Interview with John Deshotel
By: The Webmaster
July 26, 2001

How did you get into running and multisport events?

I started out cycling. I have always loved riding a bike since a very
early age and continued riding just for fun until around 1985. I
then started to take it a little more seriously & got interested in the
competitive side. In 1989 I entered my first Tri, the CajunMan held in
St. Martinville (canoe/bike/run). I had never run 5 miles before that day
and decided that I needed to learn a little more about it before attempting
that again. That led me into running races & marathons during the winter
to keep in shape for Duathlons & Triathlons during the summer. The last
few years I have become involved with adventure racing, which is something
I really enjoy.

What is your background as far as team and/or individual sports as a youth
and in school?

My main background as a youth was Fishing & Hunting. I spent most of my free
time with my father camping, fishing, hunting & enjoying the outdoors. I
played some baseball & tennis in summer leagues, but in High School I always
kept part time jobs & had chores, living in the country. I never had the
time to participate in sports after school. I believe that's why I appreciate the
opportunity so much that I have now to participate in sports.

Tell us a little about your family.  I believe your wife Tammy is a big
supporter.

My wife Tammy is my greatest inspiration & supporter. She has been
participating in the sport almost as long as I have. In the last 2 years she has
accomplished goals in the sport that dwarfs anything I have ever done. Tammy received an
emergency liver transplant 2 1/2 years ago to save her life. It was caused
by a hemangioma that grew on her liver and prevented it from functioning. Her
outstanding fitness before the transplant is what enabled her to survive &
make a miraculous recovery. Less than a year after the ordeal she was again
training & entering running & multisport races. Tulane Medical Center where her
transplant was performed has touted her as their most outstanding patient. My father
passed away a year ago & also was a very good supporter, he was always very proud
of the condition I kept myself in. My mom comes with me to some of the local
races & even volunteers for the CajunMan Tri, she will help me with the cooking this
year.

Can you briefly describe a typical week of training?

I mainly compete in sprint distance races so my goal for each season is to
build 90 minutes of endurance at an all out effort. My total mileage for a
typical week is 20-25 miles running, 75-100 miles cycling, 3-5 miles swim.
My main workouts are bike/run bricks usually done in the morning for 45
to 90 minutes at race pace. Once a week I'll do long ride of 30-40 miles
and once a week a run of about 6-8 miles.  I usually swim on my lunch hour
about 3 times a week for 1000-2000 meters at a 25yd indoor pool near my work place.
All of my training is done alone or with Tammy, usually from home on the
quiet country roads around Maurice.  Most mornings I don't decide exactly
what I'm going to do until I have a cup of coffee & see how I feel, then
decide where & how far to go.  I have a stationary bike wind trainer & weight
set at home for rainy days.

You have great muscle definition, and I presume you lift weights.  True?
What are your thoughts there?  Do you use supplements, creatine, or anything
else along those lines?

I have always believed in weight strength training usually 2-3, 30 minute
sessions a week. I only work my upper body with weights. For legs I get
better results doing anaerobic intervals during my bike/run workouts.
I don't use any supplements or even take vitamins. I instead try to focus
on a well rounded diet.

What is your dietary philosophy?  Protein, carbs, fat, etc.

I don't follow any particular program but I usually try to eat low fat foods
with plenty of fruits, some quality protein & lots of fluids spaced out with
small portions during the day. For the evening meal I love to cook Cajun
dishes or eat out & usually am less conscious about that meal.

What do you do for a living?

Project manager for a telecommunications installation company specializing
in fiber optic networks.

Is it tough to find the time for all the training needed?

Since I mainly compete & train at sprint distance events, I don't find it
that hard to get in enough training. If I can get in a good quality hour
a day that's really all I need to maintain my fitness. 2 hours are the most
I feel I ever need to do in any one day.  I've learned that more training
than you need does not mean better results.

What does "rest" mean to a successful triathlete?

Proper tapering & resting is just as important as good training.
If you get up in morning & your body is telling you it doesn't want
to workout & your just going through the motions. It's better not to
train & wait until your energy has returned. If you continue to train
you will more than likely feel even worse the next day & can begin a
very bad cycle. Once you have reached your fitness level a day or two
off will not negatively affect your results but can improve them.


What is your favorite leg of a tri?  Least favorite?

I really like all 3 but Cycling is my favorite part always.  It's a toss up between swimming & running.


Any advice for those who want to get faster, runners and triathletes both?

The best advice I can give is to be patient & persistent. Find out what
types of workouts work for you & stick with those. I have never believed
in training on some scheduled written program. You should spend your
training time doing what you feel like doing & not something that's on a
schedule, as it then becomes more like work instead of fun. If there is a certain
routine that you do regularly but don't enjoy or look forward to, change it
to something you do enjoy, you're more likely to get in a better effort & feel
good about the time spent doing it.

Care to name a favorite tri and/or road race?

Favorite has to be the CajunMan Triathlon. I get to do the cooking - gumbo,
red beans, jambalaya & help with the organizing. Any race in Louisiana that
I can reasonably get to, I enter. I've always believed in supporting our
state events before traveling somewhere else.