Every year upon returning from the GoPro Ironman World Championships in Kona I grab a random age grouper on the flight, and this time it was first timer Jason McFaul from California. But how did he get selected? He was wearing a neutral t-shirt and happened to sit closest to me, and that is always the random selector for this choice.

Slowtwitch: Thanks for your time Jason.

Jason McFaul: It's an honor Herbert. Definitely my pleasure.

ST: Kona this year was your 28th Ironman and you got started at that distance in 2003. That is a ton of long course races.

Jason: At first it was simply one iron-distance per year. But as my love for it grew, and as I began to simplify my life—I started to focus primarily on meeting my wife's needs, my needs, and our dog's—it became easier to race with more frequency.

ST: Are you trying to catch Luis Alvarez?

Jason: Haha. No. He is amazing. I think he once did 5 Ironmans in 5 weeks! I'm really interested in the Challenge races, along with Vineman, Embrunman, and some of the other races that have carved out a vital place in our sport. If I ever stacked races, it'd probably be similar (in spirit) to how Chris McDonald did Louisville and Madison in '08. But it'd make me nervous. Anything that disrupts my training might compromise my ability to play well with others. My wife understands that, which is one reason why she's so supportive.

ST: In 2001 you did your very first triathlon. What got you started?

Jason: Long story short, I decided on a whim to sign up for a marathon. I went from zero running to daily runs of 5-7 miles. Within two weeks I was injured. In order to develop my fitness I borrowed my dad's mountain bike and started riding. A couple weeks later I saw an ad for the Carlsbad Triathlon. It stirred something primal in me. I knew I needed to find a pool so I could start training for it.

ST: And what about it hooked you?

Jason: I remember being so nervous before the race. And I remember the little victories throughout the day—you survive the swim, you finish the bike, and then even though everything is telling you to walk, you push through the pain, silence the negative voices, and compel yourself to the finish line. It was the hardest, most miserable 3.1 miles I've ever run. It was my first brick, but I didn't die. And after the pain subsided, I was hooked.

ST: Your Kona slot this year came via the Legacy program, but you qualified outright at Texas. Did it actually matter to you how you got there and should it?

Jason: It mattered to me. For my own reasons, I had to KQ at a race. I was so close at Los Cabos, Lake Placid, and Cozumel. But close is just not good enough—11th at Los Cabos, a bike mechanical at LP that took forever to fix, and when you finish 8th in your AG (at Cozumel), you can taste it. I was committed to absolutely burying myself until I got a slot. Of course, the irony is that once I qualified at a race, I knew I'd let that slot roll.

But whether it should matter is really up to the individual. I have three friends who earned their slots via Legacy, and it was not only one of the best things that ever happened for them, but it was also great for the triathlon community. So many of us—friends, family, triathlon club members—could ride their wave. Their passion for triathlon was taken to a new level, and it was inspiring to see their dream become a reality.

ST: Once you had the slot, what did you do to get ready for the big race?

Jason: I dedicated myself to course re-con. I watched every IM Hawaii broadcast I could find, scoured ST for race reports and articles, listened and re-listened to Gordo and JD discuss how to race Hawaii on an old Endurance Corner podcast. But the best thing I did was spend 7 days on the Big Island—six weeks before the race. One of my teammates, Keish Doi of Team TriBike Transport, lives in Kailua-Kona. I stayed with him for a week, and we rode the course several times, swam from the pier every morning, and ran each section of the course. That was a solid 40-hour training week, and it paid enormous mental dividends in my build for the race.

ST: What kind of expectations did you have, or maybe better said, what were you hoping for?

Jason: I purposefully did not allow myself to have any time goals. So many athletes—with far greater fitness and ability than me—have taken it out too hard in Hawaii and been humbled. My goal was to finish. In my last four IM, finishing was not a concern. The goal was to KQ or be carried off the course. But this was my first Hawaii Ironman. I wanted to have a great experience, and it was paramount that I finish. 9 family members flew out to support me. The finishing time was irrelevant. But finishing what I started . . . that's everything.

ST: Talk about the race itself?

Jason: The swim was swelly, significantly more so than in the days preceding the race. I swam a monster 1:08, which was 4-6 minutes higher than my simulations from the pier indicated.

The first half of the bike was more crowded than any iron-distance course I've raced on. It was really challenging to remain draft-legal and maintain my power numbers. You want to overtake the athletes in front of you until you realize there's a line of 30, the draft-buster is to your left, and you're in many ways stuck. Things didn't really open up until after the turn-around in Hawi.

But as a first-timer, any negativity was trumped by the fact that I was on the course, in the race, in Hawaii.

Of course, the run was hot! I'd chunked it into different parts, though, so I was really just focused on one section at a time. And at this point, every time I'd see my family or friends on the course, it compelled me forward.

ST: Were you able to enjoy the aftermath or were you seeing stars?

Jason: I totally enjoyed the aftermath. I grabbed a few bags of ice for my knee, congratulated some of the guys who finished before me or near me, and then went looking for my family. The rest of the evening was spent with family and friends. I was clear-headed and ambulatory, which was awesome. Normally, I’m a bit of a mess post-race, dealing with light-headedness, nausea, dehydration, etc. So I suppose this race, in many ways, was perfect.

ST: You had mentioned to me that your wife Michelle is your greatest fan and supporter. Was this trip to Hawaii the best yet experience for her or did some other race you took part in capture her imagination more?

Jason: Great question. Here's Michelle's answer: ’’I think the IMWC race was the best for me because I know what it means to you... And it makes me very happy and proud to know that you are at the race that has been such a long time goal. I have been able to see you transition from wanting to just do better than your last race, to realizing your potential as a very competitive Ironman triathlete, and finally believing in yourself that you could qualify for Kona. And you did! And, I think you enjoyed it... Which makes me happy. I think IMWC validates something for you that you only could have gotten in Kona. I think it helps validate all the praise your family and friends give you. We've always known you are great, but maybe this helps you believe it...’’

ST: How did you meet and did she even know what passion you followed?

Jason: Haha. Yeah. She knew what she was getting into when we started dating.

ST: Good, but how did you meet?

Jason: She worked as my T.A. for a year, and I fell in love with her.

ST: When you sat across the aisle from me on that flight leaving Kona, you had a neutral green t-shirt on and that is why I picked you for the random interview. Were all your other Ironman finisher t-shirts just in the laundry or is that how you fly?

Jason: Haha. That's how I fly. And that's how I do most things outside of training and racing. I don't generally wear Ironman gear outside of my house. I'm a bit uncomfortable being in the spotlight, so when it comes to my apparel choices in public, I prefer to just blend in. Of course, had I worn Ironman apparel at the airport, I'd have blended in and not been picked for this interview. Haha.

ST: What is your day job?

Jason: I teach composition and argumentation at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California.

ST: Does that composition and argumentation skill help you in the slowtwitch forum?

Jason: Maybe. I suppose it helps me assess credibility and intention.

ST: I think you are doing Arizona next. Is that an annual ritual?

Jason: It was . . . until I didn't do last year's race. But I'll be back this year for my 10th IMAZ.

ST: What bike do you race?

Jason: Cervelo P5 Six

ST: How did you choose that bike and what did you ride prior?

Jason: I chose the P5 in May 2013 after missing a KQ slot in Los Cabos and realizing that I was likely the only guy toward the pointy end who was riding a titanium QR Picanti. I raced with that bike for 10 years, always believing that the harder I worked, the faster I’d get. It took a while for me to understand that aerodynamics can trump horsepower, and that perhaps I’d benefit from an aero wheel set, aero helmet, and a more aerodynamic bike.

ST: Have you been fitted or gone to the wind tunnel?

Jason: I've been fitted several times by Banning Ostrow at East West Bikes. Going to a wind tunnel would be a great opportunity, one that I haven't yet pursued.

ST: Is there anything else we should know?

Jason: Just that I've benefitted enormously from ST over the years. The articles that you and Dan write, plus the contributors in the forum, have provided me with so much. Thanks Herbert, and thanks ST community!