The Heart of the Lakes Triathlon emerged in 1986 as simply the Annandale Triathlon. It challenged athletes to a half mile swim out into Pleasant Lake, a 23.7 mile bike ride and a five mile run. That very first event attracted about 400 athletes. Twenty-one years later, HOLT has become one of Minnesota’s largest and favorite races with two different courses that challenge all levels of triathletes. On Sunday, July 16, more than 1,000 people will compete in either the short or long course events. From early morning until shortly after noon, the streets of Annandale will be filled with crowds of the physically fit. Among them will be some of the best racers in the country. This summer the triathlon will start earlier than ever to beat the heat. The first wave will rush into the water for the first leg of the race at 8 a.m. instead of 8:30 in hopes that the last racer will be crossing the finish line before the hottest part of the day. “We want to get them in as early as we can,” said race director Missy Fee. Last year’s race was run on one of the three warmest days in the history of the triathlon, officials said. It reached the mid-90s before the race was done. Because of the heat, volunteers were asked to watch runners closely and organizers put out coolers filled with ice along the running and bike routes in case anyone needed to cool down. Only one competitor was taken to the hospital by Allina Ambulance for symptoms of overheating, but it wasn’t believed serious. This year organizers hope the earlier start time will give the runners a bit of a head start before the heat comes. “Most people get here earlier anyway,” Fee said. Registration opens at 5:30 a.m., but athletes come even earlier to get a good spot for their bikes on the racks. Ham radio operators To add to the efficiency and safety of the event, members of the Wright County Amateur Radio Society will be placed strategically around the course to report any problems. Ham radios were used for the first time last year and were a big help, Fee said. The triathlon organizers dodged a bullet this year when the Minnesota Department of Transportation said they were going to hold off any work on Highway 24 until after the race. Organizers were expecting to have to change the bike route this summer, but that won’t happen until next summer, Fee said. Many of last year’s leading lineup will be back on the course again this year. Last year’s long course men’s champion, Brian Bich of Duluth, will be back along with the women’s long course champion, Marnie Walth of Bismarck, N.D., Fee said. David Thompson, a top runner who had to drop out last year because of blisters on his feet, will also be back. Forty-eight-year-old Tony Schiller will be back as always. He’s been competing in Annandale for more than 10 years. He has won the race six times and still holds the course record. Familiar face Another familiar face returning yet again this year is Jan Guenther. She has been back nearly as often as Schiller and has several HOLT championships under her belt. Besides the elite racers, local athletes from the surrounding cities of Maple Lake, South Haven, Buffalo, Clearwater and St. Cloud will compete. Annandale always has its share of representatives as well. The idea for the triathlons came from Don Haugo, organizer of Fit-Fest ’86 in Northfield. The three-day Fit-Fest was a series of competitive and noncompetitive running, biking, swimming, rollerblading, walking aerobic and multi-sport events. The event, which included a sport Health Expo, was meant to encourage healthy, active lifestyles. Haugo thought the Annandale area, with its scenic beauty and lakes, would make the perfect place for a swim, bike, run event. These days it takes more than 400 volunteers to make sure the event comes off without a hitch. They mark the course, sweep it clean of loose gravel and rocks, set up the recovery area in the park, clean up the park and the beach to get rid of hazards, set up the bike racks and finish area. Water, cold sponges On race day, they spread themselves around the course to hand out water and cold sponges to athletes. Twelve lifeguards from the Monticello Community Center are out in the water on Boogie Boards while other volunteers, including some Wright County sheriff’s deputies, are out in boats and jet skies. The course for both the long and the short races starts at the beach in the Municipal Park. The swimming portion (1/4 mile for the short course, and 1/2 mile for the long) stagger starts and follows an out-and-back route into the lake. The bike ride (nine and 21 miles) follows the swimming portion of the race. The course winds around Pleasant and Clearwater lakes. The final leg is the running portion. It involves a 2.5 or 5.3 mile run around the lake. The event is open to the public. This year, all of the spots on the short course were taken in three days after registration opened. It took the long course until mid-June to fill. For more information or to volunteer, call the race hotline at 274-7000 or check it out on the web at www.holttri.org.