Many local people participated in the Heart of the Lakes Triathlon on Sunday, July 20. Not all of them came away with trophies, but most would say it was a fun experience and were glad to have finished the competition.
Thomas Rohman
HOLT was the first triathlon for Thomas Rohman, 67, of South Haven. Rohman ran the short course and finished in first place in the men’s 65-69 division with a time of 1:04:41.
"My wife Lynn and I did run the Marine Corps Marathon together in Washington D.C." Rohman said. "But that was many years ago. I am not serious about this. I came to have fun and for a good time."
Rohman is a retired veterinarian. Rohman and his wife Lynn have lived in their Lake Sylvia home since 1999.
Rohman grew up in Milaca and his veterinary practice was in Foley and Becker. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota.
Rohman has a set training routine he has followed since early spring.
"My body tells me I should not exercise every day," Rohman said. "I bike one day, take two days off, run the next day, take another two days off and then swim the next day."
Rohman would like to compete in the triathlon portion of the 2015 National Senior Olympics, being held in St. Paul on July 5, 2015, at Lake Phalen. Completing the Heart of the Lakes Triathlon qualifies Rohman to compete at the national event.
Nate Hoffman
Nate Hoffman, 31, of South Haven finished eighth in the male elite division with a time of 1:39:29.
On the day before the HOLT Triathlon, Hoffman took the all-sprint title at the 2014 Life Time USA Triathlon Duathlon National Championships held at Harriet Island Regional Park in St. Paul.
Hoffman has run seven triathlons this summer.
"Everything I have done this summer is to train for the Ironman in Madison, Wis. this fall," Hoffman said.
Hoffman is registered for the Ironman in Madison on Sunday, Sept. 7.
Randa Glazier
This was also the first triathlon for Randa Glazier of South Haven. Glazier ran the short course and placed second in the female 20-24 division with a time of 1:09:44.
Glazier, 22, a 2010 Annandale High School graduate, played volleyball and basketball in high school. She is currently a student at St. Cloud State University majoring in special education.
"I started training three months ago," Glazier said. "I run every day, swim every morning and at night I bike. Once a week, I do the entire course."
Annandale graduate and athlete Kaytlin Kuefler helped Glazier train this summer. She said she was a little nervous, especially about the swimming portion.
"It felt like a free-for-all out there on the lake," Glazier said. "The swim was not my strongest, but it was a beautiful day and I felt really good with my run and bike portion."
Other individuals
■ Sheri Budde (Ironside), 36, of Annandale took second place in the short course female 35-39 division with a time of 1:00:11.
Budde, a 1996 Annandale graduate, ran 10 straight HOLT triathlons from 1997 to 2007. Her husband Nate took first place in the short course male age 35-39 division with a time of 50:56.
■ Wendy Sylvester, 33, of South Haven took 23rd place in the short course female 30-34 division with a time of 1:17:28.
"I have never had a swim lesson," Sylvester said. "It is amazing I made it through that swim. I know I kicked a few people out there and all I could say was sorry."
■ David Thoma, 53, of South Haven finished in 10th place in the long course male 50-54 division.
"I have run three other triathlons, But this was my first long course," Thoma said.
Thoma, who recently retired, trains all year long, including time at the Annandale Fitness Center.
■ Matt Woullet, 25, of Annandale did the short course and finished fourth in the male 25-29 division.
"This was my third triathlon this year," Woullet said. "It was my best performance so far."
Woullet has run four Heart of the Lakes Triathlons.
Local relays
■ Cousins Cuyler Helwig and Rachelle Piram of Annandale, and Kristine Leinonen of Monticello, were team LJ’s Misfits after their deceased grandfather, Leonard John Helwig. The team competed in the long course relay. Helwig swam, Piram biked and Leinonen ran. LJ’s Misfits was not listed in the final results because the biking portion of their race ran too long.
Helwig will be a freshman at Annandale High School this fall. He is very active in sports, including football, wrestling and baseball. Helwig trained once a week for the triathlon this summer. Piram is a 2000 graduate of Annandale High school and Leinonen graduated from White Bear Lake in 2006.
"It was really fun," Helwig said. "We hope to get more cousins to compete next year."
■ Charlie Aubitz the oldest grandson of Jill and John Bishop, competed along with Connor Lund and Jack Hennessy as the Hornets.
Aubitz swam, Hennessy biked and Lund ran. The Hornets finished the short course relay in 23rd place with a time of 1:13.16. All three boys are 10 years old and will be going into the fifth grade at Countryside Elementary School in Edina.
■ David Hoien and Chris Yanta of Annandale, along with Adam Peters of Montevideo, made up the team of Team-Team. The trio took first place in the short course relay competition with a time of 49:25.
Peters swam, Yanta biked and Hoien ran. Hoien and Peters are both students at Gustavus, where Hoien is on the track team and Peters competes on the swim team.
■ Shelly Naaktgeboren of Corinna Township and Janice Ruggles of South Haven were team Rugnaak. Ruggles swam and Naaktgeboren biked and ran in the short course relay. Rugnaak finished 24th with a time of 1:14.
■ It was the first triathlon for Annandale’s Michelle Wang, who along with co-workers Mary Jenatischeck and Sarah Sirna were team SOS. Wang did the running, Jenatischeck swam and Sirna biked. SOS finished 22nd with a time of 1:11 in the short-course relay.
"It was our first time running a triathlon and we all had fun," Wang said.
■ The Pink Boys team was made up of Shane Zabinski, Matt Fliegel and Eric Gilbertson. The trio took second place in the short course relay with a time of 52:57.
"Not bad for signing up at the last minute," Fliegel said. "It was really fun."
Zabinski, Fliegel and Gilbertson were all members of the Annandale High School cross country team.