January typically marks the time of year when many decide to compete in a local triathlon event – making swimming, biking and running a part of their daily routine.
For some, it’s a time to return to a training program aimed towards competing in an Olympic Distance, half-Ironman, or Ironman race later in the year. For others, it’s a chance to challenge themselves – as a beginner – in the uncharted territory of swim-bike-run.
For local triathlete Michael Traub, it’s the perfect opportunity to dust the cobwebs off his racing bike and get back into the swing of things.
Sunday’s fifth annual Wintertime Super Sprint mrked the first triathlon of the year and featured a 200-yard swim, 6-mile hilly bike course, and a 1.5-mile run on Alii Drive.
Traub once again showed up ready to go, ready to toe the line alongside some of our island’s best, and he did what he always does right before a race – smile.
“I’m just happy for it to start, I really don’t feel any anxiety or anything,” said the 63-year old Kailua Kona resident. “Especially during this time of year when it’s pretty cool, water is cool, and you have your shirt off. It’s too short of a race to wear a wetsuit so I just like to get going.”
Traub, who is an avid runner and triathlete, has been competing in the monthly Team Mango and Peaman Biathlon races over the last 20 years. However, what motivates him to compete is the very essence of what these races are about: local grass-roots community events that benefit everyone no matter what age or fitness level.
“It’s an opportunity to practice triathlons with transitions and to put it all together,” Traub said. “It’s low cost and it goes to a good cause. I like supporting Gecko. He’s been doing it for a long time, and also did it for free for a long time until he had to start charging an entry fee a few years ago.”
Traub added that he is also a member of the Coffee Talk Riders (a social cycling group), and joining them every Saturday morning for a fun ride out to West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery has it’s benefits.
“The entry fee (to all Team Mango events) is nominal if you are a member of the Coffee Talk Riders,” he said. “It’s nice because you get a huge discount, like fifty-percent, and membership for the CTR doesn’t cost anything. So as long as you show up three times per year and ride with them, you are a member.”
Aside from training and racing, Traub wears a different hat throughout the week as the medical director of his Naturopathic practice, Lokahi Health Center. Traub has been practicing naturopathic medicine in Kona for the last 36 years and is highly respected as one of the top naturopathic physicians in the country.
As a lifelong and competitive athlete, Traub also specializes in Sport and Exercise Medicine and has helped many local and professional triathletes optimize their performance and health through nutritional assessment and dietary counseling, stress management, immune enhancement, therapeutic exercises and sports psychology.
But when asked if he felt advantageous to being both an athlete and someone who understands the physiological and psychological aspects of training and racing, Traub admitted that he sometimes takes it for granted.
“Maybe because I have more of an understanding of physiology than other people, but I don’t really think about it as much, I think I may take it for granted,” he said. “I pretty much have the same thing for breakfast everyday regardless of whether I’m doing a race or not – a cup of coffee and three Aussie bites.”
Sunday’s spectacular vog-free sunrise over Hualalai combined with tranquil and crystal clear waters of Kailua Bay made for near-perfect conditions for the first triathlon of the year.
Jeremy Howard and Linda Larsen took top honors in the mens and womens division, finishing the short 200-yard swim, 6-mile bike, and 1.5-mile run in 30 minutes and 36 seconds and 40:36 respectively.
Team Ankrum made up of son and father duo, Aiden (swim) and Adam (bike/run), topped the relay division with their combined time of 38:05.
Traub finished 13th overall with his time of 47:57, but not without having a small competition of his own.
Traub said that while he considers himself a competitive person – maybe not so much as to wanting to win or to beat someone – but mainly with himself, he immediately found himself in a race with two Ironman World Championship veterans, John Miller and Peter Bresciani.
Bresciani (5:09) was ahead of both Traub (5:30) and Miller (6:20) coming out of the 200-yard swim and maintained his lead halfway through the 6-mile hilly bike course. Miller then powered his way ahead of Bresciani on the bike before heading into T2, the bike to run transition.
While out on the 1.5-mile sprint on Alii Drive, Miller kept his pace and finished ahead of both in a time of 45:51, good for 11th place overall. Meanwhile, the race for 12th place turned out to be a close one between Bresciani and Traub.
“I thought I could run down Peter but he actually ran pretty fast this morning,” laughed Traub. “So when Peter left T2 just a few seconds before me I thought ‘Oh, I’ll get him,’ but he ran pretty hard and I wasn’t able to catch him.”
Bresciani sprinted through the finish line in 47:21, with Traub close behind, just 36-seconds back.
With the first triathlon of the year complete, Traub feels that Team Mango Races and Peaman Biathlon events are a great way for beginners to get started into the sport.
“I think doing the Mangos and Peamans are a great way to not let the training get too demanding and both are very doable events. It also adds to the social context of triathlon, which is a very important thing for most people. I think that it also helps to sustain one’s interest in the sport when you develop friendships with other athletes. But most importantly, it’s fun.”
Coming Up
Sunday: Frozen Pea Productions presents Peaman Splish-Splash and Superbowl Shuffle Biathlon at Kaiakeakua Beach. Start time is 8:08 a.m. for the free half mile swim and 3.1-mile run. A LavaKids Pea Wee course of a 200-yard swim and 1-mile run is available for everyone. For more information contact Peaman at 938-2296.
