by Bill Shaw

This feature is a continuation of the Front of the Pack article on Shawn and Ann Smith in the April 2002 issue of Runner Triathlete News. To get the "rest of the story" on the Smiths, please read the Front of the Pack article in that issue.

Front of the Packers Ann and Shawn Smith of Houston are top triathletes, husband and wife and training partners. "Ann and I do almost all of our training together," said Shawn. "The past two years have been a lot of fun, as we've been virtually on the same schedule."

"Shawn is my coach and one of my favorite training partners," said Ann. "He keeps me in check when I start veering from the schedule and wanting to do too much or go too hard (a typical triathlete weakness!). Having your spouse as a training partner makes getting out of bed for early morning workouts much easier. However, as the training gets more intense, sometimes it tries our patience. In 2000 training for Ironman Florida together, as it got closer to the race and the more worn-out we got, there were morning workouts where we wouldn't speak a word for the first 30 minutes."

Training with her spouse, however, doesn't lessen the competitiveness.

"Competition is definitely there (for me anyway), but it's all in fun," said Ann Smith. "We both have our strengths and can use them to push each other. But the longer the race, the more equal we become."

"Ann has more strength for longer races, whereas I have more speed for shorter races," said Shawn. "In training and racing we're very close swimming and biking and can push each other. She doesn't like to be behind me after the swim and I don't like to be behind her after the bike, so I think we make each other go faster."

When they are not training, racing, or staying home with their cat Smokey, the Smiths have other similar interests.

"I love camping, hiking, and traveling to new places with Ann," said Shawn. "I'm also a big sports fan and like going to Astros and Rocket games and, of course, Rice Owls sporting events."

Shawn is a Rice alumnus, and Ann graduated from Texas A & M. In addition to winning the open men's and women's competition in May 2001 in the College of the Mainland Bay Area Triathletes (COMBAT) Triathlon, Shawn's first top finish, Shawn placed third in Try Andy's Tri in Sugar Land in September. In the 2001 regional rankings, Shawn placed third in the 35-39 age group in both triathlon and duathlon competition. He finished the Ironman Canada in 11:00:05, and his training experiences kept him going.

"It was a great lesson in learning how to finish when things aren't going your way and that it's important to keep a positive attitude and appreciate the blessing of being able to compete," said Shawn. "A hard slip and fall in the hotel shower put me on the start line with a bruised shin, and when one of the cleats on my bike shoes came apart early in the ride, I knew it was going to be a long day."

During triathlon season, the Smiths follow a rigid training regimen. Monday starts with afternoon track workouts. On Tuesday mornings the Smiths cycle and do speed drills and swim later in the day. Wednesday mornings they do morning tempo runs and bike intervals and a transition run later in the day. Thursday is a later masters swim workout, and on Fridays they do an easy run or bike ride. On Saturday it's an early long bike ride and later in the day an easy swim. The Smiths wrap up their week workouts on Sunday with a long morning run.