"Racing is a very physical sport, very physical indeed," Yacaman said. "To be in shape, I always look for alternative ways.  I don't just stick to the gym and lift weights. I really like to run and ride both mountain and road bike. Lately I have started to pick up swimming. So then I thought why not mix it all up and do a triathlon?"

Yacaman, who had previously competed in a duathlon (cycling and running) and a 10K road races, finished the 600-yard swim, 14-mile bike and 3-mile run in a time of 1 hour, 37 minutes and 3 seconds (seventh in his age group).

"I wasn't going for a win because I had never done one before, but the whole triathlon will help me prepare for the very physical road courses coming ahead," Yacaman said. "The heat, the intensity and the endurance are all things that I will need to be strong at during this races. Training this way is more exciting than just hitting the weights in the gym and it also feeds my competitive spirit."