Preliminary 2013 Race Schedule

We're nearly 1 month into 2013. And I'm finally thinking about what I might want to race. Sheesh.

First of all, I'll be RUNNING LESS this year. Last year was the year of the MDRA Grand Prix (running) series. This year, I'll still race a number of those races (like the Meet of the Miles track meet 2 weeks ago), but I won't try to race all 13 of them. No way.

Instead, I want to do MORE MULTISPORT RACES this year, and I want to do SHORTER MULTISPORT races. I might not do any Olympic distance triathlons. Keep it short, fast, and fun.


• Falls Duathlon, April 27th. We've taken a bunch of family to this race in the past, and we did it 3 years in a row (we skipped it last year - Matt was busy and I did the "Get in Gear 10K" as part of the Grand Prix series). Here's a photo from 2010:

• Cinco DU Mayo Duathlon, May 4th. I did this for the first time last year. Great race with 2 distances. This was the first time I LED a multisport race:

Leading near the end of the first run - finished the race 2nd overall.
(Best multisport finish ever!)

• Gear West Duathlon, May 19th. This one's a "maybe" for me. Pharmie would like to do it, so I'd like to be there. But Matt's running a half marathon that weekend, so we can't team up as "Team Happy Pants" and try to go for our 2nd win there! I have a lead on another speedy biker, and maybe we'll see if we can bust out a relay win.

Matt heading to meet me in T2 in 2011.


On the 2nd run in 2011 (our first relay win at the GW Du).

• Apple Duathlon, May 25th. This is even a bigger "maybe." If I did this race, I'd maybe do it as a relay with Matt - we could see if we could win a coveted red granite apple (the best multisport trophy in Minnesota).

The start of the 2011 Apple Duathlon (I'm on the left).

• Trinona Time Trial, June 8th. I did the Trinona Triathlon last year, and it was fantastic. But this year, Pharmie and I are thinking about heading down to Winona for the weekend so I can do the Garvin Heights TT and she can do the triathlon the next day. (Here are some photos from the 2012 Time Trial.)

With the "podium girls" after the 2012 Trinona Tri.

• Life Time Fitness MPLS Tri, July 13. Another "maybe." And again, if I did it, I'd probably just stick with the sprint race.

LTF MPLS Tri 2012.

Other events I'm thinking about:

Masters Swim Meet, University of St. Thomas, Feb 23rd. Right now, I'm in about the worst swim shape I've been in in the last 4 years, but I've been wanting to try a swim meet for a while. There will never be a "perfect time" for this, so it's on my radar for this year.

Lake Johanna 4 Mile, March 23rd. Last year, this was my first race with Henry.

Irish Run 8K (formerly the Human Race), March 24th. It's nearby, and it's part of the Grand Prix series. But I can't (shouldn't) do Lake Johanna one day and this race the next, so we'll see.

MDRA 7 Miler, March 30th. It's free for MDRA members (like the Lake Johanna 4 Miler), so we've been thinking about checking it out.

Pharmie's thinking about doing the Minneapolis Marathon on June 2nd. It's basically an out-and-back course that goes from Broadway and the Mississippi River in NE Minneapolis to Fort Snelling State Park near the MSP Airport. It's all along the rolling hills by the Mississippi!

Rice Street Mile, July 25th. Again, part of the Grand Prix series.

Waseca Triathlon, July 28th. My wife's been wanting to do the 1/3 Iron distance at this event. I'd just do the sprint. We'll see...

Lake Marion Triathlon, August 18th. Matt and I did this 2 years ago. Nice race in the southern metro.

USC Alumni Run, August. Fun 3 mile CC race with old buddies.

TC 10 Mile, October 6th. Our family didn't get in for the first time last year - maybe we'll put our name in the lottery again this year.

And then there's always the possibility of a few MDRA Grand Prix races in the late summer / early fall: the MDRA 15K, August 11th; the Victory 10K, September 2nd; the City of Lakes 25K, September 8th; and Rocky's Run 6K CC race, November 3rd.

You can find more about any of these past races in my "Event Schedule" on my sidebar.

And there's a bit more about some great early-season Duathlons in this article I just wrote. It's time to be thinking about multisport season!!