I have zero doubt there is more money in being a pro Memer compared to a pro triathlete. I might consider a career change.
I'll still post a full on race report on our website in the next few weeks but I'll give an overview here and field any additional questions.
I'll start off by saying that for the last month and a half, Summer and I have been trying a full on plant-based diet. Yes, this was entirely inspired by Gamechangers. We decided to give it a go at least through this race and re-evaluate after. After some initial problems with me getting wayyy too much fiber, we figured it out and stayed true for the whole time. Lots of potatoes and veggie burgers (both soy and veggie based). I'm not going to say I felt completely different, but I had some really great workouts and definitely didn't feel worse. We were already eating fairly healthy to begin with though. I was already off dairy because that had started to react poorly with me so the transition wasn't too bad, even as someone who loves Wendy's and bacon for breakfast.
The swim was a bit dissapointing to me, I'm better than a MOP swimmer and should have at least been in the 24's. Not exactly sure why I was so far back. No problems with the cold, though I did have some poor sighting. I was in a Desoto t1 wetsuit for the first time which felt fantastic. My core was legitimately toasty by the last quarter of the swim. Big fan of that.
My t1 sucks. Definite area for improvement. I think I would have benefitted from a longer transition, and just fumbled a bit with the cold hands. I don't flying mount still but I promise I'm not losing time to 95% of the pros that are. The amount of time guys spend coasting trying to get into their shoes more than negates their "fast t1". Still though, I do need to shore that up now that my bike is getting stronger and I can actually ride in packs.
I've never really raced on the bike before, and at first thought this wasn't going to be all that different. Biking is still pretty new to me and my power is improving fast but I'm not at the level of alot of these guys. I found Curtis Feltner early and he stuck with me as we started to move up. Saw Joe Gambles on the side of the road pretty early which was unfortunate. My first 1:05 was 310w average. I was working hard but I could tell we were gaining on the packs. We caught a group of 4 about 20 miles in that we coulnd't quite drop. Another 20 miles later we caught a group of 3 that stuck. We picked up a few more stragglers before the finish. At that point I could tell that there wasn't going to be much value in trying to put time on the big group now. It kind of blew my mind how much easier it was to ride in a paceline. My last hour was 278w average. Sure, I could have kept on the gas and maybe put 20 seconds on the pack but the effort was just not going to be worth it. I had already done more than my share of time on the front so I wasn't feeling exceptionally generous at the end there. We rolled into T2 in a big group. The Omni felt incredible by the way. We also had the closed back scoops on, mounted just a few days before the race. That bike with those cups was the pinnacle of comfort for me, and it felt crazy fast. Although they were slightly different bike courses, I rode 2:14:00 on 279w NP last year, and 2:09:23 on 295w NP this year. I haven't done the BBS analysis yet but I'm pretty sure that means I was more aero in all the same kit except for the bike and wheels.
T2 is my kingdom. Not exactly sure why but I almost always have the fastest t2 in every race. This one was no exception. I came in to t2 in 12 and out in 7th.
7th didn't last for long though as within a mile Kevin Collington and Jason West absolutely blew by me while I was running 5:25/mi pace. I figured there was no way they could hold that so I let them go and they ended up settling into a pace together about 50m up the path from me. I hung there for 6-7 miles until they started to fade. Kevin first, then Jason a mile later. It's pretty worthless to base effort on pace on this course as it's nonstop up and down and twisty so I just ran hard and rarely glanced at my watch. Red Bull at every aid station. Jason tried to sit with me for a few steps when I caught him at mile 10ish but I could tell he was hurting and wouldn't stay for long. I could tell I was running fast but I had been looking at my watch so little that I honestly had no idea quite how fast I was running. It was all about taking the best line on the path, not rolling an ankle on the tight turns and dirt paths, and keeping my eyes up looking for the next pay bump. There were lots of helpful spectators out on the course giving time intel about where the other guys were. I gave an honest effort to catch 3rd but just ran out of real estate. Honestly, my running workouts have been decent, but there wasn't anything in there to indicate I was capable of this race. I do train at altitude so that's always a little bit of an unknown but still, this surprising for both me and my coach, but don't get me wrong, its not a fluke :P. Also Lionel did have a bathroom break or two so unfortunately not quite as close to him as the time would indicate. He gave me a nice little shout out on the podium for being in the Age Group race here last year and then on the pro podium this year.
$1250 is certainly nice as at this point I'm still going to races hoping for money, but not expecting it. We were going to this race whether or not either of us made money so we're not treating this as "covering expenses" even though it pretty much is. We drive to almost every race to save money. 11 hours each way for this one. For now, Summer and I both work part time, and she is a full-time student. We make enough to live comfortably in a low cost of living place and pay any expenses we have. The rest of our money pretty much goes to racing and gear. Summer is now coaching a handful of athletes which will be a constant, but small, source of income. I have no desire to coach others and I don't think I'd be a particularly good coach anyways. I love advising on technical aspects and I still want to get fit certified but as far as training goes, I'll leave that to those that have that passion. After Summer graduates in May, we're likely moving back home to Virginia where her parents have a spare apartment they've offered to us. We'd love to go to Boulder or CO Springs or some triathlon Mecca, however the only chance we'll have to give training and racing an honest, full-time effort, will be if we have a free place to live. At that point we'll probably be able to make just enough from prize money and contracts to pay for racing which will then hopefully build upon itself for future years, eventually allowing us to live where we want to and continue to invest more time and energy into racing. I've said it a number of times before, I want this to be a career. Despite all the warnings of how hard it is to make it as a pro, there are still a number of people out there who do. I've talked to a number of people who say we're about to hit a turning point in triathlon. Obviously I hope it turns in favor of the sport, participation, pro prize money, and opportunities. If it doesn't, we'll clearly have to reevaluate, but for now, we're all in.
I've earned $3000 this year in prize money, before taxes. It's not a lot, but that's $3000 more than I could have counted on 8 months ago, so I'm thrilled with it. The incoming check from Indian Wells meant we got to stay in a $100 hotel room in Phoenix on the way back from the race instead of sleeping in our car (only kind of kidding). In my race report thread almost exactly a year ago after I qualified as a pro, I got lots of well meaning advice on the side of think carefully before turning pro. I'm sure it was good to hear that caution, but I knew I had some potential. Triathlon is the first, of many sports I've done, that I've felt truly motivated to succeed in. Not exactly sure why, but it just works for me.
Next year will be another year of exclusively 70.3s. I feel no need, nor desire, to step up to 140.6 yet. If its a North American 70.3 with a pro field. We'll probably be there. Until someone starts paying for our travel, I don't see us getting out of the country much. With more experience, 50watts added to my FTP in the offseason, and continued improvement on the run, I like to think I'll make quite the statement.
So that ended up being real long, and if you made it to this point, feel free to ask me anything about the race, semi-pro life, or anything you see fit!
Benjamin Deal - Professional - Instagram - TriRig - Lodi Cyclery
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