Get Ready for a Showdown This Spring!

I've been "called out."

By a pro triathlete.

Devon Palmer, a Minneapolis-based pro triathlete and coach, posted this in part of a blog post on Friday:

Just a heads up, get your tickets now there are going to be major fireworks at the Gear West Duathlon in the relay category. There is some drama brewing that you won’t want to miss between myself and a certain glasses and speedo wearing St Paulite. I don’t want to give anything else away but I can guarantee there is going to be more trash talked than if Macca and Donald Trump got into an argument over who is classier.

First of all in case you're dense, I'm the "certain glasses and speedo wearing St Paulite" Devon mentions. Secondly, "more trash talked than if Macca and Donald Trump got into an argument over who is classier" is one of the best lines in modern literature. Well done, Devon.

My brother-in-law Matt is NOT going to be my teammate this year! We've teamed up (as "Team Happy Pants") 4 times at the Gear West Duathlon alone, earning the 2nd spot in 2008, 2009, and 2010, and FINALLY winning in 2011. But this year, Matt's doing a half marathon with his fiancée that weekend, so he's out. I'm teaming up with Pete which I mentioned when I showed this photo of him from the swim meet 3 weeks ago:

I wish there was swimming in this duathlon because Pete swam a sub-2 minute 200 here!


Matt finishing the bike at the 2011 GW Du.


Me starting the 2nd run at the 2011 GW Du.

So Pete and I are teaming up as team "Itchy and Scratchy" in a few months at the Gear West Duathlon. (No, that's not a Simpson's reference... it's in reference to the 2 of us being rather hairy and having to do some body hair maintenance.)

We don't stand much of a chance because (did I mention?) Devon is a pro triathlete. I'm sure he can find a speedy, speedy runner friend. Here he is after he teamed up to do the St. Croix Valley Olympic Distance Triathlon as a relay last year:

Devon's on the right.


Unrelated photo of Devon from YndeCam at the start of last year's Buffalo Tri
(where he finished in 2nd to an Aussie pro triathlete who has 70+ career wins).

I've done the St. Croix Oly that Devon teamed up for - it's a bit hilly, and the roads aren't the best. But still, Devon posted a 27.0 mph average on the bike, finishing his Oly ride in 55 minutes!! Yeah... Pete and I are toast.

But still, the trash talk must ensue. I was ready to post an insult to Devon's mother (because isn't that where most trash talk begins?), but Devon tweeted me warning "My mom does race tris in the state so be alert she might wreck you some day." So I'm holding off on insulting his mother right now.

LET THE TRASH TALK BEGIN!!

And don't forget to stop by Devon's blog to see what he has to say about all of this.