MTN congratulates Kjersten Johnson, 28, of Edina, and Nathaniel Morrill, 25, of Minneapolis, on being the fastest newbies at Minneman V.
Via e-mail, Kjersten and Nathaniel commented on their respective experiences at Lake George Regional Park last Saturday.
"For my first triathlon, I had such a great time! The Minneman is a great Triathlon, especially for newbies like me. From the volunteers and spectators to the other competitors, it's just such a fun and welcoming place to be. I will recommend this race to anyone who's thinking about doing a Tri. I am now officially a triathlete and I can't wait to do another one. I'm hooked!
"What a fantastic day!"
-Kjersten Johnson
"What a fantastic day!"
-Kjersten Johnson
"...Having a Novice division with it's own waves diffused much of the anticipation of the race, and built a sense of solidarity between those of us who were doing this for the first time. Beyond that, it was also a good distance, not too intimidating, and long enough to really exert yourself and push it; to really make it feel like a proper competition.
"Also, I was impressed with the community of athletes there. Several times I got words of encouragement from people I passed, and in turn gave praise when being passed on the course, which made the experience all the better. Finally, it was clear to anyone who stuck around for the awards ceremony that Minnesota has fostered a friendly and supportive group of triathletes.... Thanks to everyone, especially the volunteers. I had a great time, and I will definitely be back next year."
-Nathaniel Morrill
