Name: Brian DeYoung
Age: 35
Occupation: Software Engineer
Years doing triathlon? 2
First Triathlon? Lake Brandt Sprint Triathlon in 2015. I was signed up to do the NC State Championship Sprint in 2014, however an emergency appendectomy put an end to that one.
Your favorite triathlon? Lake Brandt Sprint Triathlon. I’m a decent swimmer and like the longer swim, and the bike and run courses seem pretty fast for me without any major obstacles (except for the uphill bike mount!)
Meal the night before race? Nothing particularly specific. Typically some sort of pasta with red sauce, maybe a salad or some vegetables to go with it.
Pre-Race Meal? I do the giant blueberry muffin thing. Pick one up from the local store the day before the race.
Race Nutrition? Water? I haven’t done anything yet that’s required any race nutrition, only sprints. That’ll change in mid-September when I do my first Olympic distance race at Ramseur. At this point, I’m anticipating munching on Gingerbread Stinger Waffles or a Powerbar or something during the bike.
Favorite motivational training song? I actually very rarely listen to music while I train. The only time I do is usually on a stationary bike, which I don’t do very often these days, and it’s usually either metal or club music. If I had to pick something, it’d probably be Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger by Daft Punk.
Favorite mantra? I don’t really get into mantras or catchy phrases. I just get out and do the work… usually.
Key Workout? Track Attack at the Ragsdale YMCA. It’s an hour long, self-paced mix of short running (0.1 to 0.2 mile at a time), stairs, core, and strength exercise. There’s a different workout every week, so it stays pretty fresh. It’s been a great addition to the regular cardio grind for Tri training.
Best Triathlon training or racing tip? Show up early. Like, really early. I try to get out to every local race whenever registration opens. I get a choice of bike rack, get marked and setup early, and have plenty of time to settle down and warmup before race time.
Triathlon literature or other sources of information? TTT. I don’t really put a lot of time into reading or following anything else, so the TTT and its members have been my primary source of information, and there’s still a wealth of information for me to learn from the team.
Who inspires you? Anyone who signs up for and participates in a race. It’s one thing to go workout and exercise some on your own. But it’s a whole different thing when you put yourself out in a race setting, with spectators and volunteers watching and cheering, and with your time and performance out there for everyone else to see. I don’t care if you’re going for a podium, working for a personal best, doing a new distance, or competing in your first race. If you sign up for a race and go get it done, that inspires me.
Future goal? Two really. The first would be a Half. I don’t know which race or when, but at some point I want to do a half somewhere. The second is the Reston Triathlon in Virginia. When I was growing up, my family had a corner on the bike course that we volunteered for every year and helped out with. At some point, I’d like to go up there and get that race under my belt.