How do you feel about 'not being a Kona contender because you haven't raced in the heat'?

Matt, thanks for doing a Q&A! What do you think led to you have a run time that was about 10 min faster than the next closest pro run split? Did you not overbike? It seemed like there were certainly others in the field capable of a sub 2:50 run, but you were the only one to execute.

---

Blog: http://262toboylstonstreet.blogspot.com/
https://twitter.com/NateThomasTri
Coaching: https://bybtricoaching.com/ - accepting athletes for 2023

Congrats on the win and course record in a deep field Matt!

I stumbled on a nice shot of your race day rig by Philip Shama at https://www.facebook.com/...025253636&type=1

Are you running a GT3 front wheel and why did you choose a tri spoke over a spoked race wheel? It obviously works for you but it's not something you see every day in triathlon.

Flat kit anywhere on the bike or no?

---

-------------------
Madison photographer Timothy Hughes | Instagram

Matt, I'm the only triathlete in my family but watching you win IM Texas on the live feed became something that the whole family enjoyed. My wife, my son and I were glued to the computer trying to see if you would break the course record. We were blown away by how dominating your win was and under such harsh conditions. You really fought hard for that win and it was inspiring.

Thank you for being yet one more example to my family of why I think triathlon is so cool and so worthwhile. Sometimes they just think I'm crazy but when they see races like yours they get a glimpse of the excitement that comes when one crosses that finish line wether in first place like you or waaaayyyy back like me. Well done and congrats on earning your ticket to Kona.

---

------------------
http://dontletitdefeatyou.blogspot.com

Matt, since you are from the mid west and it hasn't warmed up until recently, what was your training like leading up to the race? Did you do any heat acclimation training or did you try to get as fit as possible? do you just race well in hot conditions?
Congrats on the win. Exciting to watch

Matt,
Congrats. Do superstars (like you) get sore post race?
Thanks
Steve (yup, us AG'rs get SORE!).

Hahaha, well played, Francois. David told me you were a bit of a comedian!

---

---
http://www.matthansontri.com
http://www.matthansonracing.com

Careful pacing on the bike is very key. Timing the "matches" that you use and trying to produce as consistent power throughout entire bike is important as well. Also, your nutrition plan on the bike is what fuels the run. I am able to push much, much higher calories/hour in on the bike than I can during the run (most people can) so I take advantage and down as many calories as possible. The metabolic cost of running just a little bit faster is much greater than many people realize.

---

---
http://www.matthansontri.com
http://www.matthansonracing.com

Thanks for the pic. I ran into Shama post race and he said he had a few good pics from the bike.

Yes, I run the GT3 up front. I am certainly no expert in this area and rely heavily on my coach and a few other trusted sources for wheel choice. But according to every set of numbers I've seen, the GT3 performs better at low yaw. The Texas course typically has either a head or a tail wind. For Kona, it is quite possible that I run the Hed 90 front. The typical wheel is going to be good in ALL conditions. The trispoke is best in a few conditions and many just don't want to invest in an additional wheel.

I am running tubies right now, and I put Flat Attack sealant in them prior to the race. I don't carry a spare tire along on the frame. If I do flat, I have 3 CO2 cartriges on the bike. It takes me seconds to inflate the tire, and hopefully the sealant will do its job. If not, I'll ride until flat and fill again. Hopefully in that time I'll be able to flag down a moto for assistance.

---

---
http://www.matthansontri.com
http://www.matthansonracing.com

Thank you. I agree. I love the family side of triathlon. I was lucky enough to be able to give my sister her finisher medal after completing her first Ironman on Saturday. It was a pretty special moment that I'll not forget.

---

---
http://www.matthansontri.com
http://www.matthansonracing.com

Good question, glad you brought this up. I spent some time researching with my coach on best protocols for heat acclimation. We discussed sauna, hot bath, working out in the locker room at the college, etc. We decided to just focus on fitness instead. Being from Iowa, it was really difficult to get outside for rides until the end of April. Even when the weather was nice, I often opted for the treadmill or the trainer. One of those reasons was for heat acclimation (rarely use a fan for rides or runs under 2 hours). I also use the treadmill and indoor trainer so I can be very specific with all of my workouts. I am still working full time, so my schedule is very similar to that of an elite AG athlete. I do very few endurance paced workouts during a build. Every workout has a specific purpose and it is a lot easier to ensure that you are meeting that purpose when you don't have to worry about cars, stoplights, weather, etc. Don't get me wrong, I love training outdoors. But I find indoor work to be very efficient and useful for prepping for hot races as well.

---

---
http://www.matthansontri.com
http://www.matthansonracing.com

Great race report and thanks for sharing all the info!! How did you get interested in using on shoes? Do they work best for s certain type of runner ie over protonator etc

---

Follow me on Twitter @CK21TRHC
I use what I love: ISM, Blue70, Trek, FLO

Great race. One thing I learned from the report is that you were able to check your bike in on race morning. That seems unusual. Did they make an exception for y'all given the poor weather conditions the day before?

Nice report, excellent race- Congratulations!

What saddle do you ride on your QR?

---

Proud Representative of Slowtwitch Anti-Atheists Society.

Congrats on the race, loved that an American won the US championship as well!

Your run is great and your bike has improved a ton over the past few years. Since you do most of your training indoors and have a job, what kind of workouts do you tend to do? I figure you mix things up but do you tend to focus more on intensity or duration?

Ha! We are all athletes just like you and definitely still get sore! Especially after a long car ride home!

---

---
http://www.matthansontri.com
http://www.matthansonracing.com

I met Olivier with On when I was an AGer in Kona in 2013. I tried them on and remembered thinking they were extremely comfortable, but was "stuck in my ways" in terms of running shoes. After IMTX in 2014, I started talking with Olivier about possibly working together. He sent me a few pairs of shoes to demo and I'm completely hooked. Very light and comfortable. Saturday was my first marathon in the Cloud Racer and my feet felt great when I woke up Sunday morning (unlike the rest of my body). I am very picky in what I will use for running (and what I won't use!) and On met all of my requirements. Not to mention that everyone I have worked with at On has been extremely helpful.

---

---
http://www.matthansontri.com
http://www.matthansonracing.com

Most Ironman races allow the pros to check in their bikes on race morning.

---

---
http://www.matthansontri.com
http://www.matthansonracing.com

I ride the Cobb JOF 55

---

---
http://www.matthansontri.com
http://www.matthansonracing.com

I do whatever my coach tells me to :)! We did an intensity focused build. In fact, In the 12 weeks leading up to IMTX, I spent more time training in zone 3 (tempo) than zone 2 (endurance) in both the bike and the run. I typically swim 6 times per week, but accumulate only about 5 hours total in the water each week. Bike and run varies significantly, but I would say I average about 7-8 hours on the bike each week and run 4-5 hours each week. During the summer (when the semester ends), these numbers will all increase significantly and I'll spend more time in the aerobic zones I would guess.

---

---
http://www.matthansontri.com
http://www.matthansonracing.com

Matt - IIRC, you were part of the pro swim camp Tim put on this past Jan at The Woodlands, correct??? How did that camp work out for you and how much did you improve in the 30 days or so??? Bet you liked having John Kenney and Balazs there to push you in the workouts!!! From what I've read/heard, John K. is just a motor in the water:)

And of course, congrats on your great race!!!

---

"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."

Matt, big congrats. Feel free answering some of the questions below or ignore (some pros may choose to keep this somewhat confidential)

• Height
• Weight
• Age
• Percent body fat
• IM Texas Bike Normalized Power
• FTP or IF (I guess we can derive on from the other)
• Current 10K speed
• Current 400m swim time
• average run mileage week last 6 months
• biggest run mileage week
• sport background
• next race before Kona

Sorry, you said "ask away" hopefully that's not too much :-)

Sports Background - He's a wrestler! Minnesota grown and now an Iowa boy...its in the veins and would guess it plays a big role in his mental toughness, heat training, etc.

---

---
http://www.matthansontri.com
http://www.matthansonracing.com