Sports

Albany’s Willcox makes big strides

• Albany attorney Jason Willcox finishes 10^th overall in the Gulf Coast Triathlon’ half ironman race, posting a better time than five professional athletes.

Scott Chancey

ALBANY — Jason Willcox heeded an unusual request before competing in Saturday’s Gulf Coast Triathlon.

His 4-year-old daughter, Carson, wanted a trophy and she wanted one that day in Panama City, Fla.

Having to swim, bike and run against more than 2,000 of the country’s best athletes, Willcox had his work cut out for him. More than four hours later, Carson was able to go home with a keepsake — a plaque her father earned for finishing 10th overall (4 hours, 26 minutes, 36 seconds) in the half ironman. Willcox was timed at 31:48 swimming 1.2 miles, 2:23:55 bicycling 56 miles and 1:27:04 while running 13.1 miles. That covers, in all, 70.3 miles.

It was the 37-year-old’s second-best time only to the 4:21:37 he posted in the 2006 Ironman World Challenge in Clearwater, Fla., (36th in the world in his age group).

“The Gulf Coast plaque is in the house somewhere,” laughed Willcox, who is an Albany lawyer. “I’ve got a feeling it’s in Carson’s room; if not yet, it will be soon.”

Willcox trained, since January, an average 6.5 miles swimming, 120-135 miles bicycling and 30 miles running per week. He, however, was not totally elated after his finish. A Roswell athlete died during the race — the third, according to the Northwest Florida Daily News — at a Panama City-area triathlon in less than two years. The man, Patrick Kane, died during the swimming leg.

“He was in my wave,” Willcox said of Kane, pointing out that between 100-150 are in each wave that begins the race. “I didn’t know or hear about it until after I finished. It certainly put a damper on things.”

Willcox, who won a state cross-country championship at Westover High School and earned a cross-country scholarship to Georgia, is a married father of three in addition to practicing law. Five of the runners he beat Saturday were professionals.

“I wasn’t surprised,” said Albany’s Buck Walden, who finished 52nd in his age group Saturday and 462nd overall (5:46:01). “The mental aspect of his training and racing is what makes him as good as his natural talent and athletic ability. His mental game, though, is where it’s at.”

Albany’s Stewart Tanner was 45th in his age group (274th overall) at 5:25:15, as well as Andy Cooper (46th, 808th, 6:22:23), Lindsey White (50th, 998th, 6:46.53) and Joann Pope (second, 1,238th, 8:46.52). Moultrie’s Michael Strickland was 38th in his age group, 176th overall, at 5:11.02.

While Willcox was in high school, he learned he had exercise-induced asthma.

After finding the right medication, however, it hardly bothered him.

“I’ve never had an asthma attack during a race,” Willcox said. “It flares up, but never an attack.”

In addition to winning state at Westover, Willcox also captured the AAU cross country crown. His finish Saturday, however, ranks up there with them.

“I was really surprised,” Willcox said. “I had a surprisingly good swim and really had a good run. I think I had the fourth-fastest run of any of the male athletes there.”

While Willcox kicked into his final strides, what endurance he had left was boosted by adrenaline.

“You have to do a lot of training for this, but there is a lot of adrenaline near the end,” he said. “You see the crowd cheering for you and you see your family. That brings you through.”

While coming out of the water from his swimming leg and embarking on the biking part, Willcox even saw his wife, Dee Dee, and his three kids (the others are 6-year-old Deena, and 22-month-old Charlie.

“They are my biggest supporters,” Willcox said.

Dee Dee, who also competes in races, did not hesitate answering after being asked who was the better runner.

“I can’t even keep up with him,” she laughed. “Maybe I can keep up with him, swimming.”

Willcox now is preparing for Ironman Florida on Nov. 3. A top-10 finish in his age group would qualify him for this year’s Ironman World Championship on Oct. 11 in Kona, Hawaii.

Dee Dee likes his chances.

“What makes him so good is he doesn’t stop,” she said. “He is already looking for ways to get even better.

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