Local father-son duo compete in the 2014 Ironman Texas

THE WOODLANDS, Texas--The typical father-son pair bonds by fishing, camping and building decks. Derek and Todd Cooper shatter that stereotype by running—or rather, running, biking and swimming—triathlons. This Saturday, May 17, both Coopers are registered to participate in the Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas.

Todd Cooper began doing triathlons in 2009, a year before his son became involved. He began with sprint triathlons, which are the equivalent of about an eighth of Ironman triathlons.

“My wife mentioned a sprint triathlon in The Woodlands and said, ‘Why don’t we do that?’” said Todd. That was his first triathlon. Then, Todd did a race in Austin, where Derek was attending school at the University of Texas.

“I watched him do a sprint, and I kind of got inspired,” said Derek.

Derek began training shortly after. In 2011, he participated in the Ironman Texas for the first time. Now, he has done the Ironman each year The Woodlands has hosted it.

Training is extremely intensive for both Coopers.

“I train almost every day of the week,” said Derek. “I do swim workouts before work in the morning; I’ll do runs during my lunch break. In the evening, I’ll run, swim or ride a bike. I try to keep a big focus on flexibility and core strength, so I do a lot of stretching and a lot of core work. Also, I try to do a lot of mental training because it is a very mental sport.”

“Early mornings and lunchtime,” said Todd. “Whenever I can fit it in.”

The two live close enough, Derek in Houston and Todd in The Woodlands, that they can train together on the weekends.

“I live down in Houston now, so I’ll spend the night there on a Friday night, and my dad and I will wake up and ride the full 112-mile course and then do the run,” said Derek. “That’s a seven-hour workout, and we’re side by side the whole time.”

Aside from physical workouts, both Coopers have to watch what they eat. However, preparing for a triathlon does not simply involve carb-loading. Triathletes must stack their carbohydrates throughout the week before the race, said Derek, but they must also keep their diets balanced.

“Good whole foods and lots of veggies,” said Todd. He also joked that although he tries to avoid sweets, a rule of avoidance makes them all the more tempting.

The week leading up to the Ironman is completely centered around strategically training. All the triathletes are buzzing with anticipation, according to Todd.

“The whole week is just exciting,” said Todd. “It’s nervous excitement right now.”

However, both Todd and his son are able to channel this excitement into energy that fuels them during the race itself. In the heat of the moment, they find clarity.

“It’s as simple as going forward,” said Derek. “It’s actually really peaceful. Despite all the pain and the cramping and the exhaustion, there actually is, at least for me, kind of a Zen: a peace that I find a spiritual fulfillment for me.”

Todd and Derek are both part of a larger triathlete community, where triathletes keep track of each other’s progress and offer mutual support. However, this father and son provide community for each other.

“We’re each other’s biggest fans and biggest motivators,” said Todd.

Competition between father and son can spur both to better their own performances.

“I like the fact that he’s almost twice my age, but he can still push me and make me better and make me stronger,” said Derek. “He’s a beast. He’s 52, and there are some days when he’s setting the pace, which is pretty amazing. I’m only 28.”

The rest of the Cooper family has involved itself by providing some extra father-son rivalry based on a comic book superhero.

“We do have a family trophy,” said Todd. “My brother-in-law sent down an Iron Man—the cartoon character—lunchbox. Whoever wins gets to keep the lunchbox until the next one.”

Support from their family is an important factor in both Coopers’ success.

“I like to see my family, of course, in the morning before I swim,” said Derek. “They always set up at The Goose’s Acre. They’re always on the patio and always super loud. My favorite part of the day is running by them on the run. My second favorite thing is seeing them at the finish line.”

Though the Ironman is technically a race, it truly is more about the relationship between the father and son than it is about times, awards or personal records.

“We’re both really competitive and we want to finish and we have expectations, but at the end of the day, it’s about the two of us,” said Derek.

To view a list of traffic impacts during the Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas this weekend, click here.