Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor

On Sunday, July 30, the first annual Chisago Lake Triathlon went old school. For the sake of accuracy, it was more like middle-aged school, but thatís not quite as catchy.

With temperatures in the high nineties, it was three guys in their mid-forties who really made an impression.

Forest Lake High School graduates Terry Tolzman, Curt Patak and Mark Holl combined forces in the Half Ironman Relay, and surprised themselves with a second place finish. Considering that its been 20 years since they last competed in a triathlon, they thought their runner-up position for the 45-49 age group was pretty good. When they learned that they took second overall they were rather stunned. Participants came from as close as Wisconsin, Iowa and the Dakotas, and as far away as Florida, Hawaii, Alabama and Oregon.

Tolzman started the relay team off with a 1.2 mile swim, Patak had the second leg with a 55.4 mile bike ride, and Holl finished up with a 13.1 mile run. Their overall time was 5:15:31, which put them 15 minutes ahead of the third place finishers.

According to Holl, the toughest competitor might have been the heat as he saw runner after runner fall by the wayside, or play it safe and slow to a walk.

Planning for the second annual Chisago Lakes Triathlon has already begun, but after hearing Holl talk about how sore he was the day after the race, it might be another 20 years before the old friends book their return engagement.

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Forest Lake Times
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