Man dies during Towne Lake Triathlon in Cypress

Matt Cook, 37, collapsed during 3rd leg of triathlon

CYPRESS, Texas – An autopsy will determine what exactly led to the death of a Houston man who collapsed during a Labor Day triathlon Monday morning.

The competition started off like most other late-summer races in southeast Texas -- early, hot and muggy. But overall, folks said it was a great day to hold the fifth Towne Lake Triathlon in Cypress.

"It was a great atmosphere yesterday," said Charlotte Byrne.

Byrne was a course volunteer who also works at Tru Tri Sports, a triathlon store that was one of the race sponsors.

"It was very well attended. I believe there were about 1,500 athletes," she said.

But about three and a half hours into the race the medical examiner said 37-year-old Matt Cook of Houston collapsed in the middle of the run -- the final portion of the Olympic triathlon. Cook had received work on his bike recently at Tru Tri Sports.

"It's crazy," said Frank Musil, the service manager who worked on Cook's bike. "You know, somebody that you've actually seen, dying in a race, out of all things, something that we do all the time."

The medical examiner told Local 2 paramedics rushed Cook to a nearby hospital, where he later died.

Triathlons are always a grueling test of physical and mental fortitude. Even without knowing Cook's level of fitness, experts said when you add in the heat and humidity of the Houston Area, nutrition and training become even more important when competing.

"If you want a respectable time and you're trying to reach a particular goal, even for shorter races, it's good to push that training out up to six months," said Jordan Gautreaux of Tru Tri Sports.

When he collapsed, Cook was in the middle of a 6.2-mile run. He had already swam 1500 meters and biked 23 miles.


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