Erin's Secrets to an 11 minute Personal Best at Eagleman 70.3

Erin Byrge has found the formula to successful racing

Erin's 11 year racing career began with running with her son. She was already a swimmer and cycler so adding on running and competing in a triathlon seemed like a no brainer. Since then, she has been addicted to the sport, enjoying the sense of accomplishment and camaraderie it offers.

Over the years, she’s competed in various races including Kona and the World Championships.

The Importance of Nutrition

Erin continues to learn and improve every year, and nutrition has been a major focus for her in recent times. Previously, she didn't prioritise nutrition as part of her training and everyday life, but being in the Triathlon Nutrition Academy changed her perspective. Erin now understands how all the puzzle pieces fit together, enabling her to train stronger, sustain performance, and recover better, even with frequent races.

Prior to her nutrition transformation, she neglected recovery meals, thinking that not consuming calories would help with weight loss.

Learning from the Academy, she realised the importance of proper recovery and started prioritising it, leading to significant improvements.

Incorporating recovery meals and appropriate nutrition allowed her to perform better and have more energy, even after demanding races.

She learned that carb loading is highly individualised and should vary based on race length.

Erin said she used to rely on a pancake dinner before every race, regardless of the distance and now understands the importance of adjusting carb intake and duration based on the specific race.

By incrementally increasing carb intake and duration, she could fine-tune her carb loading strategy and optimise her performance.

Practicing this approach before her recent race at Eagleman resulted in a fantastic performance without bonking, even in the scorching heat.

Goals

Many triathletes struggle with recovery and often fall into a restrictive mindset due to a dieting culture.

Erin shifted her perspective and set three different goals for each race: Rock Star, Super Happy, and Happy goals.

The Rock Star goal represents the stretch goal (like a PR), while the Happy goal is more achievable but still worth celebrating like finishing a race with a smile.

This tiered goal-setting approach allows her to always feel successful and celebrate achievements, regardless of the outcome.

Looking toward the future

Optimising nutrition is crucial for triathlon performance. By prioritising recovery meals, adopting a positive mindset, and personalising carb loading strategies, triathletes can unlock their full potential and achieve their goals. 

As a dedicated triathlete, Erin has experienced firsthand the transformative impact of proper nutrition on her performance, recovery, and overall well-being.

Embracing the triathlon lifestyle requires finding balance, setting realistic goals, and celebrating every achievement along the way. Remember, nutrition is the key to fueling your success in triathlon racing. So, nourish your body, train smart, and enjoy the exhilarating journey of triathlon. 

We can’t wait to see what’s next for Erin!

To dive deeper, listen to the Triathlon Nutrition Academy Podcast, EP 99 - Erin's Secrets to an 11 minute Personal Best at Eagleman 70.3  

If you are interested in learning more about the Triathlon Nutrition Academy Program and what it can do for you, head HERE to join the waitlist for our next opening.