- [Taren] What's up Trainiacs?
Welcome to this week's Triathlon News Day Tuesday,
where in this week's edition of Triathlon News Day,
Triathlon is held in honor of the memory of those
affected by Sandy Hook.
Wahoo makes a big statement,
changes a lot of things,
and we find out how much pro triathletes make.
It's a good one, stay tuned.
(upbeat music)
What's up triathletes?
Welcome to Triathlon News Day Tuesday,
where every single Tuesday, as long as I'm not traveling
and there is news to talk about around the triathlon world,
we talk about what's going on.
As always full links to everything we talk about will be
in the description below.
And make sure you stick around to the end
where everyone's favorite part
of Triathlon News Day is shared,
and that is a story from the Trainiac community.
I really like the one that we've got this week.
Now let's start off with a triathlon that was held
over the weekend in honor of Chase Kowalski,
who was one of the victims of the Sandy Hook shooting
a number of years back.
Now this triathlon was participated in
by 200 children who participated in this program
that was organized by the Chase Kowalski Foundation
over the course of six weeks,
which taught kids how to swim, bike, and run
because Chase loved triathlons
and swimming, biking and running.
And the program culminated in this triathlon
that they did in memory of not just Chase,
but those affected by the Sandy Hook shooting.
So, I gotta say thank you to the family and the friends
of Chase Kowalski.
And it's great that you are doing something like this
in honor of him.
Next, Wahoo, the makers of Trainers, the Wahoo Kickr,
the Wahoo Element, the Wahoo Climb, the Headwind,
have very much been aligned with Zwift
over the last few years but they have gone
and purchased Sufferfest,
one of the main competitors to Zwift.
The details of this acquisition weren't really disclosed
or discussed much at all,
but what this tells us is that Wahoo isn't necessarily
a Zwift only trainer company,
and we've known that because it is compatible
with all different TrainerRoads and Sufferfest,
and Fullgas and Zwift.
But the fact that Wahoo is making an acquisition
specifically to a competitor of Zwift,
which is kind of like the 10,000 pound gorilla
in the world of smart training indoors,
lets me know that Wahoo might actually be wanting
to compete with the platforms that it is supporting.
So this is really interesting to see how it plays out.
Next, how much does a pro triathlete make?
Well we get to find out every single year in one
of the most popular blog posts done by any pro triathlete
throughout the course of the season.
Cody Beals just published his annual income report.
It was really interesting particularly this year
because we talked with Cody when we had him
on the podcast after last year,
which was a breakout season where he won a number of races.
And we asked him would he actually publish
that income report considering that he is basically
now a fairly successful, profitable athlete.
Now in previous years, Cody had been basically
either under the poverty line or making minimum wage,
and that was an interesting story for people to follow.
But the questions is now that Cody is a very profitable,
successful triathlete, is it detrimental for him
to publish these figures that show that he's making
over $100,000 a year?
I think something to keep in mind is that yes,
while he is making that good a living this year in triathlon
A) that's not certain for future years
and B) it wasn't always that way and he had to struggle
for a lot of years to get there.
So go check that out.
The link to it will be in the description below.
Now, before we get into the race results,
and there were some good ones,
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Now, as far as race results go,
Half Ironman Astana in Kazakhstan was held over the weekend
which was won on the men's side by Nils Frommhold
and on the women's side by Radka I still can't pronouce
your last name Kahlefeldt.
Please Instagram message me a story of how you actually
pronounce it.
Kahlefeldt, Kahlefeldt, Kahlefeldt?
Got nothing.
Ironman Vitoria in Spain was won by hometown favorite
Eneko Llanos who is the only male athlete
to go under eight hours for the full Ironman,
winning by over 11 minutes.
The women's race was won by Heather Jackson,
who won by about 12 minutes being the only female athlete
to go under nine hours.
Congratulations to you both.
And Ironman UK was held and normally I don't mention things
that don't have a pro field,
but that was the full Ironman distance debut
of Justin Lippert from the Zwift Triathlon Academy Team,
who we've been following since we went down
to specialized headquarters and met all of them,
and he finished fourth overall, winning his age group,
qualifying for Kona.
Congratulations to Justin, which gives us a very nice segue
into saying that just a couple of weeks ago
we published a podcast with Justin Lippert,
and if you want to hear about how he has been winning
at Sprint Olympic half Ironman and now doing well
in full Ironman, all while training kind of the same way
and as he puts it, if you're fit, you're fit,
go listen to that podcast.
Also, if you're interested in hearing
how Challenge Roth went,
just the other day we published the Challenge Roth podcast,
the race recap that I did discussing everything
from my nutrition, to my pacing strategy, to the gear I use,
to what I ate on race day or the days leading up to it,
how I trained leading up to that.
All of that is everywhere that you can get your podcasts.
Also, finally, on the podcast front later this week
we are talking with 2012 Ironman World Champion Pete Jacobs
about his really interesting journey having won
the Ironman World Championship and then kind of
being unhealthy, unfit, over trained,
really not healthy hormonally.
Now he's come back into triathlon, is winning races,
and he's doing it while eating a carnivore diet.
So that is going to be tremendously interesting.
Go check that out.
The Triathlon Taren Podcast is the still most highly rated
triathlon podcast in the world on iTunes thanks to great,
interesting stories like that.
Now let's get into the Trainiacs story of the week.
It's a really good one, I like this one.
And it goes, "My name is Matt Schorer.
"A year ago I was a 42 year old, 350 pound truck driver
"who could not do much of anything without breathing hard.
"Although I was big my whole life, I knew that it was time
"to make a change.
"I answered an add on Facebook for a six week challenge
"at a local gym and that is the day
"that my life changed forever.
"I went to the gym's Crossfit classes almost every day
"of the week and followed a strict diet.
"Three weeks in, I was down 35 pounds.
"It was working and I was hooked on the progress.
"About three months before this,
"I had bought a cheap mountain bike and indoor trainer
"and planned on riding inside to lose weight.
"I rode maybe just 15 minutes and then proceeded
"to use it as a clothes rack.
"I was embarrassed to ride outside and thought people
"would look at me and laugh.
"On week five into the gym program I took that mountain bike
"and traded it in for a brand new Trek Domane S.
"My first ride outside was just five miles,
"but I was hooked again.
"I finished my six week challenge and googled triathlons.
"I always thought they were for elite athletes
"with amazing endurance.
"But then I started watching all the stories
"from people like me, like Marcus Cook's story
"of major weight loss through triathlon,
"and those stories brought me to tears.
"I have a swim background from when I was very young,
"so I started riding my bike for 13 miles to the gym,
"but I couldn't run for more than 30 seconds
"without really bad shin splints and being completely
"out of breath.
"The day of the triathlon I was nervous, a little emotional,
"and still 310 pounds.
"I went into that race without any swim practice at all.
"I don't suggest this.
"And the gun went off and I swam 25 yards
"of the prettiest freestyle stroke you can imagine.
"Then, it was doggy paddle and breaststroke the rest
"of the way.
"I got run over by the ladies, but I finished the swim,
"got on my bike and I thought this will be easy.
"Wrong.
"I underestimated the hills and I finished in about an hour
"on the bike and then came flying into transition
"and out for the run.
"But I couldn't run.
"My legs were not working so I walked and ran some.
"Finally, after being pushed by some amazing people
"out on the course, the finish line was in sight.
"My chin raised up, my chest pushed out.
"I was feeling like a pro and I saw my awesome wife
"of 17 years, my daughter, and my sons cheering me on.
"Tears in my wife's eyes made my day.
"It still brings tears to my eyes
"and I finished in two hours and eight minutes.
"I was obese, addicted to food, and very depressed.
"Losing weight and getting healthy
"has completely changed my life.
"I was in some very dark places
"and triathlon training has brought me out
"of the doom and gloom.
"I hope to make it to Kona someday
"but more importantly, I hope someone sees this story
"and knows it is never too late.
"And quick update: I took first in my division
"at my first Olympic Triathlon on Saturday."
I think that that is a great story, Matt,
and you couldn't have said it better.
It's never too late no matter how upset with your life
or overweight or sick or injured or not feeling
like you are a pro triathlete.
You can do something in triathlon as a fantastic way
to feel very good about yourself just like Matt.
Thanks for sending that in.
Now, if anyone else wants to get their story shared
here on Triathlon News Day,
please email it in at taren@triathlontaren.com.
Be sure to include some race photos and inspire
some other people to go on their triathlon journey.
And, if you aren't already subscribed,
hit that subscribe button below.
Later, trainiacs.
I don't like that camera there in that train, yeah.
That one.
Not a good camera right there.