DC Triathlon Club

2019 Member Spotlight – Joe Munchak

February, 2019

Joe Munchak

1) What do you think about when you’re swimming so many yards?
Mostly, I try to stay focused on the workout, counting strokes, how my form in the water feels, but I also usually have whatever song I heard most recently running on repeat through my head (and often that’s a song from a kid’s cartoon these days).
2)What’s something you just can’t live without?
Seasons. Don’t think I could live somewhere that it is 80 and sunny all the time even though it would be great for training. I love a few months where snow is a possibility.
3) What is the biggest mistake you’ve made in a triathlon?
Strange things have happened when I’m focused on moving through transitions. First tri I did, I put some gels in my shoes to take out and eat in T2. Of course when that point in the race came I had totally forgot about this and my feet were numb enough that I didn’t feel anything for the first mile or so, but by mile 2 I knew what had happened but didn’t want to take the time to stop so I ended up with some interesting blisters, but the gel stayed in the packet so at least my shoes weren’t ruined! Another one happened much more recently at a mid-Atlantic Club championship race in North East. It wasn’t a wetsuit legal swim so I wore a swim skin. In T1 I had rolled it down but forgot to finish taking it off. About a mile into the bike I notice something felt off and like it was flapping around my waist. So I just tucked it in as best I could and I don’t think it hurt me too much for the rest of the ride. I did remember to take it off in T2!
Bonus: Laurel or Yanny?
Definitely Laurel!

Read more about Joe here: https://www.dctriclub.org/joe-munchak/