The whole week prior to the race had been raining and windy.
On race morning, the UC Davis Sprint Triathlon was still on.
When Henry Szeto arrived, he wrapped his gear in a garbage bag to keep it dry.
Before he started, his two friends who had started the race in earlier waves had already quit.
Another competitor had to be taken away in an ambulance for hypothermia.
Though it was only Szeto’s second triathlon, he still decided at least to do the swim, the first leg of the race, which was in a heated pool. When he moved on to the biking leg, the freezing winds blew him sideways, and he almost lost control. According to Szeto, he got through the race by keeping his mind on warm places and the all-you-can-eat sushi waiting for him at the end of the race.
“I finished the race and felt more accomplished than ever,” he said. “From this point on, I knew that I wanted to compete in triathlons after high school.”
These days, the third-year physiological science student is president of the UCLA Triathlon Team and competes in collegiate-level triathlons as well as in outside races.
Having recently taken part in the Half Vineman Triathlon in Sonoma County ““ a race involving a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run ““ Szeto said that participating in triathlons is no spontaneous decision.
“It takes a lot of planning ahead. … You have to sign up like six months before and really think about the training that goes into it. You can’t just wing it,” he said.
While collegiate-level triathlons are termed “sprint distance” races and are hence typically shorter (the UCLA Triathlon consists of a 400-meter swim, 13.5-mile bike and 5-kilometer run), the typical workout schedule followed in preparation for such races is anything but relaxed.
“(To train) I do three practices of swim, three practices of bike and three practices of run per week. So nine things over the course of six days and then rest on the seventh day,” Szeto said.
In order to prepare for the transition that takes place when exercising different muscles for extended periods of time, triathletes cross-train between sports in practices called “bricks.” These fast-paced bike-to-run practices help one get used to the feeling of running straight after biking. While pre-event workouts are an obvious component of the triathlon process, even simple things such as timing one’s eating can affect performance the day of the race.
“It’s more than just competing. You have to think about the strategy as well, even in terms of things like nutrition,” Szeto said.
Szeto admitted that the last leg of the race can pose the biggest challenge.
“The races can get pretty spread out. If you’re out there by yourself, you can’t really see how far the guy in front of you is,” Szeto said.
“Or if you see someone behind you, then it’s basically like he’s chasing you. So it’s mentally tiring and physically difficult because it’s the last thing,” he added.
Szeto said he might consider eventually trying the Ironman Triathlon, for many triathletes the ultimate test of endurance. The race involves a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and a marathon (26.2 miles) run.
“For now I want to focus on school, but when I’m not in college, I for sure want to try it,” Szeto said.