Thys Wind on the spot
Raleigh, NC resident Thys Wind was the fastest age grouper at Ironman 70.3 Raleigh and is regionally a contender for overall titles. We bumped into him at the Lake Mayo Sprint triathlon – a race where he came away with a big W.
Slowtwitch: Thanks for the chat Thys.
Thys Wind: My pleasure! I appreciate the opportunity.
ST: Is your name is Dutch?
Thys: That’s correct. I moved here with my family back in 1987, and in 2009 before my son was born I decided to become a dual citizen. I’m proud of my heritage, but I enjoy the good American life!
ST: Last weekend you grabbed an overall win, but based on your bib number it would appear that it was a late decision to race there.
Thys: Yes, I signed up a few days before the race, but I had it in mind to sign up for the Mayo Lake Sprint, produced by the great guys at Finish Strong, several weeks before. I needed to see if my schedule would allow for it, plus I’ve had some pretty heavy training weeks as of late and I wasn’t sure if I’d be up for it. Sprints, as you know, are especially painful if you’ve been training for distance. I was hoping a good showing would re-energize me a bit for the final few weeks of training ahead, plus it’s always a great way to test your fitness levels. I was pleased with the win. Even smaller races in North Carolina bring out fast athletes, so you just never know what the outcome will be.
ST: Was there anyone at that race that had you especially worried?
Thys: You never know who shows up and takes you by surprise. I had never raced against Robert VanGraafeiland before, so I knew I’d be chasing him starting with the swim, his best discipline. Somehow I got it done and I really enjoyed chatting with him post-race.
ST: You actually were on the same rack where I was but I and a couple other folks had arrived earlier, and that meant a less favorable transition spot for you. Did that bother you knowing that you were likely one of the favorites?
Thys: Not at all. As long as I can remember where I placed my bike, it doesn’t matter much to me where I’m set up. Being at the end of a TA rack is always nice though, and can be helpful even if it just gives you that small psychological boost.
ST: Is it not worth a couple seconds to be closer to the edge?
Thys: Yes, good point. Sprint races often do come down to the wire. In fact I finished second in a race a few years ago by literally a fraction of a second. That was a tough pill to swallow and it was a good reminder to always have a sense of urgency while racing, no matter the distance.
ST: Do you in general get influenced or impacted by stuff like this?
Thys: I try to be very calm pre-race and not get worked up about the things I can’t control. Things like weather, poor swimming conditions, and unfavorable racing conditions in general are all part of racing. I just remind myself that all of the athletes that are participating are dealt the same card, so it’s a level playing field. I’ve enjoyed this sport long enough to experience pretty much everything that could be considered challenging, so I use that to my advantage when things don’t go exactly as planned or as I might like.
ST: Are you aware that quite a few folks asked about you (well, the dude in the background in the grey kit), when I posted a pic of my bike?
Thys: I saw the photo on your Twitter feed. Funny stuff! Your Cervelo P5 photographs a lot nicer than my sweaty belly.
ST: Some folks on Facebook, Twitter and our forum clearly disagreed, but let us go back to racing stuff. Your biggest race this season was likely Raleigh 70.3 and you were the top age grouper. Were you confident going in?
Thys: Despite some IT-band issues, my training leading up to Raleigh 70.3 went very well. I was confident that I had a good race in me, but I also knew that the heat and humidity could present a real challenge. I typically race better in cool conditions. My plan was to be conservatively aggressive, if that makes any sense, and I knew if I could keep from melting on the course that I could have a good result. As always, I just wanted my performance on race day to be a good reflection of the hard work that had I put into my training.
ST: How much of an advantage was it for you to be familiar with the course?
Thys: There’s no doubt that it was an advantage. I’ve participated in lots of local races that utilize the same roads as the Raleigh 70.3 bike course. While I never had a chance to ride the point-to-point bike course, I did drive it several weeks prior to race day – which was very helpful. The run course is very familiar to me, especially the super hilly museum section. I was a bit surprised that we had to do the loop 2 times (mile 5-7). Ask any finisher and they would probably tell you that that was one of the hardest part of the entire race course.
ST: Talk about your race?
Thys: All in all, things just really clicked for me. As planned, I swam aggressively, feeling confident that it wouldn’t hurt my performance on the bike or run. The swim was barely wetsuit legal, so that helped get me a good swim split and conserve some energy. Interestingly enough, I never found the bike course to be as challenging as I anticipated. I focused on keeping a steady effort and focusing on hydration and staying cool. I never allowed myself to peak at my overall bike split until I neared T2, and when I saw that the split was 2:15 I knew I was having a pretty good day. The run was a bit of an adventure. I had a great first 5 miles, despite being mostly uphill. The museum loop, however, required a pit stop in a port-o-john, which was a calculated risk. I knew I’d lose some time, but feeling better could mean a strong finish. Sure enough, I had a great last 6 miles and ran a respectable 1:31 half marathon. But it wasn’t until I arrived at the top of Fayetteville St in downtown Raleigh for the long straightaway to the finish, that I realized that it had been an especially good race for me. I finished 12th overall and 1st amateur – which was a real thrill especially considering my wife and son, my parents, and a big group of good friends had come out to cheer for me.
ST: How did you celebrate that fine effort?
Thys: I took a full week off, which was definitely in order. Sitting still is hard for me, but it can be a real treat when you know your body needs it.
ST: Did you grab a spot for Vegas?
Thys: Yes, I’ll be heading there in a few weeks. I participated in Ironman 70.3 Worlds back in 2011 and learned a lot. Vegas is a pretty extreme place to race, but it is so beautiful. The bike course is very hilly and exposed, and the run is by no means flat. Plus the heat plays a big role. I am excited to have an opportunity to capitalize on lessons learned and see if I can improve on my 2011 race.
ST: What do you think is realistic there?
Thys: I’ve been focusing a lot more on getting outside in the brutal North Carolina summer heat and humidity for my long sessions. I’ve also made some adjustments on my nutritional plan. Plus my IT band is finally feeling better. So, realistically, I see no reason why I can’t race faster than I did in 2011. Again, I will focus on simply racing to the best of my ability and we’ll see what that means in terms of how I place in my age group. It’s such a great atmosphere, and I feel blessed to have a chance to go back there to test myself.
ST: Will that be the end of the season?
Thys: Yes. I owe it to myself and my family to shift my priorities a bit after Worlds. I have a hard time sitting still and not training for something, but I certainly intend on taking it easy for a few months. I have lots of other interests (and projects around the house) that need my attention, but more importantly I want to open up my schedule to spend more time with my family.
ST: I am sure the family will appreciate it. Do you have any plans already in mind or is this off-season mostly about not planning?
Thys: We’re likely moving to another house here in Raleigh, so that will surely keep me occupied for a few months. I do plan to sign up for the Boston Marathon and start training for that near the end of the year. I’m sure it will an amazing event to be a part of, considering the tragedy that unfolded there this year.
ST: We hear you there. On a slightly different note, you are involved in the Ramblin’ Rose women's triathlon series. Can you tell us more what you do and how you got involved?
Thys: I’ve been working for Endurance Magazine since 2007. My title is Director of Events and I’m responsible for ensuring that all of our event logistics go as planned. We produce 6 Ramblin’ Rose Women’s Triathlons across the Carolinas and they are amazing events to be a part of. They are beginner-oriented and family friendly events that draw a huge contingent of newcomers to the sport of triathlon.
ST: Is there anything else we should know?
Thys: None of my accomplishments in triathlon would be possible without the amazing support that I receive from my wife. The rest of my family is also super supportive, especially my parents who travel from Florida to be on the sidelines at every single one of my big races. Also, it should be noted that not a single day goes by that I don’t indulge in a tasty microbrew. If you want to follow me on Twitter, check me out @thyswind. I already have 73 followers, but I can make room for more.
ST: It would appear that you indeed have room for more. Good luck in Vegas.
Thys: Thanks so much! I’ll always take every bit of luck I can get, especially when I’m going to Vegas.
