MARGIE FREED: FINDING FUN IN CROSS COUNTRY SKIING AND BIATHLON WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT SURROUNDS IT

May 29, 2024 Move. Groove. Improve.  That’s Margie (pronounced with a soft g) Freed’s motto and what she incorporates in her training and coaching.  “A lot of the reason I like skiing and biathlon is because of the activity and the community that surrounds it,” says Margie, the 2016 Minnesota State High School League Cross

MIKE PALMQUIST: FORTUNATE TO BE PART OF MINNESOTA RUNNING SCENE

April 11, 2024 An energetic 4th-grade kid living in Hibbing, Mike Palmquist, born in 1957, says, “I just started running around the school, a four-block area, and I’d feel better.”  It was the start of an illustrious running career for the oldest of seven children—all who would perform well in cross country and track—of James

ROSIE FRANKOWSKI: CELEBRATE WINTER WITH A SPORT THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER

February 15, 2024 “I had an interesting mix in my childhood,” says Rosie Frankowski, born in 1991, referring to her experience living in Minneapolis near Southwest High School during the academic year and at Lake Caribou a few miles from Lutsen, Minnesota (population 220) throughout the summer and weekends. “My sister, Anna, and I would

JOHN LONG: TWO-TIME BADGER CROSS COUNTRY CAPTAIN NOW OWNS RUNNING STORE STARTED BY STEVE HOAG

February 26, 2022   Genetics may have a lot to do with the running success of John Long, but it was a BMX accident that got him started in the sport.  The son of an Irish immigrant who won the 1957 Guinness Mile in a time of 4:04 against a stacked field, John was born

US Olympic Marathon Trials: Women Qualifiers with Minnesota Connections

January 1, 2024 To run in the 2024 US Olympic Marathon Trials women’s division in Orlando, Florida on February 3rd, a time of 2:37:00 (or 1:12 in the half-marathon) or faster must have been recorded in the past two years (one year for the half-marathon) in a certified race.  A total of 173 women have

DONNA GATHJE MUELLER: SUPPORT YOUR TEAM, SUPPORT YOUR COACH

April 26, 2022 Donna Gathje (pronounced get-key) believes she was blessed with great support and coaches.  Today, she promotes the healthy benefits of running and encourages the families of runners to support runners and their coaches. The Gathje family of Rochester, Minnesota, is known statewide and beyond for their running prowess, but parents Ron and

AARON BARTNIK AND CARLI SCHULZ BARTNIK: NOW HAVING A DIFFERENT APPRECIATION OF WHAT RUNNING HAS BROUGHT TO THEIR LIVES

March 2, 2022   Eden Prairie cross country, nordic skiing, and track and field athletes Aaron Bartnik and Carli Schulz connected through their community school and sports and are now married.  The pair have many similarities:  they both first competed in soccer, remember finishing second in the phy ed mile run—and missing out on a

DECEMBER SPOTLIGHT ON MINNESOTA RUNNERS

December 18, 2023 Major running competitions are still happening in December and Minnesota runners are continuing their strong tradition by performing well.  In the National Club Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida, the Minnesota Distance Elite team was runner-up to the San Diego Track Club.  Two members of the team are Minnesota natives:  Joel Reichow

MIKE AND TAMMI CHEEVER: ATHLETIC MINNEAPOLIS FAMILY MOST PROUD OF KIDS WITH BIG HEARTS

December 11, 2023 While Mike and Tammi (Wermers) Cheever had their own achievements in running, they quickly deflect to the successes of their children, Jamie and Dylan, in athletics and their contributions to society, saying their children “have big hearts.”  Growing up in Brookings, South Dakota, Mike and Tammi met in middle school and both

MIKE GEBEKE: 1979 WHITE BEAR LAKE STATE TRACK CHAMPION BECAME PART OF GRIAK SNOTTY NOSE TOUGH TEAMS AT U OF MN AND COMPETED INTERNATIONALLY

November 17, 2023 The oldest of five athletic children, Mike Gebeke (pronounced Gĕb∙key) was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1961, and moved to White Bear Lake, Minnesota, as a preschool-aged child.   Parents Chuck, a mechanical engineer at 3M, and Renee, an elementary teacher, also had four daughters: Jill, a basketball player at St. Cloud

2023 STATE CROSS COUNTRY MEET: WAYZATA TEAMS TRIUMPH; 8TH GRADE BOY 6TH IN CLASS A

November 4, 2023 The Minnesota state cross country meet returned to the Les Bolstad Golf Course at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul after being hosted by St. Olaf College in Northfield for three decades. A sports enthusiast is always rewarded by watching the effort and sportsmanship exhibited by the boys and girls qualifying

JENNIE FRIEDRICH (LAHR): YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR OWN ATTITUDE AND YOUR OWN EFFORT

November 1, 2023 “Looking back, I didn’t realize how big a role athletics would play in my life,” says Jennie (Lahr) Friedrich, an All-American cross country and track runner at Northern Michigan University (NMU) in Marquette, Michigan.  “There are only two things I can control:  my own attitude and my own effort.  I learned to

MIAC 2023 CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS BOTH FROM NORTHFIELD

October 28, 2023 Minnesota’s running scene is fortunate to have high-caliber meets and runners such as the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC)—they have never disappointed cross country fans. There were a host of repeats at the 2023 MIAC Cross Country Championships in the Upper Arboretum of Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota on Saturday, October 28th.

BOB WAGNER: RAN FOR COACH GRIAK AT ST. LOUIS PARK HIGH SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

September 27, 2023 “I was one lucky athlete to end up in St. Louis Park,” is how Bob “Wags” Wagner, born in 1946, describes his family’s move from Charles City, Iowa, to the Minneapolis western suburb when he was in 9th grade.  In phy ed class, teacher Roy Griak saw the new kid not wearing

RUNNING AND HOCKEY: AT THE GRIAK INVITE AND AT TPT ALMANAC DISCUSSING HENRY BOUCHA

September 23, 2023 Attending the Griak Invite, the large, elite cross country race hosted at the Les Bolstand Golf Course on the University of Minnesota campus in St. Paul, is always rewarded with exceptional performances with California Baptist University leading the field. While the women’s team placed in the middle, the four lead runners were

Jerry Feldhausen and Tom Barry: Difference Makers

September 4, 2023 Growing up on a Minnesota dairy farm, I doubted I would ever have the opportunity to be part of an athletic team or benefit from coaching.  Thankfully, my life has been enriched by having both.  A patient coach starting a college cross country program at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin,

KATIE BRUST: BURSTING WITH CREATIVITY

August 30, 2023 Katie Brust radiates energy, joy, and creativity.  She enthusiastically shares her history in alpine skiing, fishing, running, art, trap shooting, student government, and love of family and travel.  And for only being 23 years old, she has a lot to share. The oldest daughter of David, a St. Olaf graduate who competed

JENNY RYAN: LOVING IT IN MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN

August 25, 2023 “I get home to visit my parents in Burnsville often,” says Jenny Ryan, head coach of the Northern Michigan University (NMU) women’s cross country and track and field teams.  “I also have two siblings in the area and see them and their families too.”  Jenny has led an active life beginning with

Adam Frye: From the Gateway of the Bluff Country to the Crest of the Cascades

August 3, 2023 A native of Chatfield in the Bluff Country of southeastern Minnesota, Adam Frye was introduced to running as a youth of five or six years of age when he ran a mile race at Planview Corn on the Cob Days with his father, Chris, a former high school runner who later co-founded

MATT HAUGEN: AS MUCH AS I LOVE RACING, I WOULD RATHER WATCH MY TEAM RACE

July 19, 2023 A lightly recruited runner who became an All-American at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, Matt Haugen says, “I was so hungry after not making the state meets in high school, I had a burning will to improve myself in college.”  And he did.  That desire led Matt to successfully compete in

DANNY DOCHERTY: PEOPLE FROM OTHER STATES RECOGNIZE MINNESOTA’S INCREDIBLE RUNNING COMMUNITY

July 11, 2023 The second oldest of four children from a running-oriented St. Paul family, Danny Docherty, born in 1989, says, “It’s fun seeing what you can do.  You learn over time the specifics of training.  I am trying to continue to evolve my career as an athlete and now more as a coach.”  While

MADDIE VAN BEEK: MEMORABLE RUNS INCLUDE FIRST STEEPLECHASE RACE AND RUNNING THREE MILES CRADLING RESCUED KITTEN

While Maddie McClellan Van Beek has a history of being an introvert, she wants the world to know she is an animal lover.  On a memorable run on a gravel road near Hawley, Minnesota with friend Erin Teschuck—a future Canadian steeplechase Olympian—Maddie discovered a kitten and cradled it in one of her arms the final

ZAK KETTERSON: 2-TIME STATE NORDIC SKI CHAMPION ON WINNING WORLD CUP MIXED RELAY GOLD MEDAL TEAM WITH JESSIE DIGGINS

June 6, 2023 “We were a very active family,” says Zak Ketterson of his youthful years in Bloomington, Minnesota.  “We were always hiking or biking on trips.”  The younger son of Jim and Brigette (Breuer) Ketterson is proof that endurance is apparently a family trademark.  Jim ran cross country and track at Carleton College in

SARAH RENK THORSETT: 1500 METER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RUNNER FROM WINONA NOW ASKS KIDS SHE COACHES, “WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE?”

May 30, 2023 Growing up in an athletic family of seven children in Winona, Minnesota, a Mississippi River city 40 miles east of the renowned medical city of Rochester, Sarah Renk says, “My first love was basketball.  I liked shooting hoops in our backyard with my three older brothers.  It’s where I found my competitiveness. 

MARISSA JANNING MURPHY: 18-LETTERWINNER AT WATERTOWN-MAYER BECAME BIG EAST BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR AT CREIGHTON

May 16, 2023 If ever there is someone in sport to personify the term multi-sport athlete, Marissa Janning fits the bill.  Here is a sampling:  swimming, wrestling (until 4th grade), football (until 5th grade), softball, cross country, volleyball, basketball, track, and, most recently, marathoning.  She earned 18 letters at Watertown-Mayer High School, achieving all-state recognition

TOM SEDERQUIST: PUSHING LIMITS—WITH NO GUTS?!?!

March 7, 2023 A gung-ho runner with a penchant for adventure sports, Tom Sederquist oozes energy.  Now an analyst for Cirrus Aircraft in Duluth and distance coach at UW Superior, Tom does it all—literally—with no guts. The oldest of three sons of Dave and Jane Remark Sederquist, the family moved to Moorhead, Minnesota (located on

EMMA LEE: ATHLETES WHO HAVE THE ABILITY TO SEE THE BIG PICTURE SEEM TO HAVE MORE SUCCESS

An Olympic Trials marathon qualifier who was an All-American in three sports and currently a postdoctoral fellow who clearly has had athletic and academic success, Emma Lee appreciates people who see the big picture. Born in 1991 and raised in St. Anthony Park, Minnesota, a neighborhood tucked into the northwest section of St. Paul near

BRUCE MORTENSON: 185,300 MILES; WE KEPT EACH OTHER RUNNING

February 7, 2023 A 1943 New Year’s Eve baby born in Minneapolis was probably churning his legs immediately after birth and they have never stopped for any time of significant duration.  People in the Minnesota running community can probably guess that the person who has logged 185,300 miles can only be Bruce Mortenson, a runner

DAN LYNDGAARD: RUNNING HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE 2 STATE CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS AND A BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN CONCERT

January 24, 2023 A conversation with brothers Dan and Dave Lyndgaard reveals they are each other’s biggest boosters—constantly complimenting or lauding the other’s achievements.  But they are equally quick to point out people who contributed to their success in cross country and on the track including high school and college teammates; Wayne Feder, their high

DAVE LYNDGAARD: SURROUNDED BY INSPIRATION

January 24, 2023 A brother, family support, a coach, teammates at New Richland-Hartland High School and St. John’s University in Collegeville, the campuses and students at Saint John’s and Saint Ben’s, runners coached, colleagues in administration, and a person who was both a teammate and runner he coached who had a historic impact on athletics

BRUCE BROTHERS: SPORTSWRITER AND MARATHONER SEES GLASS ALMOST ALWAYS HALF-FULL; WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN THAT?

Growing up in Morningside, Minnesota, a village sandwiched between St. Louis Park and Minneapolis (annexed by Edina in 1966), Bruce Brothers always loved sports, but he did not consider himself athletic.  Getting hooked on baseball when his grandfather took him to see the Minneapolis Millers play at Metropolitan Stadium, Bruce, born in 1946, admits he

MINNESOTA ATHLETES FINDING SUCCESS ON ALTERNATIVES TO ROAD RACES AS THEY ENTER TRAIL AND SPARTAN COMPETITIONS

December 27, 2022 Trail running is finding increasing popularity as runners seek out alternatives to road racing in an effort to find a running sector easier on their joints, include a more varied with turns and elevation changes, and more natural scenery. Garrett Heath (Winona) won the USATF Half Marathon Trail Championships hosted on American

DAKOTAH LINDWURM: PASSIONATE HOCKEY PLAYER BECOMES GRANDMA’S MARATHON CHAMPION

Beginning to play hockey in 2nd grade, Dakotah Marie Lindwurm (nee Bullen) has long had Jim Craig, goalie on the 1980 Miracle on Ice Olympic hockey team, as a favorite athlete. “Hockey was my heart and soul and my Olympic dream beginning,” says the 5’ 1” and 105-pound native of St. Francis, Minnesota. “Everything revolved

David Van Orsdel: RUNNER TURNED EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL CYCLIST NOW “ALL IN” AS HE RIDES ON EMOTION

November 16, 2022 “I was always obsessed with sports,” says David Van Orsdelwho moved to Hopkins, Minnesota from Minneapolis at the age of one. One of two sons of Lil (Lundeen) and Scott Van Orsdel, a sprinter at Concordia College in Moorhead, David, born in 1984, grew to 5’ 8” by 8th grade—and has remained

CLARE FLANAGAN: RUNNING OFFERED SENSE OF DOING SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T BELIEVE YOU COULD DO

Born in Chicago in 1995, Clare Flanagan moved to Edina, Minnesota at age seven when her mother, Michelle, accepted a position in the Twin Cities.  She quickly adapted to the lifestyle of Minnesota—meaning she started playing ice hockey in the winter and playing outside with her brother, John, in a nearby wooded area, one of

JOHN CURLEY: LEAPING FROM 92ND IN STATE CROSS COUNTRY MEET IN 2010 TO 11TH IN TC MARATHON IN 2022

October 26, 2022 “Now I can run and train according to how I feel,” John Curley says about his impressive improvement in running.  The Duluth pharmacist had battled injuries and was squeezed for time while completing a rigorous school schedule, juggling jobs, and being active in academic and agricultural organizations.  John admits his 5:43 per

DANIEL HUMES: RUNNING AT A TIME OF CROSSROADS

The sport of running changed dramatically in the 1960s and 1970s with the construction and marketing of lightweight, supportive shoes through the founding of Nike (its predecessor was Blue Ribbon Sports) in 1964; the advent of synthetic surface running tracks starting in the 1968 Olympics; and the implementation of Title IX in 1972 which allowed

JOHN, ED, AND BILL TWOMEY: WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING GAMES AND RUNNING

In the late 1950s, surgeon John Twomey (pronounced too-mee) and his wife, Katie, a medical technologist, moved their young family from Northeast Minneapolis to the western suburb of Golden Valley, Minnesota. Three boys, John, Ed, and Bill, and an infant daughter, Cathie, were in tow. “We were always outside playing games like capture the flag

JILL SLETTEDAHL: MINNESOTA IS A 12-HOUR DRIVE FROM KENTUCKY HOME, BUT IT ONLY TAKES 3 HOURS FOR THE GRANITE FALLS RUNNER’S MINNESOTA ACCENT TO RETURN

August 24, 2022 “We were busy kids,” Jill Slettedahl Winter says of the childhood she shared with younger sisters Amy Northrop (Slettedahl) and Heidi Slettedahl Macpherson.  Jill became a state track champion and collegiate All-American, but the value of education shone through the daughters of Bob, a rural mail carrier, and Judy, an educator, too. 

ADAM STEELE: LOTS OF HARD WORK, THEN A MAGICAL 2003 SEASON

Attending the recent World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, recently at renovated Hayward Field, Adam Steele found the crowd sparse and the atmosphere a bit flat compared to his experience at the 2003 World Championships.  “There was not the electricity of eighty-thousand fans that we had in Paris,” says Adam, referring to the noise and

Chris Celichowski AND Bonnie Sons AND FAMILY: BE NOT AFRAID

Chris Celichowski and Bonnie Sons led parallel lives in adjoining states until they intersected in marriage. Both started their accomplished running careers later than most collegiate runners: Bonnie started in the spring of her junior year at Central High School in Norwood Young America (located about 45 miles west of Minneapolis); Chris, remarkably, did not

Tina Bahr Ostroot: WHAT’S IMPORTANT IS TO REMEMBER WHERE WE COME FROM AND TO OPEN DOORS FOR OTHERS

Raised in International Falls, Minnesota, Tina Bahr was familiar with the many state hockey championships the town on the Canadian border had earned, but she probably had little inkling that she would bring not one, but two, individual cross country titles to her hometown.  Born in 1961, Tina is the oldest of four children of

THE FENSKE FAMILY: YAY FOR PERSEVERENCE OF FAMILY AND CHURCH

Joel Fenske and Tina Fenske (Lang) grew up on the opposite ends of Paynesville, Minnesota, a town of 2,500 people in Stearns County, and on opposite ends of the birth order spectrum. “It makes for some interesting dynamics,” says Joel, the youngest of 7 children, with a soft chuckle. “I have such an appreciation for

Mary Lahammer ON COMPETITION: WE DREW BLOOD PLAYING SPOONS!

The youngest of five children in a St. Louis Park family, Mary Lahammer laughs reminiscing about the competitive and intense nature of her family, saying, “We drew blood,” as she recalls diving and clawing for spoons in a mad scramble of the card game where a player tries to obtain four of a kind and

THE GATHJE FAMILY: CHERISHED MEMORIES OF MIAC TEAMMATES, COACHES, AND OTHER RUNNERS

Remember, the 1960s running community was miniscule compared to the broad appeal it enjoys today. Ron Gathje (pictured below with John Gathje, Steve, Jim Gathje, and Mike), a sheet metal worker originally from Stewartville, Minnesota, was perplexed when his son Steve started long distance running, but he and his wife, Helen, became huge fans of

HAPPY GRANDMA’S (MARATHON) DAY, Dakotah Marie Lindwurm!

A year ago, 2021 Grandma’s Marathon champion Dakotah Marie Lindwurm (Bullen) graciously consented to an extensive interview. Today the reigning champion repeated and won the title in an eye-catching time of 2:25:01, a time that is receiving national attention. In honor of Dakotah’s achievement, the profile featuring her is being reposted. Of course, all runners

GYMNASTICS AND THE STEEPLECHASE: MINNESOTA ATHLETES PROVE YOU NEED SOME OF THE SAME QUALITIES

To a casual viewer, it is still obvious that elite gymnastics requires flexibility, strength, explosiveness, speed, endurance, and hand-eye coordination. What we sometimes forget is the spatial awareness and mental toughness that is also essential to possess in the sport. Surprising to some sports fans is that most of these qualities are also attributes of

GOPHER ACHIEVEMENTS

Readers may remember (or can scroll down and read) an article about the miraculous recoveries and courage of former Gopher baseball player and San Diego Padres coach Mark Merila. His son, Boston (St. Michael-Albertville), is now on the roster of the Gophers. Here’s a link to a recent article featuring more about him> https://gophersports.com/…/baseball-rounding-the-bases… Bethany

ANDY TATE: POWER OF A TEAM

“People who buy into teams can do amazing things,” says Andy Tate, a Minnesota athlete who grew up in Morris and savored the sweet taste of amazement in multiple sports at Morris, at Stillwater High School, and at Kansas University. Born in 1977, Andy is the son of a father who owned an insurance agency

ELIZABETH YETZER SPEHAR: NO MATTER HOW I PERFORM, I AM LOVED

With older siblings following their mother’s footsteps, Elizabeth Yetzer says, “It [running] was a big part of my parents’ lives and we saw that modeled.  Naturally, you just kind of hop in.”  Jake, Rebekah, and Annie were the older siblings and Mary Stepka, the state runner-up in the mile run to future World Cross Country

MISSY BUTTRY ROCK: THE FAMILY PICTURE IS SOMETHING TO BEHOLD!

“A unique thing about our family is that there are sixteen children,” Missy Buttry Rocks says with quiet understatement.  Yes, sixteen children; Missy is one of three biological children and has 13 siblings who were adopted by her parents who live in Shendandoah, Iowa, in the southwest quadrant of the state. Missy’s parents ran the

Megan Daymont Thomas: GRATEFUL FOR OPPORTUNITIES

When your early baby-sitters are Suzy Wilson, spouse of University of Minnesota women’s track and field coach Gary Wilson, and Leslie Seymour, a qualifier for two Cross County World Championships, and your mother, Chris Daymont, is a St. Olaf College Hall of Fame coach, and your father, Dick, is a longtime coach and track official,

DRAKE BLUE OVAL SHOWCASE: MINNESOTA ATHLETE RESULTS

Three Minnesota athletes competed in the road mile race, two finishing 9th. Running with the leaders the entire race, Joe Fabe Klecker (Hopkins) ran to a 3rd place finish in the men’s division, clocking a time of 3:59. The recent University of Colorado graduate becomes another Minnesota athlete running a sub-4-minute mile. Placing 9th in

Garrott Kuzzy: Prost! PASSION NOW IS SHARING EUROPEAN SKI EXPERIENCE WITH TRAVELERS

Although 2010 Olympian Garrott Kuzzy, born in 1982, grew up a few blocks east of Theodore Wirth Park, a 2020 World Cup site, he didn’t ski there much  One of three children from an athletic family (one sister, Laura, skied for the University of New Hampshire, while the other, Martha, was on the Virginia rowing

RILEY PELLIGRO MACON: ATHLETIC CAREER HIGHLIGHTS WERE WITH TEAMMATES

Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Riley Macon has returned to his birthplace as he pursues a master’s degree at Middle Tennessee State University.  But in between, Riley spent his formative years in Minnesota and became an elite high school runner with a state title in the 1600-meter run in 2012 and a runner-up finish in the

Caitlin Compton Gregg: ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE

How does a girl born and raised in Manhattan become a winter Olympian?  Caitlyn Gregg Compton thinks it shows anything is possible. Caitlin did have the advantage of having parents who were outdoors enthusiasts—they met at a ski and bike shop—but she lived in Manhattan until age 10 before moving to Vermont.  It proved to

Jared Pittman: STATE TRACK CHAMPION REDISCOVERING THE FUN IN RUNNING

A state track champion who was also the # 1 ranked runner in cross country his senior year in 1993, Jared Pittman grew up in Owatonna, Minnesota, and only began running when his family moved to Northfield and he felt too small for the physical toll of football. Thanks to influential coaches Pat Foley and

Jared Pittman: STATE TRACK CHAMPION REDISCOVERING THE FUN IN RUNNING

A state track champion who was also the # 1 ranked runner in cross country his senior year in 1993, Jared Pittman grew up in Owatonna, Minnesota, and only began running when his family moved to Northfield and he felt too small for the physical toll of football. Thanks to influential coaches Pat Foley and

Nick Golebiowski RUNNING THE 2019 GARRY BJORKLUND HALF-MARATHON WITH A SMILE ON HIS FACE

Born and raised in St. Cloud, Minnesota, young Nick Golebiowski laughingly says about a well-regarded decade (2007-2015 ) corps of Minnesota distance high school runners, “Starting with Mason Ferlic, we like to think of ourselves as the Golden Age of Class A runners.” There is a lot of truth in the statement, though. During Nick’s

Eric Loeffler: CAN’T IMAGINE WHAT MY LIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN WITHOUT RUNNING

Growing up in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Eric Loeffler was primarily exposed to a sport which did not require running-his parents owned the bowling alley. As a youth he participated in basketball and baseball and he planned to go out for football in 7th grade when cross country coach Terry Harrington called to ask him to

Jon-Michael Brandt: SURROUNDED BY GOOD PEOPLE IN BLUFF COUNTRY

Born and raised in Winona, Minnesota (his older brother, Gregg, is a professional bicycle racer), Jon-Michael Brandt‘s primary focus in sports as a youth was soccer. When he did not find the middle school soccer team very challenging after years on a traveling team, his parents insisted he pick a school activity and he chose

Jeremy Polson: BIG PART OF DULUTH’S HISTORIC RUNNING POWERHOUSE TEAMS IN MID-1990S

Duluth East girls’ cross country teams are renown in the running community for their 7 consecutive state championships from 1992-98, but the boys’ teams at East, Denfeld, and Central in the port city were remarkably strong too. Growing up on the West Side near Spirit Mountain, Jeremy Polson played hockey like most northern Minnesota kids.

TOM HEINONEN’S LONG HISTORY IN RUNNING

Tagging along with the Robbinsdale High School cross country team as an 8th grader because his older brother was a member of the team–but not allowed to compete until he became a sophomore due to varsity rules at the time–Tom Heinonen became the team’s number two runner as a 10th grader. As a junior, the

LUKE WATSON: MAGICAL TIMES

Born in Minneapolis, Luke Watson moved with his family to Stillwater when he was 5 years old. Playing hockey, baseball, and soccer provided him with an athletic background, but his parents decided they needed a family activity they could all do so they would not be shuttling their four children to various places at different

In More Minnesota Gold: Speedskaters, Wrestlers, Runners, Ski Jumpers, Hockey Players, Swimmers

Please excuse this departure from highlighting Minnesota athletes and their lives and achievements to an invitation to meet some of your fellow athletes and coaches. Yes, after three years of research, interviews, writing (and more writing) and editing (and more and more editing!), More Minnesota Gold is printed and available! Please see the invitation with

MINNESOTA ATHLETES AT THE US OLYMPIC MARATHON TRIALS

Minnesota has a rich heritage in long-distance running with many state athletes competing on the world stage. People sometimes forget that qualifying for an Olympics Trials is a tremendous achievement that involves running thousands–probably tens of thousands in many cases–of miles, overcoming injuries, perseverance, and time management and balancing life for years. University of Minnesota

END OF CROSS COUNTRY, THE START OF WRESTLING FOR MINNESOTA ATHLETES

The U of M Gopher victory over Northwestern created an interesting piece of research discovered about Evan Hull, the Maple Grove High School graduate playing running back for the Wildcats. Hull participated in 3 state championship meets last year as a high school senior: on the football team, as an individual in wrestling at 182

BIG CROSS COUNTRY WEEKEND

The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) cross country championships were hosted at St. Olaf College in Northfield on Saturday. Due to its proximity to our home, I have never missed the state meet since it was relocated to Northfield in 1992 when Carrie Tollefson (Dawson-Boyd, Lac qui Parle), Lisa Aro (Buffalo), Andy Cowgill (St.

MIAC OLYMPIANS: NORTHFIELD’S OLES AND CARLS and a Bethel Royal at Arden Hills; PART 5 OF A SERIES

Northfield’s two colleges, St. Olaf and Carleton, have both had representation at the Olympics, although Carleton’s is not from Minnesota. Philip Dunn was a cross country runner and distance runner in track at Carleton, but the Oregon native qualified for three Olympics in race walking. A 4-time national champion, Dunn competed in the 50K racewalk

MINNESOTA HIGH SCHOOL STATE TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETES WHO ACHIEVED FAME IN OTHER SPORTS AND CAREERS, PART 3 of 3

A number of US Olympic and national cross country ski team members have excelled at Minnesota state track and field and cross country meets: Todd Boonstra (Burnsville), Barb Jones (St. Paul Central), Ian Torchia (Rochester Lourdes), Ben Husaby (Eden Prairie), Kevin Brochman and Todd Kampainen are premier examples. Three-time Olympian Todd Boonstra (pictured below winning

Cross Country Wrap-Up; University of Minnesota Women Sports Success, Men’s Wrestlers Going International

National meets in Spokane, Washington, and San Diego, California concluded cross country competition for 2018. Ben Blankenship (Stillwater, pictured below when he ran at the U of M) won the National Club Cross Country Championship in Spokane, covering the 10K course in a time of 29:21. Garrett Heath (Winona) was fifth, the first Brooks Beast

Positive Coaching Alliance Impact Award Event; Other Awards

Monday night–thanks to a thoughtful gesture by Deborah Diamond Edwards, former Executive Director of Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA)–my wife, Karen Olson Mader, and I attended the organization’s Impact Award Event in Minneapolis. PCA is a national group with a Minnesota state chapter with the mission of having youth sports being a positive, character-building experience. Our

End Of October Competitions

The University of Minnesota (U of M) volleyball team has continued its march of victories over Big 10 opponents, most recently a sweep over the # 12-ranked Michigan Wolverines. Taylor Mariah Morgan (Blaine) led the Gophers with 13 kills and CC McGraw (Prior Lake) had a career-high 24 digs. Samantha Jo Seliger-Swenson (Minnetonka) added to

Bits of Sports News; Lots of Griak

Emily Shilson (Maple Grove), daughter of Margaret and Chad Shilson, qualified in wrestling for the Youth Olympics in Argentina in October. Emily has previously qualified for the state boys’ wrestling tournament the past two years and was recently crowned Cadet World Champion at 43 kilograms. Lots of Minnesota representation: Tori Dixon (Burnsville), Hannah and Paige

M Club Induction, Fall Sports Start

On Thursday, September 13th, eight Gopher athletes were inducted into the prestigious M Club at the University of Minnesota. Heather Kampf (Rosemount High School), a middle distance star and the first U of M female track athlete to be a national champion (2006, indoors 800-meters); Damion Hahn, a two-time national champion wrestler; fleet running back

Cheers For Achievements, Historic Race!

Lots to cheer about . . . Congratulations to Hugh McCutcheon, head coach of the University of Minnesota (U of M) women’s volleyball team, on the announcement of being inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame. Several U of M athletes from Minnesota received Academic All-District awards: Lindsey Smits (Lakeville, track), Derek Wiebke (Kasson,

Boston and U of MN Results Happy Spring???

While athletes at Boston (and Minnesota!) endured wind, freezing rain, and cold temperatures, it did not dampen the spirits of many runners. Here are a few Boston highlights: John Simons (U of M graduate) took 2nd in the mile with a 4:09 time and Tony Schiller placed 24th in his age division in the marathon.

The cross country World Cup series concluded and we want to celebrate the successes the Minnesota athletes and their teammates.

Congratulations to Jessie Diggins (Afton, graduate of Stillwater High School) capturing second place overall in the prestigious endurance series of nearly 30 races spreading from late November to mid-March with the Winter Olympics sandwiched in between. Teammate Sadie Bjornsen placed 6th overall to make for an impressive American showing and the by far the the

Profiles of Inspirational and Persevering Athletes Exhibiting the Olympic Spirit – Gabriele Anderson Grunewald

It would be unthinkable not to include Gabriele Anderson Grunewald in any listing of inspirational and persevering Minnesota athletes who exhibit the Olympic spirit. Gabriele is from the cross country powerhouse of Perham, MN (both boys and girls teams were state runner-up this year). Always a contender to win, she placed as high as 4th

Johanna Olson, Wadena – Profiles of Inspirational and Persevering Athletes Exhibiting the Olympic Spirit

This posting is the first of a series of five that will feature extraordinary Minnesota athletes who have demonstrated remarkable personal and physical strength, incredible perseverance, and just plain guts. If you have nominations or comments, please submit them. I was reminded of this first person by Brent Lorentz, a lawyer I met while making

Similarities Abound for Gopher Teams at Big 10 Cross Country Championships: Madeline Strandemo; Bethany Hasz, Megan Hasz, Alexandria; Matthew Thomas Welch, Proctor; Charlie Lawrence, Foley

The Gopher teams matched each other in many ways at today’s Big 10 Championships at the Les Bolstad Golf Course on the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota: both teams placed 4th, each team had three runners place in the top 20, the teams were predominantly composed of Minnesota athletes, and none of

Minnesota Runners at La Crosse

Competing in three races at La Crosse over the weekend, the U of M women’s cross country team participated in the Nuttycombe Invitational and its Open Meet on Friday and the Neubauer Invitational on Saturday. Megan Hasz (Alexandria) led the team with a 28th- place finish in 20:44 as they competed with running powerhouses from

When an American Running Record Was Set at Macalester’s Track

A day after winning the Minnesota State College Conference cross country championship on a 4-mile course in Bemidji in 19:19, Van Nelson set a 30-kilometer American record in 1:37:16.4 at the Macalester track on October 31, 1965. The phenomenal performance was a full 8 minutes less than the recognized record set by Dick Haines two

1970 US Team Set 24-Hour Distance Record

While attending the Roy Griak Invitational last Saturday, Don Timm (Burnsville), a runner on the 1969 Big 10 cross country championship team told me how he knew a runner named Phil Camp. They had trained together–presumably as a pre-Olympic training center–in the state of Washington in 1970. It was decided that about one-half of the

Roy Griak Invitational: Women’s Gold Division

Ranked 25th in the country, the U of M women’s cross country team matched the men’s team by placing 9th in the competitive and challenging Roy Griak Invitational at Les Bolstad Golf Course in St. Paul on Saturday. True freshman Bethany Hasz (Alexandria) was the first Gopher runner to cross the line as she finished

Women’s National Cross Country Championship–Open Division

Debuting in 1964, the women’s cc national championships has had only one Minnesota athlete crowned as its champion: Emily Brown (West Allis, WI, U of M) in 2007 at the Agricultural History Farm Park in Derwood, MD. It was a dominant win as Emily cruised through the 8 K race in a time of 26:58–more

Fall Sports Action has Sprung into Action at the University of Minnesota (U of M)

My brother Jim Mader and I witnessed the victory vs Oregon State on Thursday night. Minnesota athltes starting on the offensive side of the ball for the football team are Jonah Pirsig (Blue Earth, OL) and Mitch Leidner (Lakeville, QB). On defense, Andrew Steltner (Owatonna, DL) and Adekunle Ayinde (Blaine, CB) have claimed starting positions.

Minnesota Athletes at Rio (Summary)

Hassan Mead (Minneapolis South, University of Minnesota) placed 11th in the 5,000-meter run final. Stillwater High School and U of M graduate Ben Blankenship placed 8th in the 1,500-meter run final. Living in Arden Hills for a few years, badminton pairs player Paula Lynn Obanana and her playing partner did not place. Rugby was reintroduced

Day 10 p.m. at Eugene: Minnesota has a second Olympian!

Ben Blankenship dug down deep to recapture third place (3:36.18) from a hard-charging Lee Manzano after Manzano had edged ahead. It was reminiscent of Carrie Tollefson momentarily losing the lead of the 1500 meter finals in the 2004 Olympic Trials and then pulling ahead to win. Very exciting! Jess Lehman of the University of Minnesota

Day 9 at Eugene: Minnesota has a new Olympian

Day 9 at Eugene: Minnesota has a new Olympian! In a stirring and rousing 5,000-meter run, Hassan Mead claimed second place with a furious sprint and time of 13:35.70 behind 41-year-old Bernard Legat. Two gutsy runners staked out a 20 meter lead and the pack did not catch them until three laps to go. Galen

National Men’s Cross Country Championships–Open Division

With the start of the high school and college cross country season, here is some researched information on elite runners competing at the national level of an often overlooked race: the National Cross Country Championships. Past winners have included Frank Shorter, Jack Bachelor, Craig Virgin, and Alberto Salazar. But many Minnesota athletes have also made