DC Triathlon Club

Joe Shields

February, 2020

Joe started his triathlon career in 2016 when a work colleague got USAT Coach certified and asked Joe if he’d be his first athlete. After a couple years of knee issues with running, this seemed like just the right opportunity. After doing his first 70.3 in 2018, Joe joined the DCTri’s off-season spin and Half Ironman Program to up his game for 2019 and ended up qualifying for 70.3 Worlds. 2020 was the first year Joe is part of the Elite Team Program, which meant not much racing! But since then he’s gotten to rack up a load of racing, culminating in taking 5th overall at IM Maryland and getting his Kona slot!

Age Group/Location: 35-39; Belgium (army-brat)
Years Racing: 5
Athletic Background: Football in high school, all the IMs in college, running since 2009
Strengths on the course: Actually it’s become biking, along with yelling/cheering as many folks in DC Tri kit as I can!
Goals for 2023: Stay healthy, good life balance, run better off the bike!
Favorite Places To Train: Zwift races, pools with nice cool water, and any running with a group!
Favorite thing when not swimming, biking, or running: Eating and drinking with my wife and kiddo!
Favorite food: Sour Patch Kids; you only stop eating them when your tongue starts to hurt.
Fun Fact: Day job includes raising and selling chickens.  No I am not kidding.
Fav Race distance: Olympic.
Fav Race: IM 70.3 Rwanda was the first Ironman branded event in SSA outside of South Africa. I got to do it with another teammate and it was a really special experience. Highly recommended!
Other stuff you want to talk about? Yeah. As I updated this it made me very sad that two years ago I said my dog was faster than me. Now she’s slower than me. No bueno. I want to clone her.
Social mediaJoey_tri1

 

2023 Race Schedule:

  • Rock ‘n’ Roll DC Half
  • Cherry Blossom (first time!)
  • IM70.3 Blue Ridge
  • IM70.3 Happy Valley
  • AGNats Oly/Sprint
  • Luray Double?
  • IMWC 70.3 Finland
  • Chicago Half
  • Some Marathon

 

2022 Race schedule 

  • Rock N Roll DC Half Marathon
  • Kinetic 70.3
  • EagleMan 70.3
  • Luray Oly/Sprint
  • IMMD (ha! Like I’ll actually get to do it)

 

2020 Race Schedule:

  • Bariloche 70.3
  • DC Rock ’n’ Roll Half
  • IM Texas
  • Somewhere 70.3
  • NJ State Oly
  • AGNC Oly
  • ITU Worlds Oly
  • Chicago Half Marathon