Matt McElroy is a 23-year old Southern Californian who recently won the U23 Duathlon World Championship title in Adelaide, Australia. He comes from a running background, but this man is talented in many other ways.

Slowtwitch: Thanks for your time Matt.

Matt McElroy: Thanks Herbert, stoked to be interviewed by Slowtwitch.

ST: If someone had told you 10 years ago that you would be a World Champion in the future, what kind of sport or activity would have come to your mind?

Matt: I have always been really passionate about running and when I was 13 years old I was labeled as fast. That being said 10 years ago I would have said World Champion Track runner.

ST: Duathlon U23 World Champion has a nice ring.

Matt: I think Triathlon World Champion sounds better in my opinion! I’m kidding - I was definitely excited about the result.

ST: Did most of your friends know what duathlon is, or did some of them think you were skiing and shooting?

Matt: Most my friends from Huntington Beach had no clue I competed in duathlon Worlds. I think they just thought it was another running race. Everyone on the Triathlon Squad thought I was “Fred,” giving me a hard time because it’s not in the Olympics. I don’t take it personal because being a duathlete is not my focus.

ST: Why do you think duathlon is not readily accepted, even by folks who don’t like to swim?

Matt: I think traditionally in America duathlon isn’t a sport that is presented in High School sports programs.

ST: Well, neither is triathlon. Also, most triathletes seem to loathe swimming, so duathlon theoretically ought to be more popular.

Matt: From what I’ve seen, most triathletes are former swimmers who picked up cycling and running along the way. It’s very rare to see a runner make the transition to the ITU format. I think cycling and running have always been viewed as two separate sports in the US. Maybe Ironman or USAT should start incorporating Northern American duathlon events.

ST: How confident were you going into the event and what was the goal?

Matt: I went into the race thinking I was going to destroy the field. I was fresh off a 10mile race where I ran 48:23. I thought if I had a good day I would win and at least podium in the Elite.

ST: So what happened?

Matt: The first 10k I led most the race trying to drop as many people as I could. I was still holding back because I knew it was going to be a hard bike. I got out of T1 in first and than sat in the pack taking turns pulling with Mark Buckingham. Emilio took off and I thought we would eventually catch him but we never did. On the third lap we were caught by Yohan Le Berre and Rob Woestenborghs. That’s when the race started as Rob attacked on each lap. Heading into the hill they would all sit on my wheel and attack trying to drop me. From laps 3 to 7 I was hanging on for my life and going into the last lap I finally bonked from dehydration. The final run I grabbed as much water as I could and maintained form. Hands down one of the hardest races of my life.

ST: Was it clear in the race who the U23 competition was?

Matt: I didn’t know anything about my U23 competition. My goal was more focused on the overall race and chasing prize money. It’s really hard to gauge your competition based on ITU Duathlon results because every course is different.

ST: How much time did you spend in Australia?

Matt: I spent about 6 days in Australia, the first day I went to Melbourne and hung out with friends Dave McNeill and Ben Ashe. Both are Northern Arizona University Alumni. We went on a run and saw a bunch of snakes and lizards. In Adelaide Lloyd and Chelsea Damp were my homestays about a block from the beach. They made an amazing kangaroo dinner.

ST: Talk about your daily diet.

Matt: I like to have fresh fruits around the house, as my roommate, Manny Huerta, would say. Normally I have a classic egg sandwich with some bacon or turkey and avocado. After swimming I’ll make a smoothie with super raw ingredients: beets, kale, apples, and orange juice. My go-to is a peanut butter and honey sandwich. For dinner, I normally make a stir-fry with steak or chicken, carrots, quinoa, potatoes, and beans. I try and have a salad once a day. Coffee is needed in the mornings and Gatorade is essential for hydration. And for dessert, always a giant bowl of ice cream.

ST: Beyond the honor and the bragging rights of that U23 title, what did you walk away with from Adelaide?

Matt: The title is cool and everything, but I walked away really pissed off. I think it’s important to respect your competition. I went into the race with too much confidence. The race itself redefined how I look at cycling. Emilio Martin went solo and pulled away from a pack of 5. Some Belgium guy named Rob Woestenborghs put like 2 minutes on me in the last lap of the bike. I looked at the bike splits and couldn’t believe it.

ST: What about money? Did you at least get a nice check?

Matt: Yes, I received $2,100 for the win and then after subtracting the money I owe USAT for travel and entry fee - I lost $350 dollars.

ST: In a recent running race I think you collected $700. That seems better money than in many triathlons.

Matt: Really? I guess I’ll have to continue road racing.

ST: Was that not correct?

Matt: That’s correct, I did win $700 in a local road race. $700 is a decent paycheck for a small running race. But most road races will pay anywhere from $2,000 to $15,000 for the win. The same goes for triathlons, except you have to travel to different countries with a bike.

ST: Which running shoes do you use for racing and training?

Matt: Adidas hooked me up with a solid shipment during the summer. My go to trainer is the Glide Boost because it kept me healthy the last couple years. I am not picky about running shoes as long as they feel good. My favorite flats are the Adidas Boston boost. Northern Arizona University was sponsored by Adidas, so I continue to pick a company that I trusted. I am also a huge fan of the boost material.

ST: Was local media interested upon your return?

Matt: This is my first interview since the race. I think duathlon is more popular in Europe.

ST: We interview you because you are fast, and a triathlete.

Matt: I guess you could say I am a triathlete who is fast.

ST: Do you think local media would have covered you winning the ITU U23 triathlon WC title?

Matt: Triathlon and duathlon are not major sports topics in the media around Orange County. However, if the topic was presented I think they would do an in-depth article. This could potentially help influence the popularity of endurance sports.

ST: Your background is running and you are very talented at it, but you also love surfing. What came first?

Matt: In Huntington Beach surfing is part of the culture. I started surfing when I was 5 years old. All throughout middle school and high school I went to surf class before actually going to class. I competed for 10 years in the NSSA. I love it, I just went for 6 hours and I still rip.

ST: What running results do you remember most fondly?

Matt: The best running memory was at the Stanford invite 10,000m where I ran 28:36. The race was at night in perfect conditions and we went out really slow in 14:32 for the first 5k and the last 5k was 14:04. That race qualified me for USA Track and Field Championships. Looking forward to running another fast 10k eventually.

ST: You mentioned before that you wanted to be a Professional Triathlete at an early age. Why triathlon?

Matt: I’ve always felt like triathlon would be better suited for me because it’s an endurance sports that takes a lot discipline. I felt like I’ve always been doing three sports surfing, cycling, and running. It was just a matter of time until I made the transition.

ST: Why not surfing?

Matt: Surfing is a real gamble. You have to quit going to school and spend all your time being in the water. Running allowed me to get an education for free that was always guaranteed.

ST: Northern Arizona University I believe. What degree did you earn?

Matt: Communication with an Emphasis in Electronic Media and Film.

ST: And how did you connect with Jason Pedersen?

Matt: I met Jason when I transferred schools and heard he was a Professional Triathlete. I was really inspired by his swim progression and started following his career. Then I joined the squad with him a couple years later. He just got married, thus congrats to Mo and Jason.

ST: Word has it that Paulo Sousa was shocked when he first saw you swim. Is that a fair way to describe it?

Matt: Yes. After the first swim Paulo said “you don’t know how to swim.” That was a reality check.

ST: But I guess he was not ready to kick you to the curb?

Matt: After three weeks I made big improvements in my stroke. I think Paulo understood my attitude and commitment to getting better.



ST: So how much has your swimming improved since that first meeting?

Matt: Let’s see, right before I met with Paulo I did a 200m TT and swam 2:40. Now I can probably swim hard intervals sending off on 2:40.

ST: So what is next?

Matt: The first training camp is in Poway on Dec 1st so I’ll start training full-time pretty soon. In terms of racing I think the plan is to race Clermont.

ST: What about sponsors?

Matt: I am unsponsored and would love to represent a company.

ST: Like whom?

Matt: A company that believes in my development, at the same time is interested in my cool videos. [see above]

ST: Anything else we should know?

Matt: I am going to steal Joe Maloy’s line “Yes, but we can save it for my next interview.”

You can follow Matt McElroy on Twitter via @mcelroystudio