TriStar 111 Minnesota!

A late addition to my race schedule, after missing last weekends Pigman HIM, is the inagural TriStar 111 in Maple Grove, Minnesota this weekend. I spotted this race in the early spring and thought that I would give the unique distance a shot if the opportunity presented itself this season, and it just so happens too! Without racing in Pigman last weekend I was sent on a search for a second and final HIM to race this year. Lake Geneva became the front runner, logistically, and financially. It is also the site of my first ever triathlon, HIM as well, so why not go back to my roots? This opened the door to TriStar as a great chance to get a solid big effort day of training leading into Lake Geneva and a shot at a unique distance that fits me very well as a triathlete.

Starting with a 1k swim, cycling for 100k, and running the final 10k, this race will give me a great indication of my fitness level, and where I am heading into Lake Geneva in two weeks time. The short run will let me recover fast, and the longer bike will give me some overdistance work to see how I hold up to a race that "mimmicks" that effort level I will put out later on. More importantly it will give me a chance to pace my run well off the bike in a race, something that I have struggled mightily with at longer distance races. I have put in some solid miles in training as well since Racine. My run has progressed well and been much more consistent. Biking has been the same as I have been piling on lots of mileage and working my legs a lot harder now, then I was earlier this summer.

This is also my first chance to race outside of Wisconsin, and even though the field is very small (approx 100) it sounds like the field is very talented. Reigning world champion Chris McCormack will be racing as will Maik Twelsiak one of the front-runners for Kona this year, and the age-group field is set to be very fast! It will be fun to race, or chase after two of the world's premiere triathletes. I am very excited to challenge myself in a new way, and see what happens when my strengths as a triathlete are exploited.

See you all in Maple Grove this weekend!

Get Work Done!
BC