Jason West: Chasing Shadows
11th Aug 2023
Jason West’s electrifying 2nd place finish at the PTO US Open had us captivated. Delving into his performance, we explore the unwavering resilience that propelled him past challenges and towards shattering the run course record.
Jason, your recent performance marked the fastest PTO run in history, clocking in at an impressive 56:22. Could you walk us through your mindset during the running leg and your strategic approach to pacing the run, especially considering your initial position?
I came off the bike with the mindset that anything is possible, and I really didn’t have anything to lose. I saw my wife about 800m into the run and she told me I was only a minute away from 10th place. I spent the next few laps picking people off, and when I caught Kristian with a little over 5km to go I put in a big surge, and he came with me right on my heels. I knew I was in for a fight. I was really starting to feel pretty bad and thought I may have used up everything I had for the day. I just tried to stay strong and focus on my technique and cadence. With a couple km to go, I was gearing up for a sprint to the line. I told myself at 500m to go I was going to give it all I had. I think Kristian had the same thought, as when we got to that spot he put in a surge to come around me. I hopped on, and as soon as I felt comfortable, I decided to go.
You started the weekend ranked 16th in the PTO rankings and now breaking into the Top 10 is quite a feat. As you look ahead to PTO Tour: Asia Open and 70.3 Worlds, what are your next objectives and aspirations?
Moving up to 7th is pretty cool. It’s definitely the highest I’ve ever been ranked, and I have an opportunity to move into the top 3 for sure if I have one more good race at either the Asian Open or 70.3 Worlds. But at the end of the day, none of that matters. My goal is to win these races, and that’s what I need to focus on.
At the swim exit, your split had you comfortably positioned around the middle of the field. Was this part of your race strategy, and what were your thoughts on your performance during the initial leg?
The athletes that are given the opportunity to race a PTO Tour event are the best in the world and the gaps between athletes is small. Even though I came out mid pack I was still only about a minute from the front of the race. I’d like to be further towards the front, but at that spot I’m still very close. I also know those guys are swimming as hard as they can to get rid of guys like me, so I may lose time, but it may mean they need to burn some matches that they could pay for later on. But as a competitor, you want all the best athletes giving their absolute best and to have the opportunity and challenge to deal with it.
Was there any point in the race where you felt incredible, or were you in the suffering zone the entire time? And when you’re deep in the pain cave what was your mantra that allowed you to continue pushing?
There were multiple times throughout the race that I was in intense pain, but I don’t believe that because you’re in pain that you must suffer. Over the last 500m I ran under 2:45/km (4:25/mi) and when I launched my sprint on Kristian, I was running 2:35/km (4:10/mi). When I think about an effort like this, I imagine it would be pretty unbearable to do in training. But I really don’t remember the pain of it. What I remember is being totally present and focused on what I was trying to do. This really shows how differently you can perceive something just based on what you decide to focus on, and focusing on achieving the goal can totally change what you’re able to get out of yourself. It takes a lot to be able to go that deep, and it feels so satisfying that I was able to do it.
After your bike split, you found yourself nearly 5:30 minutes behind the lead, understandably a stressful situation. Can you share with us the mental approach you adopted during this crucial phase of the race?
I kept the mindset that anything is possible. I try to stay very present, mindful and intentional in life and especially when I’m competing. I focused on controlling what I could, which was my pacing, my form, my fueling. I couldn’t control what the rest of the guys were going to do.
With the demands of the challenging bike segment behind you, your run required strategic pacing. How did you manage your effort levels during this phase, aiming for a 55:30 time, which was notably close to your record-breaking 56:22?
I had a pretty good idea of what I could do based on how my training had been going, but I had also burned a match when I had to stop with my mechanical, so I knew I couldn’t just drop right into 3min/ k pace. I did run a little slower than I was hoping to but being acutely aware of what you’re capable of and being disciplined to that pacing is key.
When you’re pushing your limits as you did during the race, did you make any adjustments to your nutrition and fueling strategy to ensure sustained performance, especially with that heat!?
Sometimes you have to make risk/reward decisions. After the mechanical, I worked my butt off to catch back up to the group, and when I did, I decided to just sit at the back and prioritize getting another bottle of water at the aid station. I could have torn myself apart to pass the group, but I felt like hydration would pay off more later in the race. You always have to be smart to race well in long-course racing.
As IM 70.3 approaches, could you outline your training regimen, focusing on the specific discipline you believe requires fine-tuning to secure a championship-level performance?
I’m very focused on setting up a swim and bike performance that allows me to be closer to the front of the race coming out of T2. I’m very close in the swim and bike. So I’m not making any major changes, just trying to get those last couple percent through the swim and bike, and then do my thing when it comes time to run.
- FINISH -