Interview
with Pro Triathlete Barrett Brandon.
I grew up as a competitve swimmer
with an eye on the Olympics...that was always the goal. I swam through high school and went to the
University of Nebraska to swim for the Huskers.
After the team was cut due to title 9 and budget issues, I decided to
move into triathlons. I had some mild
successes at first, but my big breakthrough came in 2004 when I won the
Collegiate National Triathlon Championships.
Since then I have focused on ITU/Olympic (draft-legal) format of
triathlon. I have been fortunate enough
to see the world while racing....to date I have raced in 24 countries on 5
continents.
The London Olympic Team for the USA has just been
selected (ed. The complete US Olympic Team was finalized after San Diego World
Triathlon Series event held on May 14th)?
Qualification
through the ITU system is incredibly complex.
It involves chasing points at races of varying levels and point
structures to keep your rankings as high as possible. I spent the last 4 years
trying to get my ranking as high as possible so I could be eligible for the
Olympic Trials race in San Diego. To
keep a long and convuluted story short, I came within 2 places of making it to the
start line in San Diego. We received 7
start spots for the race, and I was ranked 9th.
Triathlon is unique in that only 7 people raced for 2 Olympic spots. It is probably one of the highest odds of an
Olympic Trials in any sport in terms of making an Olympic Team.
What is next for you?
I will continue to race triathlons,
but will perhaps change my focus a bit.
I have spent the last 3 years with an extremely narrow focus chasing
Olympic Points....now I can choose to do some different and exciting
races. It will be a new challenge, but
something I am excited about. I may
continue to race ITU/Olympic Style heading into Rio in 2016, but for now will
have fun and race hard!
How have your results been this year?
The first
part of the year was all Olympic qualifying races. I was 20th at the Pan-American Triathlon
Championships in Argentina. I also plaed
5th and 6th in the Piedra Roja and Valaraiso ITU Pan American Cup Triathlons in
Chile.
Recently I
just won the Kemah Triathlon outside of Houston, Texas. This was 2nd professional win, so I was
pretty happy to do it in a more typical non-drafting Olympic distance
format. Up next is the 5150 Triathlon in
Kansas City
What is one tip you would give to amateurs?
Don't use
new equipment on race day! This goes
from race wheels, to saddles, to nutrition....If you haven't used it during
training, dont use it during the race.
Now this doesn't mean you have to always use the same equipment in
training, but just make sure it is tested and works for you.
I have seen
so many people wander through an expo the day before the race and buy new race
shoes, get a new bike fit, put on new aerobars, or something else similar only
to see their races ruined the next day by this change in equipment. Keep it simple, and stick to what works!!
I heard in 2008 you did 24 races. Can you give us a list.
Yes, I was
living in France at the time, trying to earn ITU points.
St.
Patty's Day Triathlon-Texas
ITU Mazatlan Pan American Championships-Mexico
ITU Tongyeong World Cup-Tongyeong, South Korea
Wildflower Half Ironman-California
Mimizan International Triathlon-France
Charleville French Grand Prix-France
ITU Yicheng Continental Cup-China
Jard sur Mar Sprint-France
Sables d'Olonne Sprint-France
St Calais Sprint-France
St Jean de Mont Duathlon-France
World University Games Triathlon-Erdek, Turkey
Echternach International Triathlon-Luxembourg
ITU World Cup Kitzbuhel-Austria
Les Setton French Grand Prix-France
Jard Sur Mer Aquathlon-France
London Triathlon-England
Strathclyde Super Sprint Eliminator-Scotland
Les Betton French Grand Prix-France
ITU Portland Pan American Cup-Oregon
ITU Wuhan Continental Cup-China
Scott Tinley's Dirty Adventures-California
Incheon Triathlon-South Korea
ITU San Francisco at Treasure Island
ITU Mazatlan Pan American Championships-Mexico
ITU Tongyeong World Cup-Tongyeong, South Korea
Wildflower Half Ironman-California
Mimizan International Triathlon-France
Charleville French Grand Prix-France
ITU Yicheng Continental Cup-China
Jard sur Mar Sprint-France
Sables d'Olonne Sprint-France
St Calais Sprint-France
St Jean de Mont Duathlon-France
World University Games Triathlon-Erdek, Turkey
Echternach International Triathlon-Luxembourg
ITU World Cup Kitzbuhel-Austria
Les Setton French Grand Prix-France
Jard Sur Mer Aquathlon-France
London Triathlon-England
Strathclyde Super Sprint Eliminator-Scotland
Les Betton French Grand Prix-France
ITU Portland Pan American Cup-Oregon
ITU Wuhan Continental Cup-China
Scott Tinley's Dirty Adventures-California
Incheon Triathlon-South Korea
ITU San Francisco at Treasure Island
Where can people read about your
adventures in Triathlon?
They can go to just follow your feet
on the internet. or barrettbrandonblogspot.com
This interview was done by William
Ironox Pruett for Endurance Racing Report.com
You can go to Coriovelo.com to learn
more about triathlon and triathlon coaching.
