Meet our March Athlete Spotlight, Tom Willmott! Tom has been involved with UTSA Triathlon and Paragon Training for three years. He's a charismatic athlete and caring leader, and he consistently steps up to lead one of the cycling groups for Paragon's monthly Suffer Faster rides. Tom never leaves a fellow athlete behind, a unique quality among competitive triathletes and cyclists.
Age: 27
Occupation: University Lecturer
How long have you been swimming, cycling, running, and/or doing triathlons?
I did my first super sprint back in 2013, then took a brief 6 year hiatus before beginning again in any real earnest in 2018 and haven’t stopped since!
What aspects of triathlon do you enjoy most?
I have always loved the team aspect of training with friends and sharing in the struggles of training.
What has been your favorite training or racing event, and why?
Not to milk it too much, but doing my first half-iron at Waco was a huge blast. It felt amazing to race with over two thousand other people in attendance and get to wander around the village. Such a shame the big races keep getting cancelled!
What is your favorite post-workout or race meal?
Shortrib Poutine from Whiskey Cake. Greasy, meaty, starchy, delicious. I always looked forward to Mondays after swim.
What is one recent accomplishment you are proud of?
I was given a whole new course this semester, with 50 students in a senior level physics course. I built a midterm entirely from scratch, gave it to students, and have now graded it in its entirety. The culmination of a month’s work. And I only made some of my students cry!
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I really lucked out if I’m honest. I always loved the idea of working in a university. I dreamed of doing research, but it turns out research is boring and teaching is way more fun, so I’m even better off!
What is something no one knows about you?
I was kinda tubby when I was a young kid.