12 Questions with Starky

Last weekend Endure It! hosted the 6th Annual 2-Man Indoor team time trial.  It is something fun we do a couple times each winter to mix up the cold weather training.  My normal partner, Jason "Pizzahead", was racing CX and eating pizza so he could not ride.  I was able to recruit Starky to ride with me (let me hang out in his draft for 99% of the race). The guy is a monster on the bike, Rev 3 series defending champ, and a Summer training partner of mine.  His blog interviews are a big hit, so I turned the tables a bit and asked him some questions.  Enjoy.

1- You tallied two huge overall victories at Anderson Half Rev and Cedar Point Full Rev

 last year with some pretty emotional victories.  Has it finally sunk in? How does this change the way you prepare for 2012?

The Half Rev at Anderson sunk in right away.  It was a true win.  I got out of the water with the lead in sight and executed in T1 to take the lead and then made it grow for 56 miles on the bike.  On the run I pushed for the first 15k, ran hard for the next 4k and then really relaxed the final 2k knowing I was the class of the field on that day.  The Full Rev at Cedar Point is a different story.  I swam smart, biked smart, and ran conservatively and won.  It is surreal still today, I did not train for the race at all, I went there to finish to have a shot at the Rev3 title...instead I end up winning the race.

As for changing preparations for 2012, not at all.  Right now I am just working on a base that will get me through a 15-20 race season.

2- What did you have for breakfast this morning?  Dinner last night?

Breakfast this morning was "the standard," oatmeal with blueberries and walnuts chased with a loaded PB&J.


Last night for dinner I had a yam, a baked potato, and 2 hot dogs.  I was tired after training and the potatoes were left over from the weekend and the hot dogs were quick and easy.

3- You are the defending Rev 3 Series champion, which earns you a nice big target on your back. Will you be back in 2012 to defend your title?  Which other athletes do you see as contenders this year?

I will defend my title for sure.  With the new scoring system I know that athletes that are talented in 2 distances will become a large threat.  I know that Matt Reed and Chris MacDonald are two names that come to mind immediately.  But there are plenty of guys out there that can put together 3 great weekends throughout the season and snag the prize.  Heck that is what I did this year!

4- What does your race schedule look like?

I don't know yet.  I am still waiting on details from 5150 and Lifetime Fitness.

5- We log some of our summer running miles together with CK Running, home of the York HS cross country team's summer camp.  How has the atmosphere there affected your run training?

I have found that training with the younger generation helps me push the limits.  They just go, and go hard.  Me, I just try and keep up.  It has really helped me push the limits and knock down the walls that we think are the limits.

6- You and I have both had the pleasure of Charlie Kern coaching our run, high school for myself and currently for you.  How long have you had this partnership?  Describe the difference in your training and results with Charlie.

Charlie and I have worked together for a few years now.  As he has learned more and understood more about triathlon, we have made big jumps.  Charlie is about technique and working hard, which is very similar to my mindset.  The results show every weekend I race.

7- Where do you get most of your bike and swim training?  What is your favorite workout or route? Are you a group guy, or more of a solo type in terms of training?

I really enjoy swimming with PAC out of Stevenson.  Just like training with the Yorkie's on the run, the younger generation does not recognize limits, they just go...and if they blow up, you blow up and come back tomorrow.  On the bike, it is me versus the Watt meter.  As for my favorite workouts, swimming, I like the 150 yard distance, any set with a lot of 150's.  On the bike, 30 second sprints!

8- 2011 was a break though year, did you make any changes in your training, diet, or lifestyle that you attribute to your success?

Yes, I won my first big pro races in 2011, but in 2010 I finished 3rd to Docherty and Gomez at LA in front of Bennett, Ospaly, and Reed.  In 2009 I was less than 5k from beating Potts at 70.3 Steelhead and went on to have the fastest bike split in 70.3 history at the World Champs that fall.  So I have been kicking down the door for a number of years, but it has felt good to get a hand and foot through.


I have not changed much over the last three years, just a few little tweaks here and there.  I have learned to make adjustments on the fly and tweak my schedule as the season rolls, and not be rigid about it.  I just get myself fit and race, to be honest.  I mean we all have a distance we are best at, but when you are peaked, you can race them all well.

9- Tell us about your bike nutrition.  Do you have a favorite snack for longer rides and races?

I like Chocolate Raspberry Roctane.  I try to hit 70-100 cal of Chomps or Gu every 25-40 minutes no matter the ride.  Yes I will gel on a short ride...Train like you race.

10- 50 mile flat time trial: Starykowicz vs Fabian Cancallera, who wins? What about an Ironman vs Lance?  Would you like to see him race that distance?

Cancallera, by miles, now if we do a mile swim and a 50 mile bike...The tables turn.  It is all about how you train.  I train for swim, bike, run, he trains for bike, bike bike.  As for Lance and Kona, I don't care.  It is a triathlon and the sport has evolved since he was young and winning national championships.  

11- Seems you're mixing up the sponsors, any new sponsors this year?

We are in the wait and see mode.

12- You have recently beaten a couple Olympians, would you like to see a non-draft triathlon in the Olympics? What distance?

Non-drafting is relative.  The more "non-drafting" that the race is, the better I seem to do.  When a race detonates like LA in 2010 or Chicago in 2011, the results are very sweet.  As for distance.  I think a 3/4 Iron distance race would be the best, something like the current ITU long course distance.