Macca Talks TriRock Austin And Final Kona Prep

On a hot and humid Labor Day in Austin, Texas, two-time Ironman world champion Chris “Macca” McCormack won the sprint-distance race at TriRock Austin in the heart of downtown. The course featured a 700-meter swim, a 16.7-mile bike and a 5K run, and he finished the race in a time of 1:12:22. We caught up with him to hear about his experience in Austin and what’s next for him as we head into the triathlon championship season.

Triathlete.com: Can you tell me about your first TriRock experience?

McCormack: I loved it. I just think the way they run the organization. But for me, I wrote an article, as you know, about supporting events, and I think as pros sometimes we get so caught up in racing next week’s event or there’s always a bigger event. I think this race was spectacular. It was 2,000 people, and all the people I was meeting today—smiles on their face. Just the energy is fantastic. I’m going to do more of them. And this one, without question, is first-class. The venue, to race downtown, in a city like this, in an active city, first class. And a lot of the bigger races—I’ll be honest with you—I was saying, I’ve raced in Austin three times. This is by far the best course—the other ones, you wouldn’t even know you’re in Austin. You get a real feel for the city by racing this event.

Triathlete.com: What was your favorite part of the course?

McCormack: Coming down the hill on the bike, the backdrop is the capitol building, it was just like, ‘Wow.’ As an Australian, it’s just so American. It’s like, wow, American architecture, American history. It was beautiful. That’s by far my favorite.”

RELATED – Macca’s Musings: Chris “Macca” McCormack To Race TriRock Austin

Triathlete.com: What’s next for you?

McCormack: I’m racing next week Malibu—back-to-back weekends. I like to do, in my Kona block, I do a big block of work, which I did in Thailand. Then I have this triple-header race weekend, which I did a couple years ago, and then I go into a four-week block, and then it’s Kona. So hopefully I’ll be feeling good, all’s on track, and big double-header next week, and straight into Kona.

Triathlete.com: Feeling good about your Kona prep?

McCormack: Yeah, I am. I’ve got to get home, and I feel solid.

Triathlete.com: Back home to Australia?

McCormack: Yeah, back home Sunday night. So I race Saturday, Sunday, straight on a plane Sunday evening back to Australia.

RELATED: Chris “Macca” McCormack To Race TriRock Austin

For more from McCormack, read his “Macca’s Musings” column in Triathlete magazine.

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