Trakking Michael Lovato

January 31, 2011

Michael Lovato closed out 2010 with a second place at Ironman Cozumel and the Richie Cunningham wedding on New Year's Eve. We had a few words with the late migrating Pro about 2011 expectations and changes after tracking him down in Boulder, Colorado.

Slowtwitch: Having fun with cold weather training right now?

Michael: I’m not going to use the word fun when describing how I feel about cold weather. I will, however, say that I am doing OK with winter so far this year. We had a really nice December in Boulder, and January has only delivered two snowstorms so far. We have been really fortunate with our moderate temperatures, and Boulder has been showing off its remarkable ability to thaw. Even after a substantial accumulation of snow, we were all back out riding dry roads within a day or two. Well, some of us were on the trainer, but we tough ones bundled up and ventured out. (I find that positive self-talk helps me handle the elements.) The thing that makes it tough to handle the cold weather is when I read on Twitter about the all-day rides in 70+ degrees from our friends in Arizona and Australia. Soon enough Amanda and I will migrate to Austin, and we’ll be amongst the warm-weather-flaunters.

ST: Any reason why you two are not moving to the warmer Austin sooner? Or is this year an exception?

Michael: The past couple years we've gone down to Austin the first week of January. Normally we are itching to get out of Boulder, due to the rough winters we've seen recently. But this year started out very differently. December was amazing, and we got zero snow. We were enjoying being in our house, and had gotten into a nice routine that we weren't ready to leave. An additional factor in why we chose to stick around longer is that our season ended so much later last year. By the time we got finished with all the race travel, it was the beginning of December, and we weren't prepared to pack up and leave right away. And suddenly it's February and we're still finalizing our plans to head south. We have a bit of travel this month – including a trip to Costa Rica for our Trakkers Team Camp and the REV3 triathlon – so our new departure date is late February. I definitely will be in Austin for the eight or ten weeks leading into Ironman Texas. I need that spark that comes from sea level, as well as the warm weather acclimation that comes with it!

ST: You closed out 2010 on a fine note with the runner-up spot in Cozumel. Are you still flying high from that result?

Michael: I would not say that I’m flying high, but I am pleased that I chose to race Cozumel. After a disappointing Kona, I really need to get to an Ironman and compete. And down in Mexico we were able to have a really great battle. There were some strong athletes racing, and to be in there fighting it out was a very satisfying way to cap out the year. Plus, spending post-race time with a margarita in hand is probably one of the finest ways to finish a season. Another benefit was that it was such a late race, that it didn’t give me nearly as much time to get out of shape as I usually have. Typically this time of year I struggle to train with Amanda, but this year I’m able to keep up with her, which is nice.

ST: What are your thoughts when looking back at your 2010 season?

Michael: 2010 was a unique year for me. It was the first time in my professional career that I faced an injury. Due to some weird bike shoe/ cleat issues, I jacked myself up around the 1st of April. It prevented me from racing IM St. George, and it set me back quite a bit with regard to the preparation for my other key races. I was definitely able to rebound and to get fit for some solid racing, but it seemed to take me all the way to November to really ramp it up. So I have to say that while I was somewhat content, I was nowhere near satisfied with my season. The good news is that now it’s 2011, and I’m well positioned to have a great year of racing.

ST: You have also been busy with race event stuff, will that continue this year?

Michael: My involvement with the events over the years has been a lot of fun. I really enjoyed working with Graham Fraser, Paula, Heather, and the whole NA Sports crew. I love those guys. That work got me involved with some fun projects with Ironman and later with Revolution3. I will definitely take some of that experience—and my enjoyment of performing those tasks—as far as I can. This year I plan to be on the ground providing commentary and other promotional energy to the REV3 Series. I’ll also be on-hand at some WTC events, working with their Ironmanlive crew. On top of that, I may even branch out to other events, in an effort to offer more value to my team and to my sponsors. I love this sport, and I love being involved at many different levels.

ST: Which races are on your schedule?

Michael: My plan for 2011 is to race a couple 70.3’s in the early season, most likely San Juan or Oceanside and St. Croix. Then I’ll race Ironman Texas. I love the idea of racing a world-class field in the heat and humidity of Texas, where I got my start in this sport. It won’t be a truly home course for me, but it won’t be too far off. After that I’ll be racing Portland REV3, Steelhead 70.3, and probably an event in September. The late season centers on my return to Kona, and possibly a visit back to Maui XTERRA. And how could I pass up the chance to go back to Cozumel? And just to keep things interesting, I’ll be present at pretty much all the REV3 events to support my wife, my team, and the best race series out there!

ST: Can we expect more Team Trek/K-Swiss smack talking from you and the other Team Trakkers folks?

Michael: We can’t very well ignore the hype and fun we were able to create last year, now, can we? I am pretty sure the smack talk will come back, and hopefully we can draw a few more of these teams into the mix. After all, I see that the new Belgian Uplace team has already tried to steal our team colors—GREEN—so that didn’t go unnoticed. All in all, it’s good for our sport. With the challenge we threw down at our Trakkers camp, we helped draw a good bit of attention to both teams, and all the sponsors. In the end, that’s our goal: to be more visible for our supporters.

ST: Who actually started that last year?

Michael: It was a classic case of trash talk: we were at our team social, and we were drinking beer. Someone mentioned the Trek/K-Swiss team, and I’m pretty sure the automatic response was that we could whip them in a challenge. Jack Murray of Jack and Adam’s and Charlie from Trakkers-REV3 probably had the loudest voices in that whole kerfuffle.

ST: At the recent Richie Cunningham wedding in Austin what was your role and how did it all go?

Michael: My role at Melissa’s and Richie’s wedding was pretty clear-cut: support the bride and groom, while having as much fun as possible. It went well. Those two make such a great couple, and it was really a pleasure to be there for them on their special day. Plus, it warmed my heart to see ole Sammy (the Shermingham dog) dressed to the nines. He may have even had some better dance moves than Richie!

ST: We were not aware that Richie has dancing talents?

Michael: What happened at the Shermingham wedding stays at the Shermingham wedding. Well, with the exception of some exclusive video footage I may have captured on my iPhone. Clips shared with the highest bidder. "He comes from the land down under!"

ST: New Years wedding seem to be very popular among Pro triathletes and you might be able to give us some insight why that is?

Michael: It’s no secret that triathletes tend to be pretty lame during the season. Staying up late is nearly impossible; dancing is hindered by our sore legs’ attachment to NormaTec boots; and drinking more than a glass of wine is a monumental task. While there are exceptions to the rule, most triathletes aren’t willing to gather and celebrate until the season is over, thus, the New Year’s wedding. Amanda and I were hitched on December 31 of 2004, and we could not be happier to share our anniversary with a few great triathlon friends.

ST: What is new in terms of sponsorships for you?

Michael: The more things change the more they stay the same. Usually. I am proud to say that most of my sponsors have been with me for many years, and while there are a couple major changes this year, I’m still proud to say that I have the best sponsors in the sport. Trakkers and REV3 have partnered up to title sponsor our team this year, and I’m very happy to have their support. Kestrel bicycles remain on board with Team Lovato, as well as Team Trakkers, as does one of my longest standing partners, First Endurance. New for 2011 is AVIA footwear. Their dedication and loyalty to the sport of triathlon is outstanding, and I’m honored to join a their distinguished list of athletes. TYR is another new partner for Team Lovato. We’re amped up to be racing in their cutting edge wetsuits and speedsuits. And although we’ve been informal supporters of theirs for years, Canari has signed on officially for 2011 as our custom apparel supplier. Fortunately, each of those sponsors is fully on board to support our Trakkers-REV3 racing team as well. And since you said, “new” sponsors, I’d be remiss if I did not mention my bits-saving sponsor, ISM, who agreed to support me for 2011—in more ways than one!

ST: You had been involved with Saucony for quite some time. How hard was it for you to move on?

Michael: This was a difficult change for me to go through, so thanks for bringing that up again, Herbert. I can best compare it to a break-up with a longtime girlfriend. There are plenty of fond memories, there is a lot of great history, but in the end, the change is a really good thing. When I signed with Saucony in 2004, they were firmly entrenched in the triathlon market. They had a long history with the sport, and they were one of the strongest footwear brands in the industry. But moving into 2011, it became clear that other companies were more heavily investing in triathlon than they. Saucony was losing ground, and the outward appearance was that they did not aim to change that direction. From what I can tell, they were pulling back a bit, and that seemed to be confirmed when they chose not to renew their partnership with Team Trakkers, or any of its individual athletes (myself included). We all felt a bit abandoned, but out of that situation came a really nice opportunity. Aligning with AVIA has been a great move. They are committed to the sport, have partnered with the Revolution 3 series, and they are genuinely excited to support me and the others on our team. Similar to when that girlfriend leaves you, a better, brighter future was waiting for us with AVIA.

ST: Is there anything else we should know?

Michael: Never invite me to extend the conversation, Herbert, as I could take you and the readers on a long-winded three-hour tour. (A three-hour tour.) I will close in saying thank you to the ST loyal for their support.

More about Michael Lovato can be found here: michaellovato.com