Tumble in Tucson

Hi there! A lot of good things have happened recently in the triathlon realm of my life recently. The happiest of which was signing with the Team Trakkers/Rev 3 Triathlon Team. This is a big step for me and one I think will really help my triathlon career continue to progress.. The team is comprised of some really solid pro triathletes including Michael Lovato, Brian Fleischmann, and Richie Cunningham. We have some awesome sponsors lined up including Trakkers GPS, Rev 3 Triathlon, Avia Shoes, First Endurance Nutrition, TYR Swimwear, Kestrel Bicycles, and Canari. Check out http://www.trakkersgps.com/ when you get a chance and you can get more of the “scoop” on the team and the Trakkers technology. I am really excited to work with these fine individuals and companies, use their products, race fast for them and represent them well.


Okay, onto the bad news. So, last Friday I was in Tucson for the Duathlon Nationals Championships, and was excited to be in good shape and ready to defend my title. I was literally two-blocks away from finishing my pre-course ride the day before the race, was about to go through a T-intersection, and that’s about the last thing I remember. I woke up on a stretcher, took a helicopter ride, and ended up in the Emergency Room with a fractured pelvis, pneumothorax (air that gets outside the lung but still inside the body, where it is not supposed to be), and a concussion.

Apparently a car was traveling in the opposite direction as me, did not see me, and going through the intersection, made a left turn into my line of travel. We were both traveling at low speed (~15mph), but it was enough to knock me unconscious, as from what I can ascertain, I went headfirst into the passenger side of the car. I was unconscious for a couple minutes, and when I came to, apparently said some things to my dad (who was on the scene quickly) that I have no recollection of!

I have a long road of recovery ahead of me. Your prayers are more than appreciated, and I would like to thank all of you that been praying for me. I am making a very speedy recovery, which I know is what most of you have been praying for!

USAT did publish a pre-race article, in which I was a contributor. It can be viewed here: http://www.usatriathlon.org/news/2011/04/29/elites-value-duathlon-community-give-advice/42074?ngb_id=12

Another pre-race article gave me a little press: http://www.usatriathlon.org/news/2011/04/26/stellar-field-headed-to-usa-triathlons-duathlon-nationals/42013

Other than that, I would like to give a shout out to my friend Matt Russell, who won the national championship in my stead!

Thanks for reading,

Matt Sheeks

Keeping up in Costa

Hey all! I just returned from Costa Rica, where I finished my first “Rev 3” series race and first race of the new year. Rev 3 specializes in family friendly triathlons, and also treat their professional racers really well. I was fortunate enough to have them put me up in a sweet location down there, and can really recommend the Guanacaste region in Costa Rica as a vacation spot if you are interested in a beach sort of vacation.

Sunday happened to be my first ocean water swim race and first Olympic Distance race as a pro. Conditions were pretty warm, if not downright hot. I learned at least two things from my race down in Costa: (1) I am not good at Olympic Distance, on account of the length of the swim. (2) I am not good at ocean water swims, yet. That said, I was really pleased with my bike leg (1:01 for 40k including a gigantic hill) and run (34:30 for 10k on a really hard course) in the race, and gives me confidence that I am getting back into shape. It also tells me that I have a lot of work to do on my swim before my next race.

On another note, I was really pleased with how my Kestrel Airfoil performed, and estimate it is about 1 mph faster in all conditions than any other bike I have ridden before. Now the rider just needs to get a bit faster! Seriously though, I can tell that the bike is really well engineered, with every measure made to make it more aerodynamic, light weight, and stiff (see pic). Now that’s a triple threat!

I would like to thank Krista from Rev 3 for her hard work helping all the pros out down in Costa. Things can get complicated pretty fast when you are racing in a foreign country. My next major race will be Duathlon Nationals on April 30th in Tucson. So look for it!

Sheeks signs with Team Trakkers!!!

Hey all and greetings from beautiful Woodinville, WA, where we haven’t seen dry pavement from over 100 days. I wanted to make a quick announcement that I have officially joined the Team Trakkers Elite Triathlon team! This is a big step for me and one I think will really help my triathlon career continue to progress.


The team is comprised of some really solid pro triathletes. You might recognize some big names like Michael and Amanda Lovato, Richie Cunningham, and Brian Fleischmann. Look them up; they have some awesome credentials and many of them have won multiple Ironmans and Half-Ironmans. We have some awesome sponsors lined up including Trakkers GPS, Rev 3 Triathlon, Avia Shoes, First Endurance Nutrition, TYR Swimwear, Kestrel Bicycles, and Canari. Check out http://www.trakkersgps.com/ when you get a chance and you can get more of the “scoop” on the team and the Trakkers technology. I am really excited to work with these fine individuals and companies, use their products, race fast for them and represent them well. I will be putting everything to the test as usual. After all, you know the Matt Sheeks’ motto: “If it ain’t broke, break it!”

I would like to give a quick shout out to some people that have really helped get such a long way in the sport in such short order. In particular, I would like to thank coach Ben Bigglestone. It is hard to say in what areas Ben has been instrumental because he has pretty much helped out with everything. Ben even helped make the connection that got my plugged in with Team Trakkers. I would also like to thank Rob Whitacre who was my triathlon manager in 2009, took care of all the details I suck at, and convinced me not to give up when the going wasn’t going so great. Thanks guys. Your support means a lot to me!
Training has been especially tough this year given the interesting winter here in the Northwest, but I am bound and determined to make it to the starting line for my first race February 20th at Rev 3 Costa Rica. It is a non-drafting, Olympic distance race that is part of the Rev 3 series. Also, you may have noticed some updates to my race schedule (see sidebar at www.mattsheekstriathlete.blogspot.com). I’ve decided to go ahead and re-route my 2011 plan to include more Rev 3 races; there are many good reasons to go the Rev 3 route, and believe this route will better suit where I am at in my career and will make more sense for my long-term development.

Fee free to drop me a line anytime at mattsheeks@gmail.com and happy training!

Matt

P.S. Here is a re-posted article announcing the team:

Press Release: 2011 Trakkers—Revolution3 Racing Team
(Boulder, CO) January 25, 2011 – The 2011 Trakkers-REV3 Racing Team returns with new athletes, new sponsors, and a new mission.

After a successful first season, Team Trakkers begins the New Year by revitalizing its relationship with the Revolution3 Triathlon Series, which now supports the team as its co-Title sponsor. Presenting sponsors include both Kestrel Bicycles and First Endurance, who return this year to support the 11-person professional team and 39-member amateur squad.
New partners for 2011 are industry-leading companies, AVIA (footwear), TYR (wetsuits, speedsuits), and Canari (apparel).

“The Revolution3 Team is overjoyed at the opportunity to be a sponsor of such high-class professional athletes. Their determination and drive to succeed motivate each and every one of us at Rev3. Our goal is to push the sport of Triathlon forward and we hope our commitment to this group of athletes shows that we take this growth seriously. We cannot wait to see them at the Rev3 races this year,” said Charlie Patten, Head Honcho of the Revolution3 Triathlon Series
“Kestrel is excited to be part of the Trakkers-REV3 Triathlon Team,” said Steven Harad, Kestrel Brand Manager. “This is our second year with the Trakkers team and with the addition of many top level athletes, we are looking forward to a successful season.”
“First Endurance is pleased and honored to be associated with this high caliber team of athletes and sponsors,” stated Robert Kunz, the VP of Science and Technology at FE. “All of the athletes will be using the entire system of First Endurance products, and more importantly they will have influence and input on our new product development, allowing us to keep producing and upgrading our line so it remain the best on the market.”

In addition to the changes in sponsorship, the team roster has grown and evolved. Returning members—Richie Cunningham, Brian Fleischmann, Jacqui Gordon, Amanda Lovato, and Michael Lovato—welcome new athletes, Hillary Biscay, Courtenay Brown, Kathleen Calkins, Chris McDonald, Jessica Meyers, and Matt Sheeks.

With a refreshed athlete roster and its committed sponsors, Team Trakkers—REV3 begins the 2011 race season with an evolved mission: to promote and help grow the Revolution3 Triathlon brand; to gain exposure for the world’s first real-time GPS tracking devices; to represent triathlon’s strongest brands; and to compete at a world-class level over varied distances, at multiple triathlon series worldwide.

“We had a great year in 2010, but our aim is to improve across the board, as we go forward,” stated Michael Lovato. “To evolve in a positive direction, we have partnered with key sponsors who are committed to the sport of triathlon, to its growth, and to its athletes. We could not be happier with our group of sponsors, or with our recharged roster of athletes.”

The full professional team includes:
Hillary Biscay: 2008 Ironman Wisconsin Champion; 15-time top-three Ironman finisher
Courtenay Brown: Danskin Tri & Silverman Half winner; Inside Tri columnist
Kathleen Calkins: 2010 REV3 Cedar Point 3rd place; Top Amateur Kona 2009
Richie Cunningham: 2x 70.3 Champion; 4x Top-Five 70.3 World Championships
Brian Fleischmann: 1st World Team Champs; 2x 2nd place USAT National Champs
Jacqui Gordon: Multiple Ironman and 70.3 Top-Ten finisher
Amanda Lovato: 2010 Pucón 70.3 Champion; Multiple Half Ironman Champion; Multiple Top-Five Ironman finisher
Michael Lovato: 2x Ironman Champion; 3x Top-Ten Kona; 3x National Champion
Chris McDonald: 3x Ironman Champion
Jessica Meyers: 2010 Augusta 70.3 Champ; US National Team; Armed Services Champion
Matt Sheeks: 2010 Duathlon Pro National Champion; 2009 Duathlon AG World Champion