Austin Pro triathlete Patrick Evoe gets interesting words of encouragement when he is racing, and most of them have nothing to do with his name or place of residence. They are usually related to his sponsor Little Caesar's, but there is more to Patrick Evoe than Pizza, Pizza.
Slowtwitch: Word has it that you just had fun at the dentist. Is that correct?
Patrick: I would agree only if you have a pretty liberal interpretation of the word “fun.” I had 5 wisdom teeth removed in surgery last week, only a day after I came back from Ironman Cozumel. I needed to have them out, so I scheduled the surgery to coincide with the race recovery to get it out of the way. After a few days on the couch now, I can say with confidence that I'm officially tired of Jello, applesauce, yogurt, and pudding. I didn't plan on cutting weight this off-season!!
ST: This almost sounds like a reward for a solid result at Ironman Cozumel.
Patrick: There are a few rewards I'd have leaned towards rather than going under the knife. I really needed to have my wisdom teeth removed because they were starting to cause problems. I saw the surgeon earlier this year and one needed to come out immediately, so I had that one removed the day after I got home from Ironman Louisiville. There was a greater chance of complications and longer recovery with the rest, so I decided to wait until the season was done to get them out. Did I mention that I had 6 wisdom teeth? When the surgeon removed my upper left tooth, there was another one behind it. He removed that one and there was a third one behind it. He told me afterward that I was like a shark with rows and rows of teeth. I'm fine with that as long as it's a tougher shark like a Tiger or Great White and not something like a Nurse Shark. This surgery is a blessing in disguise, mentally I want to get out and start training, but it's forcing me to take time off now.
ST: Talk about your day in Cozumel.
Patrick: I couldn't be happier with the way Ironman Cozumel played out. I really had fun on the course. Last year, I finished my season there and didn't have the day I wanted. I found myself walking by mile 8 and proceeded to walk about 16 miles of the marathon just to finish. This year I really wanted to end the season on a high note. I knew I was fit, but I worked on taking pressure off of myself to perform and focused on execution. I finished in 6th place with an 8:35, which was a PR. I was most happy with my swimming. Swimming has been my biggest challenge and struggle since I started the sport. This year, I worked really hard on my swimming and in my last few races I've seen significant progress. Continuing to close the gap to the first couple swim groups. In Cozumel my 53:58 swim was a big leap, but most importantly the time gaps to the leaders were the smallest I've had in an Ironman.
In my other two Ironman races this year, I focused on backing off on my bike by a few minutes so that I'd have better running legs. In Cozumel I had the same plan. I biked the first loop alone and relaxed without pushing hard. Starting the second loop, Joszef Major caught me and he was setting a solid pace. I decided to take a little risk and go with him. He and I biked the rest of the way together and were able to reel in quite a few guys. The run was as all Ironman runs are: highs, lows, pain, and the final ten miles being nothing short of pure misery. I was happy to be able to still put in a sold run. Cozumel is my favorite Ironman run course. I love out-n-backs and the crowds are the best I've experienced in the sport. I don't mind heat and humidity; in fact I always seem to gravitate towards steamier races. Ending the season like I did in Cozumel has me really excited for 2011.
ST: Racing Louisville and Cozumel shows that you gravitate towards steamier races, but what about Kona? Is that on your schedule for 2011?
Patrick: I'm targeting Kona for 2012. For next year, I'm looking at continuing my growth and development, focusing on strong placements, and also building on my swimming gains from this year. I want to go back to Kona when my swimming has progressed to the point where I can be in contact with at least the second chase group out of the water. The way Kona is now raced, you can't be fighting a huge swim deficit the whole day if you want to have a top placement. I want to go back to Kona, but I'm waiting until I'm ready.
ST: So does that mean you are happy with your 2010 season?
Patrick: This was an interesting season, lots of learning and take-away messages. I look back now and I am very pleased with my results, progress, growth, and learning. This season got progressively better over time. I started out with the worst winter I've had in this sport. I bounced back and forth between injuries and illness for months. Along with that, Austin probably had the worst winter weather I've seen there in my10 years. I don't think I got in my first solid week of training without snafus or setbacks until April. I couldn't get any momentum. I'd had Achilles problems and then I got the flu. After getting over that, the next week back, I'd strain my calf, then it would rain for a week, then I'd get another bad cold. It was the winter that would never end. It was also hard because as I was just trying to get one good week of training, all of my friends and competitors were fit and racing away.
By May I wasn't close to 100%, but I was able to race and train at a level where I could get fit again. So my season progressively got better through St. Croix 70.3 (9th), Ironman CdA (7th), Ironman Louisville (4th), Miami 70.3 (7th), and finally Ironman Cozumel (6th). My only really poor race was Augusta 70.3, but that was only a couple weeks after I had my first wisdom tooth removed and hadn't recovered from it. I got into that race and had absolutely nothing in the tank. I wasn't really discouraged because I knew it wasn't a fitness issue, I just tried to race too soon.
Now looking at the winter months and 2011, I'm really excited. I learned quite a bit this year, which I think will continue to pay off in the future. My biggest improvement this year was taking a step back and re-learning to look at an Ironman as one whole day. The only number that matters is my position at the finish line. In 2008 and 2009, I'd be so frustrated by my swimming and so concerned about my position off the bike that I'd hammer way too hard for the first 56 miles of the bike and pay for it later. This year, I went back to looking at Ironman as one whole race rather than three different races. I'm no longer focused on my position off the bike, it's mile 26.2 of the marathon where I'm aiming. This has taken more discipline than one would imagine.
ST: You have been a Pro for about 3 years now. How different is it from what you imagined it to be?
Patrick: It's definitely more of a challenge than I expected. I always knew that the racing would be competitive, but I think I originally underestimated how the entire male professional field would continue to get faster, deeper, and the differentiation between top competitors would decrease. I now look at this as a positive because it forces all of us to either up our games or get left behind. I look back to when I got into this sport and top-5 finish times then may not get you into the top-10 today.
The second aspect of racing as a career that I didn't fully understand when I started was the challenge of the business side. This is the marketing, sponsorships, relationship management, and developing your own brand. I don't have an agent or anything like that, so I do everything for myself. I think many athletes are the same. This has been more intensive and challenging than I imagined at the beginning. Many people believe that we only need to think and worry about training and racing, but the business side is just as important and requires a lot of time and effort.
The third aspect of racing as a career that I didn't anticipate is the amazing people and important relationships I'd develop during this time. I've had the privilege to meet some great people and have built life-long friendships.
ST: I met you in 2005 for the first time when you were a fast age grouper, and that was just a few years after you pretty much just came off the couch. Is that an accurate description?
Patrick: I've had a unique path getting to where I am now. I graduated from the University of Michigan in 2000 and moved down to Austin, TX for my first job. I wasn't an athlete and I had no experience at all with swimming, biking, or running. I was an engineer working in the semiconductor industry and I was 50 pounds heavier than I am now (I was 189 pounds, now I race about 140 pounds). I was tired of being embarrassed about my physical condition so I decided to start running. At the beginning, I couldn't run a mile without walking. I kept with it until I could jog 5k without stopping. Then in the Texas summer, I couldn't run in the heat, so I started going to my community pool and taught myself to swim laps. I couldn't swim 25 yards without stopping. That whole summer, I'd go to the pool every day after work and challenge myself to swim farther without a break than I had before. By the end of that summer, I could swim about 2k without stopping. Long story short, I found a fun group of friends at work who ran and biked at lunch and after work, so I started tagging along. I bought a bike and they told me that we were going to race a triathlon and to go sign up for Buffalo Springs Ironman 70.3. I did one sprint to make sure I could to the sport, but Lubbock was my first real go at it. I was hooked from there and registered for my first Ironman.
The other significant aspect of how I got hooked on the sport was that at that time, the semiconductor business was in a major downturn. There were layoffs every month, no raises, no promotions, and we were working hard just to NOT get laid off. I needed something else in my life where hard work yielded rewards. I found that the more I trained, the faster I got. It was something I was craving at my deepest levels.
I raced as an age grouper for several years while working full-time and had made significant gains. I didn't take my first swim lesson until I was 25 years old. In 2005, I finished top-5 in my age group in Kona. At that time, I left my corporate job to go back to grad school full-time in International Relations. With the flexible student schedule, I decided that every moment I wasn't studying I would be training. I made studying my workout recovery. After a year and a half of grad school, my racing was at a level where I knew I would be competitive in the professional field. I went to part-time studies and finished out my Masters and thesis over the next year and a half while I upped my racing. I finished grad school at the end of 2008. Since then it's been all-in for me.
ST: Do you have any words of wisdom in regards to sponsorship for folks who are about to turn Pro?
Patrick: The most important thing is to work hard, stick with it, be patient, and don't get discouraged. Budgets are tight and it's a competitive business. I would also start with the network of people you have around you. Any relationship you have which will get you or your message in front of a decision-maker is your best avenue. Also be humble and appreciative. Just because you have a professional license does not grant you any sort of entitlement. I have a friend in the business who gets tired of the attitude of professional triathletes (often newer ones) who approach him with a position of "I'm a professional triathlete, what are you going to give me?" Your race results are just a small portion of the whole equation. Remember that sponsorship is truly a two-sided relationship. Just like any other relationship, trust and loyalty are critical.
ST: Talk about your sponsors.
Patrick: Those who race for a living know that without our sponsors we wouldn't be able to pursue our dreams. I very much appreciate my sponsors and what they have done for me. My title sponsor is Little Caesars Pizza. The company has gotten behind me and my career because my story and dedication is aligned with the company's values of quality, hard work, pursuit of operational excellence, and community involvement. Little Caesars is a great company and I cannot express how much I enjoy working with them.
Jack Murray from Jack and Adams Bicycles in Austin has gotten behind me and backed me as a person and an athlete since the beginning. Not only is Jack a great personal friend, but he has been one of my strongest advocates and sponsors. I will always do what I can for Jack and Jack and Adams Bicycles.
I have other sponsors who have gotten behind me and been a huge help. I love working with PowerBar as I've always used their products even before I was sponsored. Xterra Wetsuits have always supportive of my racing. Champion System Clothing has been making my sharp Little Caesars training and racing clothing. I've been riding the super fast Quintana Roo CD0.1 this whole season. Advanced Rehabilitation in Austin helps to keep me injury free and out training. Hill Country Running Company has been a great help with my running shoe needs. SBR Sports makers of TriSwim, TriSlide, and Foggle also are a great sponsor.
I cannot tell you how much I appreciate my sponsors and how much their help means to me.
ST: The one sponsor that really stands out is Little Caesar's. How did you connect with them?
Patrick: The biggest thing I've learned in this business is that in terms of sponsorship, having a meaningful connection with that company is the most important. I've sent more emails and sponsorship proposals than you can imagine throughout the industry. I can't count how many black holes have swallowed up emails sent to info@companyX.com. The best impact I can make is when I have that connection to the company. I was fortunate enough to have a relationship within Little Caesars and then to be able to truly connect with the company. It's also fun for me to promote Little Caesars in the sport. Because they are an unique sponsor, as compared to running shoe and bike companies among the pros, I get a kick out of wearing the brightest clothing drawing attention to Little Caesars. I think more people recognize me as the Little Caesars guy in the sport than actually know my name. Every race, I hear hundreds of “pizza pizza” and “go Little Caesars” cheers because it's so different and stands out. I love having fun with it.
ST: Who came up with the helmet pizza sticker idea and how exactly does it work?
Patrick: The helmet pizza slice sticker idea was a combined idea between Jack (of Jack and Adams) and I a couple years ago. It was just something fun for him and I with my racing. We took the idea from college and high school football helmets when players are awarded stickers for achievements to wear on their helmets. We thought this would be fun to do with pizza slices for stickers as a way to play up my sponsor. So we established criteria where for certain racing achievements, I get a sticker to wear on my helmet for the rest of the season. Jack and I do a mock ceremony at the shop after each race where he shakes my hand and puts the stickers on the helmet. I get stickers for things like top-10 finishes in an Ironman or Ironman 70.3, top-5 pro bike split, a personal best time or split for Ironman or Ironman 70.3, etc. At the end of the season, I clean off the helmet and start over. I now keep a running update on my website of the stickers I receive and why I earned them.
ST: Looks like you are about running out of space. Good that the season is pretty much over.
Patrick: It looks that way. I either need to stop racing for the year or get a bigger head. We'll see what I can do in 2011?
ST: Are you still able to sample pizzas in other establishments or are you Little Caesar's all the time?
Patrick: I am 100% Little Caesars Hot-N-Ready pizzas: cheese and pepperoni. I cannot tell you how satisfying it is after a long Ironman training day, one of those 125+ mile bike days with a run and maybe a swim too, to get a pizza and collapse on the couch with a movie. I grew up eating Little Caesars back in the Pizza Pizza days when you'd get the big bag with two pizzas. Being a born and raised Detroit boy, I'm a die hard Detroit Red Wings fan, who are also owned by Mike and Marian Ilitch (the owners of Little Caesars). The Ilitch family are the most dedicated people to the city of Detroit. They are truly great philanthropists to the city, they believe in it, and have devoted their lives to reviving it. They are also great supporters of youth amateur athletics. So when I buy that Hot-N-Ready pizza, I'm not only voting for the product, I'm voting for my favorite sports teams, the city where I grew up, and the Ilitch family's causes.
ST: Along those lines please tell us about your diet.
Patrick: I actually have a healthy but relaxed diet 80% of the time. As I get close to a major race, I tend to get more serious and watch what I eat. The rest of the time, especially during big training blocks, I make sure I get in plenty of calories. If I'm hungry, I eat. I enjoy my sweets and treats and I'm not all crazy about my diet. My body will tell me what I need. I believe that if you're relaxed most of the time, when it's crunch time in those last 5 weeks before a major race, it's easier to be serious. If you're serious all of the time, where do you go from there? All of the fastest guys I know are not super strict and enjoy their sweets and treats, they know better than anyone how to have balance. That's not to say I don't eat well. I'd say I my average habits are to eat very healthy, I just don't over think it.
ST: What music do you like?
Patrick: Now I know everyone has the same answer that he/she has a wide variety of music tastes, but I will put myself up against anyone in a head-to-head Pepsi Challenge on eclectic music interests. If you were to look on my iTunes, you'd think ten different people put it together. I have everything you can imagine from hard rock to opera, gangsta rap to baroque, techno to Motown, world to classic rock, electronica to blues, soul to funk, and alternative to jazz. It's a smorgasbord. For Ironmans this year, while getting dressed in the morning I've been playing two songs that stick with me all day: AC/DC, Its a Long Way to the Top if you Want to Rock n'Roll, and It's My Life by the Animals. I find myself humming those songs on the bike in races. There's no better than AC/DC and the pipes in that song get me fired up. The Animals song my dad played the morning before Ironman Louisville when I had some bad pre-race nerves. He told me that he and his buddies would sing that song when times were tough in the Army. It has stuck with me ever since, it's got a great Ironman bike pace groove.
ST: What was the last book you read?
Patrick: I'm always bouncing around in my reading from fiction to non-fiction. For non-fiction, I love history and politics. I'll read anything from a biography of Napoleon to commentary on US-Iranian foreign policy. I also enjoy non-fiction about truly great stories like Ernest Shackleton or T.E. Laurence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom (the personal account of Laurence of Arabia). I'm currently finishing up A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking. That's a bit of a mind-bender but I find it fascinating. For lighter fiction reading, I always revert back to a good spy novel.
ST: Is there anything else we should know about you?
Patrick: The last thing I want to add is that beyond my sponsors, my family and friends have been so supportive of me and this career that I cannot express how much they mean to me. My parents and immediate family have been there with me every step of the way. My parents go to every single Ironman and are truly super fans of the sport. They know more about the pro field than many pro triathletes do! My friends are the other bastion in my life. My close buddy and training partner, Richie Cunningham, has taught me a ton over the last two years and has really helped to bring my training and racing up to the next level. I hope that I've been able to help push and motivate him in the same way in his training. I look at this as not an individual sport, but it is truly a team effort. I run the race, but it is my sponsors, family, and friends that get me to the start line and keep me going and on the right path. None of us would be able to do this sport without our support networks.
