

In the end, though, one fact is clear: There would be no controversy if there wasn't so goshdarn much talent in this state.

* Jan Guenther's 50-54W US Iron-distance record, set in Madison, WI last September, was short lived. Forty-nine days, to be exact. Atlanta's Laura Sophiea posted a new divisional record at Ironman Florida. Laura's 10:27:25 was 54 seconds faster than Jan's. Sophiea, a two-time US Master of the Year (2001, 2006) who will also be considered for that honor in 2009, has won the 50-54W division at Kona four of the last five years.

We still contend that Jan's performance at Ironman Wisconsin is the AG Performance of the Year in the US.

(Photo: Laura Sophiea racing at Hawaii's Lavaman Triathlon.)

* Thinking about Clearwater....What's with the pro times? In the first three years of this event, pro times appeared "semi-reasonable" while amateur times were insane. This year the amateur times did not seem outrageous, or at least by comparison to 2008 clockings. But the pro times were nuts. 3:34:04! This result lowered last year's men's WB by 6+ minutes. On other "fast courses," e.g. Eagleman, CRs are in the 3:44 range. (The non-Clearwater WB is 3:42.)

So how does Michael Raelert, an infrequent Top 5 finisher in major events, swim a quasi-reasonable 21:58, followed by a 1:59:35 (and 12 guys had FASTER splits!), which is more than 1 mph faster than he's ever covered an Olympic distance course, then a 1:09:06 finish. Geez, wasn't he tired coming off the bike? Well, he supposedly popped a 3:34:04, which, according to our research was a 28 minute improvement on his 70.3 PB.

What's written here is not intended to impugn Mr. Raelart, or any of the wicked-fast pro competitors. There are no accusations here. Just the desire to understand.

Explanations and/or theories are invited. Send them to jerry.bous@gmail.com.

INSANE TIMES IN CLEARWATER!

What is it about Clearwater? What makes this course so darn fast? It's a conscientiously produced World Championship, thus we can assume that courses are accurate and drafting was stridently monitored and violators penalized. Right? Well, it must be a combination of field quality, media hype and the extra adrenaline these factors stimulate.

Here's a peek at the Top 5 pro women, what they just did and how it compares to their best times (according to our research) on courses that aren't located on the gulf side of central Florida.

1. Julie Dibens (GBR) - 3:59:33 (Non-Clearwater Best - 4:10:58 @ 5430 '09)

2. Mary Beth Ellis (USA) - 4:03:39 (Non-Clearwater Best - 4:33:34 - Lake Stevens '08 - Note: MB also placed 2nd at Clearwater '08; her time was 4:04 and change.)

3. Magali Tisseyre (CAN) - 4:05:27 (Non-Clearwater Best - 4:12:29 - Boise '09)

4. Caroline Steffen (SUI) - 4:05:33 (Non-Clearwater Best - 4:31:50 - Austria '09)

5. Laura Bennett (USA) - 4:07:39 (Non-Clearwater Best - 4:18:36 - Augusta '09)

The men's winner was Germany's Michael Raelert, whose 3:34:04 lopped six minutes off the WB. Our notes suggest that his previous 70.3 best was a 4:05:25 at Weisbaden earlier this season.

MINNESOTA UPDATE: Preliminary results show that Apple Valley's Cathy Yndestad placed 2nd in the 30-34W category. Her time was 4:24:02 and she beat fellow AOY contender Mandy McLane by a gaunt 2 seconds. Additionally, it appears that Lindsay Whalen, also an AOY frontrunner, has beaten Cathy by ONE SECOND. (Remember, these are preliminary results.) Yndestad has faced Whalen five times this year--Nationals, Life Time Fitness, St. Anthony's, Dallas US Open and 70.3 Worlds--and come out on top in three of those confrontations.

WELCOME, CINDY!

Decorated triathlete, physical therapist and athletic trainer Cindy Schlafmann manages the Physical Therapy Department at TRIA Orthopaedic Center in Bloomington. MTN is pleased to announce that Cindy will make regular editorial contributions to this site dealing with such topics as injury treatment and prevention, attaining and maintaining fitness, and improving performance.

Welcome, Cindy.

GOOD LUCK, CY!

The three amateur women who appear to be the frontrunners for USA Triathlon 2009 Athlete of the Year are Florida's Mandy McLane, Illinois' Lindsay Whalen and Minnesota's Cathy Yndestad (pictured).

These girls will face each other tomorrow (Saturday) at the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, Florida, and it is quite possible that the fastest member of this triumvirate will be crowned AOY. If Cathy wins the award, she will become the first Minnesota woman to do so. If she does not win, she will be named AOY Honorable Mention for the 3rd consecutive year.

Other athletes from our state who have earned post-season honors are Tony Schiller (AOY '95, Master of the Year '02), Jan Guenther (Master of the Year '99) and Kristin Miller (Duathlete of the Year '06, '05).

CONGRATULATIONS KORT & DEREK...

Two-time MMA winner--2008 Rookie of the Year, 2009 Most Improved--Kortney Haag recently reported in her blog that she and husband Derek are expecting their second child. The due date is June 17. We'll miss watching you race next season, Kort.

Kortney enjoyed a brilliant sophomore season in '09 and was ranked 2nd on Team Minnesota '09.

SILVERMAN & FLORIDA...

The Nevada Silverman and Ironman Florida are 140.6-mile events that are staged on the same day. That may be where their similarities end.

How are they different?

Well, at Florida, some folks finish when the sun is still shining. At Silverman, the sun had been on the other side of the Spring Mountains for 44 minutes and 37 seconds when the men's winner, Chris Williams of Bend, OR, arrived at the Henderson Multigenerational Center, the site of the ST finish line.

And the respective race courses couldn't be more different. In Nevada, cyclists negotiate 12,000 feet of climbing. No one averages 20 mph. In Florida, bridges and overpasses account for almost 50 feet of elevation gain and the fastest female cyclist out-splits ST's fastest male cyclist by over an hour.

In Florida, entrants dream of racing fast and setting PRs. In Nevada, participants entertain no such fantasies.

Why?

'Cuz Ironman Florida is probably the fastest 140.6 in North America, while Silverman is the continent's slowest ultra, and may actually be the World's slowest.

MTN congratulates all who took the Florida or Silverman challenge this past weekend.

Silverman '09:

* Brian Moynihan, Eagan - 11:58:06 (2nd 45-49M)

* Adam Krueger, Moorhead - 12:13:00 (5th 25-29M)

* Brian Magnuson, Minneapolis - 13:30:06 (14th 30-34M)

* Joseph Butterfield, Minneapolis - 15:56:03 (14th 25-29M)

* David Becker, Bemidji - 15:40:24 (13th 50-54M)

Ironman Florida '09:

* Jonathan Balabuck, Thunder Bay, ONT - 10:23:21

* Margaret MacMillan, Minneapolis - 11:01:01 (3rd 45-49W)

* Julia Lyng, Bursville - 11:09:24 (11th 40-44W) - 1st IM!

* Michael Murray, - 11:33:28 (38th 50-54)

* Igor Epshteyn - 11:52:19 (161st 40-44M)

* Nicholas Oswald - 11:55:48 (50th 11:55:48M)

* Margarita Sevilla - 12:00:23 (27th 35-39W)

* Ryan Naatjes - 12:01:40 (191st 35-39M)

* Igor Kotlovsky - 12:04:49 (175th 40-44M)

* David Voss - 12:09:12 (137th 45-49M)

* Shawn Husband - 12:11:21 (202nd 35-39M)

* Cindy Cook - 12:50:20 (32nd 35-39W)

* Kirk Hanson - 12:25:50 (209th 40-44M)

* Jeff Groffsky - 12:44:26 (101st 50-54M)

* Michael Koetting - 12:49:29 (248th 40-44M)

* Scott Beesley - 12:50:44 (146th 30-34M)

* Gregory Hayes - 12:56:57 (262nd 35-39M)

* Sharon Hobbs - 13:19:10 (9th 50-54W)

* Christopher Hoff - 13:34:35 (310th 35-39M)

* Lisa Sturk - 14:06:23 (69th 30-34W)

* Michael Bryant - 14:16:34 (321st 35-39)

* Hans-Jurgen Van Heteren-Freeze - 15:24:37 (378th 40-44M)

(Photo: Eagan's Brian Moynihan, the fastest Minnesotan at Silverman V.)

A VERY SPECIAL MAN...

(Photos: Honoree Bill Rataczak and Thorpe Running Inspiration award founder and presenter Tony Schiller.)

By Tony Schiller

The 2009 Thorpe Running Inspiration Award recipient is a pioneer in Minnesota racing and multi-sport, Bill Rataczak.

If you don’t know Bill, this is an opportunity to learn about a person whose life has touched and inspired so many and now it’s our turn to say, “Thank You”, and to offer a little encouragement and inspiration back to the guy that’s been cheering us on for so long.

From Bill’s earliest memory he had only one life dream. It was to fly airplanes for a living. For 34 years he achieved that dream, flying jumbo jets around the world for Northwest Airlines. If you ever flew on one of Bill’s flights, you were in good hands.

He was the guy you wanted flying your plane if you had a heart attack and needed someone to perform CPR to save your life.

He was the guy you wanted flying your plane if you got hijacked. That’s right. He was the co-pilot of the infamous DB Cooper hijacking in 1981. You might recall Cooper as the businessman who got on board with a backpack full of dynamite, cleared the plane of all but the crew and demanded parachutes and $200,000. Once in possession of the loot, he demanded they fly to Mexico keeping the plane under 10,000 feet and 175 mph, the minimum speed needed to keep the 727 airborne. Soon thereafter, he opened the tailgate, lowered the steps and leapt into a nighttime blizzard in the Cascade Mountains, never to be seen or heard from again.

Bill’s convinced the jump killed him, but tales of Cooper sightings continue to this day as the folklore about his existence only grows. The hijacking changed much about air travel as we know it today. It was the beginning of airport security being ramped up in the US and soon thereafter Boeing changed the 727, making it virtually impossible to jump out of.

And Bill was also the guy you wanted flying your plane if you were a runner and wanted a runner partner to show you the best routes after flying to far away places like London, Amsterdam, Hong Kong and Singapore. When the rest of the crew got off the plane and hit the bars, he was the one who hit the streets to log his miles. He did this from the early ‘70s, when running was a lonely pursuit, especially in other parts of the world, but he loved it. It was the best way to see a city and he had marathons to train for.

He ran early versions of Grandma’s, Nike OTC, New York City and the City of Lakes Marathon which was the precursor to the Twin Cities Marathon. And if you ran in any of the first 13 TCM’s it was Bill who called your name over the PA at the finish as he was the voice of the race through 1994.

He was the voice of other races too, notably, a popular 10k he brought to Annandale and directed for many years before he helped change it to a triathlon in 1987. Though that first edition saw half the field stopped at a railroad crossing by a passing train, the race drew raves and the next year sold out as the first Heart of the Lakes Triathlon using the same course used today, sans railroad tracks. A Bill innovation was using a young upstart artist’s nature drawings for race T-Shirts. The popular designs later became among the most desired race awards around… the framed posters still penned to this day by Bill’s son, the award winning nature artist, Jim Rataczak.

For nearly a decade Bill called the finish line at Annandale before finally doing the race himself. He trained hard, finished a strong swim and was riding well when he heard one of his son’s high school buddies call out, “Hey Mr. Rataczak”. Bill instinctively held up his hand and the two landed a high-speed high 5, only the kid forgot to let go. It caused the perfect whifferdale as Bill’s body came to a screeching midair halt and his bike kept going as he crashed hard to the ground while still holding the kid’s hand. Relying on his old pilot training – never let the passengers see your duress – the shirtless Bill got up, smiled and assured the panicking boy he was alright. He fetched his bike, rode off with a wave, and only when up the hill and out of sight did he let out a howling, “OWWWW”.

He finished the ride and limped painfully around the lake repeating to himself, “I’m going back to announcing.” It was his first – and last – triathlon. He remained a staple at every Heart of the Lakes Triathlon, as the official starter and all-around cheerleader congratulating as many finishers as he could shake hands with. He took great joy in seeing all the visitors come to Annandale and was always a great ambassador for the race and city.

It took a lot to cause Bill to finally miss a HOLT in 2005. In the prior February he was diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer which was spreading rapidly through his body. He had surgery and went through 6 weeks of intense chemo where he was placed into a painful mask that was locked to a table for his treatments. The treatments worked and killed the cancer but he lost much of his voice and had to feed through a stomach tube as his weight fell from 154 to 127 lbs. Through it all Bill remained positive, promising all who would listen that he’d soon be back to his loves… playing hockey, running, cycling, flying his plane and cheering all of us on at the Annandale triathlon.

He was. He did all those things within a year of starting treatment and was back in a frail state as race starter in 2006. He returned in 2007 looking and feeling much stronger and like his old self again. The next morning, (Monday, July 23^rd) he awoke feeling motivated by all the racers and jumped on his bike fore the first of his 4 weekly rides. Nearing the ride’s end, he had a fact to bumper meeting with a 10 ton gravel truck. The truck won. Fortunately, he was wearing a helmet – it was all that saved him – but it was a horrific accident. His forehead was ripped open and peeled back to his skull exposing his brain to gravel and dirt. The impact broke the second cervical vertebrae in his neck and fractured too many other bones in his body to mention here.

He was airlifted to St. Cloud where the battle to save his life ensued as he remained in critical condition for over a week and wound up hospitalized for over 2 months. He was fitted for a bird cage to stabilize his broken neck and began the long, slow and painful road to recovery. Throughout it all, friends and family marveled at Bill’s strength as he stayed positive and kept telling everyone he was doing fine and would soon be back to normal.

He was a good faker but those who knew him best saw that, after the cancer, this second whammy was almost too much for even Bill to handle. It was going to be the struggle of his lifetime to find the courage to hang in there and come back again.

He did just that. If you raced in the 2008 HOLT, you might recall one of the highlight moments of the day. When Bill walked under his own power down to the beach to once again handle his duties as race starter, it was called a medical miracle, but to those who know him, it was what you’d expect from Bill Rataczak. Since his leg strength and body balance is still in question, he hasn’t yet retaken to the roads on his bike or gotten back on the ice for senior hockey. But he is training hard on his Revmaster and has been back in the cockpit of his plane for more than the past year, doing what he was born to do, fly.

The Thorpe Running Inspirational is named as a 2-way award. It serves not just to show appreciation to the recipient for how they role model for us strength and courage against incredible adversity. It’s also about the racing community coming together to say, “Keep on fighting my good friend… there’s still many races for you to run in life and we want you out there with us for many more years.”

And that’s just what Bill Rataczak intends to do. He was really touched by this award and thanks the entire multi-sport community for all the support and well wishes along the way. He invites all of you to attend the Heart of the Lakes Triathlon in 2010 and looks forward to sending off your wave and cheering you home at the finish line. - TS

WHAT A SEASON!

(St. Paul, MN – Nov. 7, 2009) Here are the winners of the 11^th annual MINNESOTA MULTISPORT AWARDS, which were presented Academy Awards-style last evening at TriNight ’09 at St. Paul College. St. Paul’s Devon Palmer was the night’s brightest star, hauling in three Emmas. Mound’s Jan Guenther was the other multiple winner, her two trophies lifting her career total to an unprecedented 13.

TRIATHLETE OF THE YEAR

DEVON PALMER, 22, St. Paul & CATHY YNDSETAD, 31, Apple Valley

Cathy, a three-time nominee for USAT Athlete of the Year, was the obvious choice here, though Kortney Haag had a brilliant season. Devon’s big-time victories at Life Time and HOLT, and his 3^rd place overall finish at AG Nationals, gave him the nod over Kevin O’Connor, who beat DP twice last season.

DUATHLETE OF THE YEAR

KEVIN O’CONNOR, 38, Medina

Undefeated on the local du scene, Kevin was able to wrestle this award away from three-time DOY Marlo McGaver, who did suffer one local loss. Speed comparisons also gave a slight edge to O’Connor. Kevin was measured against elite amateur performance standards, whereas Marlo was measured against professional standards. (FYI, McGaver did get a pro license this season.)

JUNIOR OF THE YEAR (Coed)

NICK MADRINICH, 19, Chaska

Nick had a great season, one featuring an outright victory at Chaska, a 4^th behind Dennis Dane, Brett Lovaas and Jon Balabuck and a Top 10 at Manitou (junior males are simply not supposed to be able to do that).

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR (Coed)

SUZIE FINGER, 26, St. Louis Park

No surprise here. Suzie was the cream of a very solid crop.

GRAND MASTER OF THE YEAR (Coed)

BEN EWERS, 63, North Oaks

A great group of nominees here but Ben was the only one who truly redefined the performance standards in his AG.

MASTER OF THE YEAR

BRIAN BICH, 43, Duluth & JAN GUENTHER, 50, Mound

This was the most controversial category. On the men’s side, strong arguments were made for Rhett Bonner and Greg Taylor. The fact that Rhett is only two years older than Brian hurt his (Rhett’s) bid for the award. Age Grading, which almost put the award in Taylor’s hands, could not be applied in Rhett’s case. After hours of debate, Brian came out on top. Anyone who is fast enough to have beaten Devon (Pigman Sprint) and Kevin (Lake Waconia) and placed 7^th in the deepest head-to-head field of the year at Best of the US has demonstrated that he is in a class of his own.

On the women’s side, Guenther’s position was strengthened by the fact that she excelled in both long and short distance events. Heidi and Jeanne raced only in short races, and Marnie needed at least one more elite effort to be truly competitive in this category. Though Jeanne beat Jan in each of their three confrontations, the six-year age differential plus the fact that Jeanne was unable to match any of Jan’s existing course records in those races softened the argument. Finally, Jan’s effort at Ironman Wisconsin was perceived to be the Performance of the Year.

This was the most talented group of female masters in the history of the MMAs.

MOST IMPROVED

DEVON PALMER, 22, St. Paul & KORTNEY HAAG, 30, New Hope

These athletes had to muscle there way through our state’s most decorated athletes to get to their places on the upper rungs of the Team Minnesota ladder.

PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Devon Palmer’s Win @ Life Time Fitness Elite

Devon beat one of the 2-3 strongest amateur fields of the year at LTF. His win at HOLT and Kevin’s CR at “Little Pig” were also given serious consideration.

Jan Guenther’s Amateur Win @ Ironman Wisconsin

Age Grading was not part of the decision here. Jan WON a major Ironman race by a huge margin. Cathy Yndestad received staunch support from two of the five committee members. In the end, 10+ hours of high-level racing was perceived to override two hours of red-line competition against superior competition.

THORPE RUNNING INSPIRATION AWARD

Bill Rataczak

TRIATHLETES CHOICE FAVORITE RACE OF THE YEAR

Winner – Lake Minnetonka Triathlon

2^nd - MinneMan Triathlon

3^rd – YWCA Women’s Triathlon.

4^th – Lake Marion Triathlon.

5^th – Trinona

TEAM MINNESOTA: Men

1. David Thompson, 31, St. Paul

2. Kevin O’Connor, 38, Medina

3. Devon Palmer, 22, St. Paul

4. Brian Bich, 43, Duluth

5. Sam Hauck, 25, Shoreview / Omaha, NE

6. Jonathan Balabuck, 29, Thunder Bay, ONT

7. Matthew Payne, 32, Columbia Heights

8. Patrick Parish, 24, Circle Pines

9. Dennis Dane, 29, Golden Valley

10.Dan Cohen, 35, Eden Prairie

Also receiving consideration: Brett Lovaas, Curt Wood, Mark Carey, Steve Sander and Brooks Grossinger.

TEAM MINNESOTA: Women

1. Cathy Yndestad, 31, Apple Valley

2. Kortney Haag, 30, New Hope

3. Marlo McGaver, 39, Duluth

4. Jeanne Fleck, 44, Proctor

5. Jan Guenther, 50, Mound

6. Julie Hull, 37, Farmington

7. Heidi Keller-Miler, 44, Chaska

8. Brook Mutzenberger, 29, Eden Prairie

9. Marnie Walth, 40, Bismarck, ND

10.Susan Williams, 37, Minneapolis

Also receiving consideration: Thea Fleming, Mary Beth Tuttle, Catherine Lee, Shelley Nelson, Diane Hankee and Suzie Finger.

NOTE: The athlete’s entire resume is taken into account and Age Grading was not employed.

THE ENVELOPE PLEASE...

Coming Saturday evening....The 2009 EMMA Recipients...The MMA results will be posted at the conclusion of the TriNight festivities...

HAVE YOU SEE IT YET?

Have you seen Trinona's new website? It is spectacular! Check it out Here. Great work, Dave. Our compliments to your web designer.

WHAT'S A CELEBRATION WITHOUT ADULT BEVERAGES?

(Back Row - Steve Gunther, Thorpe Running Inspiration Award winner Jeremy Sartain, 2008 Guest Speaker Hunter Kemper--high on life, not alcohol, like the rest of this mob--Kerry Yndestad, Wayne Chapman, the ever-resplendent Santi Bromley and Helen Gunther. Front Row - Cathy "What-Am-I-Going-To-Do-With-All-These-Darn-Awards" Yndestad, Julie Hull and Kristine Heilman.)

Paragons of decorum. These are some of the folks, the ones who are missing were not upright and ambulatory when the photo was taken, responsible for TriNight '06, '07, '08 & '09.

MMA HISTORY...

(Photo: Triathlete/philanthropist Steve Gunther, the man who wouldn't let "The Banquet" die.)

The Minnesota Multisport Awards were born in 1999. They were designed to pay tribute to those tri-and-du-athletes who set the unusually high performance standards in our state.

There was no awards ceremony in '99. The awards were hand-delivered to the recipients at their homes or businesses.

The inaugural MMA Banquet was held at the Commodore Hotel in St. Paul in 2000. The facility could accommodate about 100 people, which was immediately inadequate. The event drew 104 attendees.

The MMAs were held at the University Club on Summit Avenue in 2001 and 2002, attracting close to 200 attendees each time, which exceeded the facility's capacity. In '02 the Academy Awards-style presentation, wherein athletes presented the awards, was implemented.

The Event was staged at the larger and more elegant Downtown University Club, which could accommodate approximately 250 guests, in 2003 and 2004.

In 2005 the MMAs were moved to The Depot in downtown Minneapolis.

The cost of producing what had come to be known simply as "The Banquet" was beyond prohibitive. The 2005 Event cost approximately $25,000, of which $13K was recovered in the form of ticket and sponsor booth/table sales. (NOTE: A huge percentage of the cost--$10K--went to Final Frame, the company that filmed several races, hundreds of athletes and edited and produced the Event's music video and the video highlights of the 40-or-so award nominees. Final Frame was a budding enterprise and provided their services for much less than they were worth.)

The MMAs would live on, winners would be announced in the media and awards would be mailed, but it appeared that "The Banquet" was dead.

Enter Steve Gunther (pictured) and company.

Steve and his committee revamped "The Banquet," now also known as "TriNight." The Program was expanded while costs were trimmed and ticket prices were significantly reduced.

Thanks, Steve!

THE NEW 40...

(Photo: Two-fisted drinker, Greg Taylor, 55, of Mankato, at Timberman. Greg's 2009 tri resume will be reviewed by USAT's AOY Selection Committee.)

Since 2000, MTN Editor Jerry MacNeil has been a consultant to USA Triathlon's AOY (Athletes of the Year) Selection Committee. His role is to research the competitive resumes of dozens of American amateur triathletes and duathletes in several categories, i.e. overall, juniors, masters, grand masters, and submit bios, with recommendations, to the Committee's Chairperson. The recommendations are not always supported, for example, Colorado's Ellen Hart was named 2008 US Master of the Year despite MacNeil's strident advocacy for Florida's Linda Robb. The selection process is inherently controversial and the arguments often are heated. It is democracy in action, and Jerry loves every minute of it.

Last year's men's masters race came down to a pair of fantastic 40-44 guys, New Jersey's Doug Clark and Minnesota's Brian Bich, with Bich ultimately prevailing thanks largely to his season-ending podium finish at the Best of the US Championship in Tempe, AZ.

Well, Clark is back in the mix this year, but his stiffest challenge will not come from fellow 44-and-under athletes. It will most likely come from a 46-year-old Californian named Tim Sheeper and a foursome--that's right, a foursome--of 55-59 gents.

This is unprecedented and very, very cool.

In alphabetical order, the fab four are Dean Harper, 56, of Walnut Creek,CA, Kim McDonald, 55, of Del Mar, CA, Kevin Moats, 55, of Atlanta, GA, and Greg Taylor, 55, of Mankato, MN.

Here's what each of these guys has accomplished this season:

* DEAN HARPER - Divisional wins @ Gold Coast (AUS) World Championships, California 70.3, Wildflower, Treasure Island and Escape from Alcatraz. Additionally, he placed 2nd at AG Nationals.

* KIM MCDONALD - Divisional wins at AG Nationals, Pacific Coast/US Sprint Championships, San Diego Olympic and Encinitas Sprint. He finished 2nd at California 70.3.

* KEVIN MOATS - Divisional wins at the Hawiian Ironman World Championships, Hawaii 70.3 and St. Croix 70.3. Moats placed 3rd at AG Nationals.

* GREG TAYLOR - Greg set a divisional course record at Ironman Coeur D'Alene and turned in a "World Best Equivalent" performance at Chisago Lakes Half. His regional resume was impeccable.

The USAT AOY Selection Committee plans to announce its Athletes of the Year later this month. In each category a winner will be named, as will five Honorable Mentions. It's reasonable to assume that at least two of the six male masters that will be honored will be from the 55-59 AG.

CONGRATULATIONS IRON MOM...

Meet Tessa Mercer, born on September 7 and weighing in at a wee 6 lb. 3 oz. Her mom is long distance triathlete Sarah Mercer, 40, of Golden Valley. If you scroll down to the Iron Minnesotans post, you'll see that Sarah's name is prominent. In fact, she won the Performance of the Year award in 2001 for her 6th place overall--2nd amateur--finish at Ironman Canada.

Congratulations Sarah and David. And welcome to the World Tessa.

RACINE JOINS 70.3 CLUB...

Another race in the popular Ironman 70.3 Series has been announced. The new Ironman 70.3 Racine, formerly the Spirit of Racine Triathlon, will take place on July 18, 2010 in Wisconsin. The event will become one of the 40 races in the worldwide series and will serve as an official qualifier for Ironman World Championship 70.3 which takes place in Clearwater, Florida every November. READ

A LONG WAY IN SUCH A SHORT TIME...

Great Britain's Chrissie Wellington won the Age Group World Championship in Lausanne, Switzerland in 2006. In '07, she got her pro license and shifted her focus to long distance racing. What she has accomplished since then, especially at 140.6, is nothing short of unbelievable.

Even Chrissie herself has trouble comprehending it, as she explained recently on Xtri.com. READ

Chrissie's Iron-resume:

2009: 1st @ Ironman Australia (8:57:10)

1st @ Roth Challenge (8:31:59)

1st @ Hawaiian Ironman World Championships (8:54:02)

2008: 1st @ Ironman Australia (9:03:55)

1st @ Ironman Frankfort (8:51:24)
1st @ Hawaiian Ironman World Championships (9:06:23)

2007: 1st @ Ironman Korea

1st @ Hawaiian Ironman World Championships (9:08:45)

MEET THE PRESENTERS...

(Photos: Cindy, Curt, Nathaniel, Joe & Ann)

Here are the 2009 MMA Presenters and brief explanations of why they were selected.

* Tony Schiller (Thorpe Running Inspiration) - Founder of the award; accomplished public speaker.

* Diane Hankee (Grand Master) - Almost nominated in two categories - Duathlete & Most Improved. Great sense of humor and cool Canadian accent.

* Kortney Haag (Rookie) - The prior year's recipient is always first choice to present this award.

* Devon Palmer (Junior) - He's the Zach Efron of Minnesota's Triathlon Scene.

* Cindy Schafmann (Female Master) - She's one of the best physical therapists in the World.

* Nate Tollefson (Male Master) - This is a "Do Over." He was scheduled to present last year and was languishing in traffic while Jonny J. filled in for him.

* Joe Moyer (Duathlete) - He's a cool guy from Rochester who almost got a Duathlete of Year nomination.

* Wayne Chapman (Female Most Improved) - Speaking of improvement, Wayne used to weigh 4000 pounds (350ish actually) and is now an ironman. And he's from Australia. He has a cool accent.

* Ann Moyer (Male Most Improved) - Like her husband/fellow presenter Joe, she's an elite level athlete who drinks lots of Peace Coffee.

* Matthew Payne (Female Performance) - He's one of the fastest rising new stars on the regional multi scene and a really cool guy.

* Thea Fleming (Male Performance) - A two-time MMA nominee--Rookie in '05, Most Improved in '07--she and Devon Palmer seem to have a "thing" going on. Love is a beautiful thing.

* John Shelp (Female Triathlete) - A wonderful, funny guy. He was a presenter in 2005 and did a terrific job.

* Kris' Choice (Male Triathlete) - MMA Emcee Kris Swarthout has the option of presenting this award himself or selecting some unsuspecting soul from the audience to do the honors. Kris has presented before, though he was on crutches at the time (2004). He should be upright and ambulatory this time around. (UPDATE: Kris has selected Hannah Sullivan tp present this award. Do you know her? She's David Thompson's "better half.")

* Heidi Keller-Miler and Curt Wood (Team Minnesota) - They co-announced this category in 2006 and were a hoot. We knew that Heidi would be funny because she had several glasses of wine in her. Curt's cool sense of humor was a pleasant surprise. Who knew?

* Gregg Garrettson (Race of the Year) - A people-person who is a perfect choice to present this award. He races often and as long as there are other folks at the event, he is doomed to enjoy the experience.

STEPHEN'S EXCUSE...

The deadline for members of the MMA Selection Committee to submit their final choices in each of the various award categories was last Wednesday evening. All but one of the members could comply.

The other was busy. Distracted, you might say.

Why?

At 6:07 PM on Wednesday, October 28, Kari Bullard, wife of 51-year-old MMA Committeeman/triathlete/adventure racer Stephen Bullard, gave birth to beautiful 7-pound, 2-ounce, 20-inches long Sydney Hope.

Congratulations Stephen and Kari. And welcome to the World, Sydney.

Stephen turned in his selections on Thursday.

IRON MINNESOTANS...

(Photos: Mark Carey and Cathy Yndestad are our state's fastest irondude and irondudette of the decade thus far.)

Our research suggests that the athletes listed below are the 10 fastest male and female Minnesotans at iron-distance since the turn of the millennium. Let us know if we missed anyone.

(OOPS! Apologies to Sarah Mercer, who turned in three sub -11 hour IM efforts during the decade.)

Note the presence of uber-masters Greg Taylor, Jan Guenther, Sue Rubens and Melinda Silbernick on this august list.

TOP 10 FASTEST MEN:

1. - 9:11:41 - Mark Carey, 37, Rochester (Ironman Florida '07)

2. - 9:13:10 - Dan Arlandson, 33, Burnsville (Full Vineman '09)

3. - 9:13:42 - Dan Arlandson, 32, Mendota Heights (Ironman Florida '08)

4. - 9:17:54 - Mark Carey, 31, Rochester (Ironman Florida '01)

5. - 9:17:55 - Dan Arlandson, 32, Mendota Heights (Full Vineman '08)

6. - 9:26:19 - Mark Carey, 39, Rochester (Ironman Louisville '09)

7. - 9:30:19 - Greg Taylor, 48, Mankato (Ironman Florida '02)

8. - 9:35:13 - Kevin O'Connor, 36, Corcoran (Hawaiian Ironman '07)

9. - 9:37:20 - Greg Taylor, 51, Mankato (Hawaiian Ironman '05)

10. - 9:37:43 - Rod Raymond, 36, Duluth (Hawaiian Ironman '00)

NOTE: Edina's Josh Riff has a IM PR of 9:27, but it was set before his relocation to Minnesota.

WOMEN:

1. - 10:12:56 - Cathy Yndestad, 29, Apple Valley (Ironman Florida '07)

2. - 10:14:31 - Sue Rubens, 41, Plymouth (Ironman Florida '07)

3. - 10:20:13 - Becky Burdick, 33, Plymouth (Ironman Florida '05)

4. - 10:22:47 - Melinda Silbernick, 47, Maple Grove (Ironman Florida '02)

5. - 10:23:26 - Tina Paulson, 36, Andover (Ironman Wisconsin '02)

6. - 10:24:47 - Jan Guenther, 42, Mound (Ironman Wisconsin '02)

7. - 10:24:57 - Sarah Mercer, 32, Golden Valley (Ironman Canada '01)

8. - 10:26:44 - Sue Rubens, 43, Plymouth (Ironman Canada '09)

9. - 10:27:23 - Catherine Lee, 32, Chanhassen (Ironman Arizona '06)

10. - 10:28:19 - Jan Guenther, 50, Mound (Ironman Wisconsin '09)

Other Sub -11 Hour Minnesota Women:

10:32:12 - Julie Hull, 36, Farmington (Ironman Florida '08)

10:35:59 - Sarah Mercer, 38, Golden Valley (Ironman Wisconsin '07)

10:37:38 - Pam Nielsen, 32, Minnetonka (Ironman Arizona '08)

10:42:28 - Robyn Wangberg, 29, Winona (Ironman Canada '08)

10:45:00 - Catherine Lee, 32, Chanhassen (Hawaiian Ironman '06)

10:46:45 - Cathy Yndestad, 30, Apple Valley (Hawaii Ironman '08)

10:49:17 - Melinda Silbernick, 49, Maple Grove (Ironman Wisconsin '04)

10:49:18 - Sarah Mercer, 39, Golden Valley (Hawaiian Ironman '08)

10:49:34 - Jan Guenther, 43, Mound (Hawaiian Ironman '03)

10:52:21 - Pam Nielsen, 33, Minnetonka (Ironman Wisconsin '09)

10:54:18 - Merilee Sander, 48, Northfield (Ironman Arizona '08)

THE AMAZING RUDY GARCIA-TOLSON...

Many of you know about courageous amputee triathlete Rudy Garcia-Tolson. Some of you may have read the story that we're linking to here on ironman.com. Written by the eloquent Lee Gruenfeld, a best-selling author of numerous novels and biographies, this story deserves to be read. Or read again.

" About fourteen years ago, me bride Cherie was swimming laps in a pool in Rialto, California, minding her own business, when she was suddenly struck by a torpedo....READ

(Photo: Rudy's Legs)

TRI-NIGHT PRESS RELEASE...

In case you haven' seen or received the latest press release from the TriNight '09 Committee, here it is:

Do you have your ticket for Tri Night 2009, happening on November 7th at Saint Paul College in St. Paul? Prices are going up to $30 on November 1st so don’t wait. If you have your tickets but have friends that are planning to come, remind them that if they don't buy their tickets now, they might be out of luck as we are limited to 250 attendees and we are expecting to sell out. Remember that tickets are available for purchase at http://www.midwestevents.us/activity/763 and that the evening starts at 5:30 PM and runs until 10 (perfect for those of us who have an early workout on Sunday).
Here are some absolutes for Tri Night 2009, compliments of the event organizing committee.
First off is the menu. Most ingredients are organic and/or sustainable. If you don't know what that is, just know that it's fantastic food. Think of the ticket price (just $26 through October 31st ). It's like we're paying you to show up!
Second is our guest speaker. Troy Jacobson has been around the world of cycling and triathlon for what seems like forever. If you’ve ever ridden on your trainer in the dead of winter to a Spinervals video, you can blame thank Troy for that. If you’ve wondered who coaches some of the world’s best athletes, that’s Troy. He’ll have stories that are sure to enrich your lives. Don’t miss it.
Third is the raffle. You must attend to win the stuff. There are all kinds of things that are super duper valuable. Our awesome sponsors have donated over $2000 of prizes for you to win. If you win something it's going to save you tons of money in gear costs and such for next year.
Fourth are the attendees. Finally you will get a chance to mingle with many of your friends and competitors in a setting where no one is wearing spandex (at least not the tri suit kind), some are wearing slacks and a sweater and some are even wearing suits and dresses. Make some new friends for offseason and next season training and socializing. Triathlon is a lifestyle and it's the people who live it that make it fun. Come experience it even if this is your first year in triathlon, over half the attendees at any given event will be newbie's and Tri Night 2009 is no exception.
Fifth are the awards. From the People's Choice awards to the Minnesota Multisports Awards, you'll be entertained with stories about people who had significant accomplishments or contributions to our chosen sport. Maybe you will win an award or get inspired to win one next year!
Sixth – you can book a hotel at the Kelly Best Western in St. Paul at a great rate (call them at 651-227-8711 and mention TRINIGHT to get a non smoking room for $77 plus tax), park there and walk over to the college, have fun and stumble back.
Last but not least - the organizing committee (made up of people from all clubs, shapes, sizes and even both sexes) have been working incredibly hard on organizing what is sure to be the best Tri Night in the history of the world. We've sold a lot of tickets and we only have a few left but want to sell the night out. With great food, great prizes, great speakers and attendees, streamlined organization of the flow of the evening – the only thing left out is YOU (if you haven't purchased your ticket) or YOUR FRIENDS (if they haven't purchased theirs). So get your tickets today. Right now. Before happy hour. Prior to walking the dog. Right before hitting the gym. And definitely before it's too late!
Steve Gunther
Chief Executive Officer and Owner, VO2 Max & Anytime Fitness Savage
stgunther@att.net
612-859-3729

ANOTHER TRIATHLON, ANOTHER VICTORY...

While web cruising recently we stumbled upon two great articles by Pat Miller. (Pat writes for the Northwood Press in Nevis, MN.) Attached here is Pat's separate coverage of the men's and women's races at the Northwoods Triathlon last August.

Men's Race: READ.

Women's Race: READ.

(Photo: Northwoods Triathlon men's champion Brooks Grossinger.)

A GREAT SEASON FOR THE SKORT LADY...

Some triathletes don't disappear into the crowd. They have something that sets them apart. A sparkle. A magnetism. Kevin O'Connor, for instance, has a ubiquitous "Magic Johnson" smile. Eighty-four-year-old Bob Powers exudes a palpable warmth and an understated gregariousness. He truly likes people. Gregg Garrettson is more overtly extroverted and at 6'5ish, is impossible to miss. When he asks you how are you doing, you know he cares about your answer.

These and others remind us that races are as much social experiences as they are athletic tests. Don't you feel sad for that person who arrives at the venue, talks to no one and leaves as soon as the race is over, the value of his or her time spent measured only by whether his/her competitive goals were met or not?

Another person who can light up a race venue is Minneapolis' Karen Bebchuk, a 43-year-old mother of two girls. And her O'Connorian smile, Powersian warmth and Garrettsonian congeniality are not the only things that make her stand out in a crowd.

She is also the "Skort Lady."

Sure, lots of women race in skorts these days, but Karen was one of the first Minnesotans to don this particular garment. She's been "skorted" for years. She owns numerous pairs, some of which sport rather flamboyant patterns. (Note the floral motif that she's wearing in the purloined Facebook picture above.)

And it is quite possible that Karen is the fastest skort-wearing triathlete in the Land 'o 10-Grand. Check out her 2009 Highlights:

* 3rd overall woman @ Heart of the Lakes Short Course

* 4th overall woman @ Liberty Olympic

* 7th overall @ the YWCA Women's Triathlon

* 12th overall @ Iron Girl - Bloomington

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS...

Multiple Ironman World Champion Cherie Gruenfeld shares some wonderful, inspiring images from the annual CAF Celebration in Southern California. View.

RACE OF THE YEAR - TOP 5 VOTE-GETTERS...

MTN congratulates the Top 5 Vote-Getters for the 2009 Triathletes Choice Favorite Race of the Year. In alphabetical order, they are:

* Lake Marion Triathlon *

* Lake Minnetonka Triathlon *

* Minneman Triathlon *

* Trinona *

* YWCA Women's Triathlon *

Fifty-Five races received votes. The Apple Duathlon almost made the finalists list, falling just 3 votes shy of doing so. In 7th place was Croixathlon, which came within 18 votes of being included. Heart of the Lakes, Timberman and Manitou rounded out the Top 10 Vote-Getters.

MTN, the presenting sponsor of the MMA portion of TriNight '09, thanks all who participated in the voting process.

The TCROY will be announced at the conclusion of the TriNight '09 ceremonies at St. Paul College on November 7. Tickets are still available.

RAMPANT CHEATING? NAH. NOT REALLY...

A very prominent local triathlete told MTN recently that he doesn't vote for Race of the Year because he suspects rampant cheating. "Ballot Box Stuffing," were his words. And yes, he spoke in capitals.

Guess what?

That triathlete was right!

Well, sorta. Cheating happens, though on what we consider to be a "sub-rampant" scale.

What that triathlete didn't know until it was explained to him, was that the obvious cheating is detected and those votes are deleted and suspicious votes are "Red Flagged." In the end, we do in fact know which event deserves the award.

Here are some of the safeguards we employ:

* Finding & eliminating multiple e-addresses. Example: "TH" had voted three times, using her accounts with gmail, yahoo and hotmail. Two of her votes were deleted.

* Scrutinizing those events for whom more than 40% of their finishers vote for that event. Historically, ROYs have received votes from 35-40% of their finishers. In one case, 71% of the equivalent number of finishers of an event voted for that event. A closer look revealed lots of duplicates, multi-addresses and curious addresses (from people unassociated with the event or "goofy" addresses). This event was eliminated from consideration for ROY.

* Goofy Addresses. Actual Example: booger@nosepicker.com. We send test e-mails to these addresses, which invariably bounce back as undeliverable. They are then deleted.

* Curious Addresses. Example: A few years back a certain race got 60 votes from a certain municipal address. We red flagged these, knowing that not everyone who works for the City of St. Louis Park raced at the _______ Triathlon.

At the conclusion of voting, we subtract the number each race's red flags from that event's voting total. If doing so affects a potential winner, we scrutinize the addresses even further and contact the race director and send e-mails to addresses that don't seem to link up with names in the results. We have only had to do this on two occasions. Every other time, the number of possible cheaters, have not been large enough to, once subtracted, dislodge the event from its position among the top vote-getters.

HAMMERIN' HANK...

He's a handsome, mild-mannered gentleman from handsome, mild-mannered Glencoe, a 6000-resident community about an hour's drive west of the Twin Cities. His name is Henry Larsen, but most folks call him Hank.

Hank Larsen, 69, the 2009 Minnesota Grand Master of the Year and perennial nominee for that accolade, is one of America's premier over-age-60 multisportsman; as accomplished in duathlons as he is in tris. And though he seldom races in long distance events, i.e. half IMs, he never fails to impress when he does.

Hank hopes to repeat as GMOY, but that is easier said than done. Also up for the award are du specialist Bob Bailey, 65, perennial nominee and former National Champion Pam Stevens, 57, and 63-year-old Ben Ewers, who is certainly one of the top 3 fastest 60-plussers in the Land.

As you can see, the GMOY is one serious category. We'll find out on November 7 at the TriNight '09 festivities if the GM Trophy has Hank's name on it.

Here's Hank's 2009 Scorecard:

* Divisional victories at Oakdale Duathlon, Gear West, Lake Waconia, Heart of the Lakes (CR!) and Turtleman. A 2nd place 65-69M finish (behind Bob Bailey) at The Apple Duathlon and a 7th place finish against an astonishingly deep divisional field at the ITU Duathlon World Championships (when he was able to avenge his Apple loss to Bailey, who placed 9th).

HAVE YOU VOTED YET?

Triathletes Choice Favorite

Race of the Year

Voting has been brisk and, to date, 54 events have received votes for ROY. If you have not voted, be aware that voting ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, October 25. On Monday (10/26) the Top 5 vote-getters will be announced on this site. And the winner will be revealed at the conclusion of the Minnesota Multisport Awards portion of the TriNight '09 festivities on November 7 at St. Paul College.

Have you gotten your tickets yet? If not, link here.

ROY History: Past Winners

2008 - Minneman

2007 - Minneman

2006 - Minneman

2005 - Turtleman

2004 - Turtleman

2003 - Tri-America Oakdale

2002 - Turtleman

2001 - Timberman

2009 - Timberman

WHY JON WON'T BE AT TRI-NIGHT...

(Photo: Jon is the guy on the right.)

Wouldn't you know it?

The year that Thunder Bay, Ontario's Jonathan Balabuck becomes eligible for Minnesota Multisport Award consideration he won't be able to attend the TriNight festivities on November 7.

That's because the Triathlete of the Year nominee will be on what is known as "The Redneck Riviera." More specifically, he'll be in Panama City, Florida, a place that looks and feels a lot like Mexico, albeit with a fresh coat of paint. Well, maybe not that fresh. And it has the most beautiful beaches anywhere.

Panama City is the site of Ironman Florida, and Balabuck is registered for this year's race.

Via e-mail, Jon, pictured above with his son, talks about his iron-history and his preparation for IMFL '09.

"Ironman is like a favorite food. In little portions, you crave it, but once you have over-indulged; you can't wait until you've digested it and are completely done.

"I had my first crack at Ironman back in 2004 at Lake Placid; went in blind, and finished with a whole new view of what serious training meant.

"We have had snow here already, no leaves for a month, and the last time I open water swam was September 11th (Burrito Union 10 Hour Tri). So why would I want to do a late season Ironman? Like I stated earlier, I crave one last race and hopefully all the cards will fall right. That is what has been keeping me going. That is what puts me on the indoor trainer for long rides, in a wetsuit in the pool, and on the treadmill during the dark. The idea that just being able to do something so big has enough clout to earn one's respect. I respect Ironman (the distance).

"In 08, I DNFed in Arizona due to paracarditis (viral infection of the heart wall)

but at the time I thought it was just a bad day. It turned out to be a really bad day, both physically and emotionally. I had always promised myself never DNF and walking it in was some form of respect to all other athletes; much like Rutger Beke did in 07- he walked the marathon in Hawaii, when I passed him he said 'good job' and I always respected that mentality of triathletes.

"In Arizona I was sick, and when I finally admitted defeat on the race course, I was a broken man. Florida is in a way a redemption for that race. So Training may have been less than ideal, but my passion to wake up and give it a solid go is strong, so only the day itself will dictate how the script will unfold.

"Prediction? I do have number stuck in my head, written down on a piece of paper hidden even from my wife and child, but those who train with me, know this number- It is written in marker on my pull buoy and paddles to remind me why when I start slipping.

"In the end it is the journey, and the journey has been fun. All the races in Minnesota are gems and if I find success on race day in Florida, every single person that toed the waters edge with me have made it possible.

"To all the volunteers, race directors athletes...Thanks for the memories and see you at the races in 2010." JB

STEVE WAS ROBBED!

(Photo: Steve Sander at Young Life Triathlon)

"I saw your review of Most Improved and of Triathlete of the Year -- how is it that Steve Sander makes the Most Improved list, over Triathlete of the Year? He WON the overall of the TRI Minnesota Series. Wouldn't that put him in the running--or at least 'considered'?

"Palmer, Payne- most improved? Improved from what? Kicking butt in 08 (or more years for Palmer) to kicking butt by a bigger margin in 09?" - Mario Minelli

Mario, thank you for the opportunity to explain the rationale used by the MMA Selection Committee to determine award nominees.

First of all, Steve's name was discussed when the committee was determining TOY nominees. So were Patrick's, Matthew's and Dan Cohen's.

Steve's name was dropped from the discussion when his head-to-head performances with each of the eventual nominees, plus Patrick, Matthew and Dan, were reviewed. He did not win any of the head-to-head battles. Also, the margins which separated him from these rivals was often significant.

Next, those who did receive nominations excelled in events with greater perceived field quality. A few years back Lynette Bacon won all seven of the multis that we were aware of her having entered, still she did not earn a spot on Team MN, i.e. those perceived to be the 10 most accomplished male and female multisport athletes in the state that year. Why? She did not face any of the state's top women, like Cathy Yndestad, Julie Hull, Marlo McGaver et al. How then did we measure her performances? What we did is make a list of the 2nd placing girls in each of the races that Lynette won. We then compared their times and places to those recorded by the top finishers at our state's most competitive events.

The results were interesting.

Only one of the runners-up--Jen Lenarz--had cracked the Top 10 in a Midwest Multisport Series event that year. Jen had actually finished 7th twice and an 8th on another occasion in MMS events and the time differential between her and the winners in each case was several minutes.

The point we wish to make here is that the Committee truly scrutinizes the performances; we take this process very seriously. Lynette is a talented triathlete and so is Steve, but wins alone do not determine whether one is worthy of a TOY nomination. Field quality, head-to-head battles and relative splits are all taken into consideration.

Mario, we have a question for you. Who would you bump from the TOY list to make room for Steve? Devon? Kevin? Brian? Sam ? Jon?

That's a hard one, isn't it?

There is soooooooo much talent in Minnesota that limiting the nominations to just 4 or 5 will invariably leave a deserving athlete or two behind. Steve is an emerging talent and we haven't seen his best racing yet. There should be lots of nominations coming his way in the years to come.

Now for the "Most Improved" issue. Devon Palmer won ONE race in 2008, the Liberty Half, and he was helped by the fact that Dan Arlandson, Dan Cohen and John Shelp all made mileage-adding wrong turns on the bike course. His runner-up efforts at Manitou and Lake Waconia were actually his best performances of the year. In 2009, he won FOUR big races--Manitou (CR), Life Time Fitness Elite, Heart of the Lakes and Turtleman--and placed 3rd overall at AG Nationals. He's gone from being ranked 7th on Team Minnesota to being a contender for 2nd (Top Amateur) behind perennial #1 David Thompson.

That's major improvement, Mario.

Now for Matthew Payne's "MI" nomination. In 2009, Matt won one race (Graniteman) and finished 2nd in one other (Lakes Country). He had no other podium finishes. This year, he won three races--Chain of Lakes, Albert Lea and Buffalo Olympic--and reached the podium in five other races. And his lowest finish was a 7th at Life Time Fitness Elite; last year he failed to crack the overall Top 10 in four races.

Matt was good last year, but not quite good enough for a spot on Team Minnesota. He'll definitely make the team this year.

Steve Sander sent us this response:

"Just saw that I seem to be at the center of a little controversy. If I may point out that I had a few races in 2005 but was deployed to Iraq in 06 and 07 so last year was essentially my rookie year for being a competitive triathlete. Although I was an All American I believe I didn't get a lot of recognition because I was just out of the lead pack. However, if you look at Buffalo 08, Mankato 08 and Waconia 08 Matt and I were very close if not evenly matched. Matt just did more high profile races to include winning the Tri MN Series last year. At the beginning of the season Matt blew me out of the water. By the end of the season I was starting to catch up. Devon on the other hand was fast last year and super fast this year. In my opinion Devon has easily demonstrated that he has improved greatly this year and could if not should win Athlete of the year. Then there is Patrick. Besides the fact that if you take a picture of him while running it is guaranteed to be fuzzy he has improved as an all around triathlete with much improved swim and especially bike splits. I'm glad I'm not voting on this one.

"I have only to blame myself for not being considered for Athlete of the year. At best I could hope for an honorable mention but I didn't compete in the races I needed to so I could show how I compare against the "Big Dogs". That coupled with a few beginner mistakes I made in the big races I did compete in. I am honored and ecstatic that I am even being considered for most improved against guys like Matt, Devon and Patrick. If I don't make those same mistakes next year I will have a better shot at being considered for larger awards but for now I will bask in the honor of both a great season and being noticed enough to be in a controversy. " SS

THIS GUY IS FAST...

It's not hard to get a Minnesota Master of the Year nomination.

That is, it's not hard if you are a perennial nominee for US Master of the Year (Brian Bich), or the reigning 45-49 National Champion and overall winner of the Square Lake Half IM (Rhett Bonner), or you set a 55-59M record at Ironman Coeur D'Alene AND turned in a half IM time that would have nuked your division's World Best had the course been accurate (Greg Taylor), or if you are simply the most decorated amateur triathlete in the history of the Sport (Tony Schiller).

Do you know the guy who's pictured here? He's one of several wicked-fast over-age-40 Minnesotans who almost received an MOY nomination. His name is Charlie Roach, he's 51 and lives in Lakeville.

Here's what Charlie did this season.

He kicked off the year with a 5th place overall finish at the Falls Duathlon. He followed that with a 3rd place overall finish at Paynesville. His next effort was a 4:33:37 at Chisago Half.

In August he cracked the overall Top 10 at both Lakes Country (7th) and Minneapolis Duathlon (10th).

MTN congratulates Charlie Roach on his super season. We want him to know that his accomplishments have not gone unnoticed.

IRONMAN REALITIES...

Cherie Gruenfeld is the best 65+ female ironman in the world. Her husband, Lee, is the author of numerous wonderful books and Cherie's biggest fan.

You may have read this piece on ironman.com. If you haven't, you're in for a treat. If you have, well, it's worth reading again.

And again.

Experience is a harsh teacher -- she gives the test before she gives the lesson - and once in a while we need a reminder that toeing the start line at Ironman isn't an automatic ticket to a lifetime of bragging rights. Read...

JOSH'S KONA QUEST..

Edina's Josh Riff files this report:

Kona Race Report 2009

October 10th, 2009. Bobbing up and down in Kailua bay, Kona I reflected on the last two years and drew the strength that would get me through this Ironman. I know Kona is a special race, I had done it before, however this time would be different.

This quest to Kona started in 2006. I had qualified for Kona at IM Arizona with a 9:37 and had trained while living in Tucson. I was working as an ER doc and had tons of time to train and we had our first child on the way so I thought this would be my last big dance. A week before the race I was hit by a car while on a training ride and my life changed forever. Thinking my racing was done I accepted a dream job working for Target as a medical director and moved to Minneapolis. I also started to grow a family and we had our second child a year and half later. After 2 years I began to feel the itch and decided I needed psychological closure and signed up for IM AZ. I thought this would be my last IM but I ended up qualifying for Kona with a 9:29 finish. I took the spot.

Training for Kona was interesting. In June I was promoted to be medical director of Target, I still worked in the ER Monday nights, my children were 2 years old and 6 months, and my wife, while perfectly understanding, is not a huge fan of 6 hour rides on a Saturday. Some days had me working out at 3 am to get a workout completed by 9 am. My computrainer saw a lot of action. What I underestimated, and as a doctor should have known better, was that despite getting in the training I was not getting in the recovery and about 6 weeks prior to the race developed a knee pain that would have me limping mid run. Despite aggressive physical therapy, cortisone injections, and even acupuncture it never improved. After 4 weeks of water running it still was hurting. I knew this was going to be a painful race.

Race morning was uneventful. There is an electric energy to the race in Kona and you can feel the excitement in the air. I lined up 2 rows back in the swim and without any warning the cannon went off. The first 5-10 minutes of the Kona swim is a washing machine ride full of elbows. I was able to make it through the swim relatively unscathed in 1:03. My goal was 60 minutes but such is life.

Running into transition was painful to my knee and I knew today was going to be a long day. I have a rule about never making last minute changes but on this day I decided to race with a front 303 and to use arm coolers (Thanks Kevin of Gear West). This was an awesome decision as immediately on the bike it started to heat up and dumping water on my arms was a welcome reward. The ride to Hawi was easier then I remembered and I was slingshotting along.

Normally I can bridge packs of riders pretty aggressively but knowing that I was going to have a long, painful run I decided to enjoy my time on the bike and never went all out. This was very different from my usual style of ride until I want to throw up, but hey I am an older, wiser man. The ride was completely enjoyable and before I knew it, it was over. The hard part was about to begin.

As I entered T2 I actually sat down to get ready. I really took my time and even stopped to say hi to Dan Arlandson. I decided it was time to go and started to run. OK I started to limp. My first mile was in the 8 minute range. I was in real pain but worse was the fact that I was being passed by 100’s of people. It was rather demoralizing as I had great fitness (I was training for a 3:10 run) but did not have the chassis to support it. At mile 3 I saw my friend a physical therapist who shouted “You look terrible, but I think you can finish”. I continued to limp until mile 5 when I thought my knee could not get worse and then I picked up the pace for 100 steps, then I would slow down to ease the pain. When I hit Palani hill I got a boost of adrenaline as the Target Kona store was volunteering at the aid station and went crazy when I came by. After jogging up Palani I hit the highway and made a pact to sort of run aid station to aid station which I would walk and get ice. The aid stations were my savior.

As I entered and exited the energy lab I was beginning to feel psychologically better. I knew I would finish the race and would not be walking all night. Between mile 21 and 24 my knee really started to stiffen up and began to lock up forcing me to stretch it out. At mile 24 I was at 9:43 overall time. I debated trying to break 10 hours but decided today was not my day. After cruising through the aid station at mile 24 I saw two pro friends of mine walking and they invited me to finish with them. As tempting as it was I decide to finish this sucker as fast as I could. The last 1.2 miles of Kona are the longest 1.2 miles of your life. As I finally turned the corner on Alii drive I was getting the “Looking good” to which I responded “I do not think so”. I ran in to finish in 10:06 with a 3:46 marathon. Ouch.

Looking back I am proud of my accomplishments. While I could not execute on the race I trained for, I adapted and truly enjoyed my time racing. While I normally race for a PR or a podium finish this time I raced for personal redemption. In 10 or 20 years from now I will not remember my finish time but I will remember the feeling of flying down the Queen K highway, of crossing the line and being greeted by fellow Target team members, and of overcoming injury to finish what I started. This year made me stop and think about what racing an IM really is about and it made me reflect on the personal and professional sacrifices it takes to be competitive in an IM. When I was younger it was about pushing the body faster and further than I had before and it was about competition. This year’s race was a turning point. It made me realize Ironman is not about swimming, biking, and running 140.6 miles as fast as you can, it is about getting to the starting line and hopefully making it across the finish line with the respect and love of those who are special to you.

Riff, Joshua

S - 01:03:32

B - 05:09:09

R - 03:46:00

10:06:54

RHETT'S ODYSSEY...FINAL CHAPTER..

(Larry Rosa Photo: Kona at Midnight. There's no place like this place.)

Race Day


"Awoke at 4 am feeing pretty good. Got dropped off by my family at the Kona Pier at about 5:30, with lots of activity going on already. I found my way through the maze of the King Kamehameha Hotel to the body marking area which was running very smoothly compared with when I was here in 2004. I then went and pumped my tires up and made sure my bike and bike shoes were attached to each other and were ready to go.....READ..

A GREAT IMAGE FROM DALLAS...

Devon Palmer chasing Best of the US National champion, Brian Duffy at the Toyota US Open in Dallas. (YndeCam Photo)