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The sweltering heat and humidity of late July always means one thing in the Chisago Lakes area: The Chisago Lakes Triathlon.

The fifth annual running, biking and swimming event brings hundreds of competitors to the region for a weekend full of fun, but a weekend also full of tough work and a lot of will power.

It's been a blast covering the event for the last two years. Seeing all of the age groups and people from different walks of life really opens the eyes to what people who set their mind to something can do.

I'm always impressed by the winner shaving seconds, sometimes minutes, off the the winning time from the year before, but it's just as equally impressive as the older competitors come across the finish line. If you didn't see them at the finish of a triathlon, you wouldn't believe that they could even run a mile without tumbling over.

This year, everyone seems like they might get a little reprieve. For the last two years that I've been covering it, the Sunday's of the weekend have been humid and nasty. It hasn't been easy for any runners, young or old.

So far though, the weather forecast looks to be triathlon-friendly. According to The Weather Channel, Sunday is supposed to have a high of 84 with a cloudy overcast. If that holds true to form, it will be much better than the conditions they've had to run in in the past few years.

Although I won't be on the bike path or swim course, you can look for me as you cross the finish line snapping away. It's always a fun event, and I look forward to seeing all of the competitors this year, and seeing what kind of records can be broken in 2010.

Good luck to all the competitors, and have a safe triathlon.

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