Episode 212 - Back of the Pack: Why Nutrition Isn’t Just for Fast Triathletes

Back of the Pack: Why Nutrition Isn’t Just for Fast Triathletes

Think nutrition is only for podium chasers? Think again.

In this inspiring chat, we meet Dr Sarah Barr, a proud back-of-the-packer, cancer survivor and one determined triathlete chasing big endurance goals including a full Ironman for her 62nd birthday. As a long-time calorie counter and clean eater, Sarah thought she had nutrition sorted... until she realised she had no idea how to fuel as a triathlete.

We dive into:

• Why nutrition is just as critical for slower athletes
• Common fuelling myths that leave back-of-packers bonking
• How Sarah overcame restrictive mindsets to fuel with purpose
• What she’s doing differently to chase her next big goal

This episode is a must-listen for any triathlete who’s ever thought they’re “too slow” to need a proper fuelling plan.

Links:

Check how well you’re doing when it comes to your nutrition with our 50 Step Checklist to Triathlon Nutrition Mastery

Start working on your nutrition now with my Triathlon Nutrition Kickstart course 

It’s for you if you’re a triathlete and you feel like you’ve got your training under control and you’re ready to layer in your nutrition. It's your warmup on the path to becoming a SUPERCHARGED triathlete – woohoo!

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Episode Transcription

Episode 212: Back of the Pack: Why Nutrition Isn’t Just for Fast Triathletes

Welcome to the Triathlon Nutrition Academy podcast. The show designed to serve you up evidence-based sports nutrition advice from the experts. Hi, I'm your host Taryn, Accredited Practicing Dietitian, Advanced Sports Dietitian and founder of Dietitian Approved. Listen as I break down the latest evidence to give you practical, easy-to-digest strategies to train hard, recover faster and perform at your best. You have so much potential, and I want to help you unlock that with the power of nutrition. Let's get into it.

Taryn Richardson (00:00)
Today's episode on the podcast features one of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy athletes, Sarah Barr. Sarah is a family physician based in the US and a very proud back-of-the-packer triathlete. She’s proof that this sport isn’t just about speed; it’s about persistence, finding joy in what you do, and fuelling yourself to go the distance no matter what type of racing you do.

I love Sarah’s story. It’s so inspiring. She’s overcome cancer, is managing osteoporosis, and is still chasing big goals like 70.3s. She’s got a couple of marathons on the cards for 2026 and her ultimate dream of completing a full-distance Ironman event for her 62nd birthday.

Before the Triathlon Nutrition Academy, Sarah was super disciplined with her nutrition. She counted calories and felt more at peace when she did that. She avoided processed foods like flour and sugar and ate quite routinely during the week to maintain consistency. But what she didn’t know was how to eat to be a triathlete and how to periodise her nutrition around her training. Over the last 12 months, she’s significantly increased her fuelling and learned how to support both her health and performance. She’s now training stronger than ever.

The key message from Sarah’s journey is that nutrition isn’t just for podium athletes. It’s just as important for the back-of-the-packers who want to finish strong and stay healthy for the long term. Welcome to the podcast, Sarah.

Sarah (01:59)
Thank you. It’s good to be here.

Taryn Richardson (02:02)
So, Sarah, for listeners who don’t know you, can you give us a bit of a rundown on who you are, how long you’ve been doing triathlon, and how you got into the sport?

Sarah (02:10)
Sure. In high school, I was on the JV swim team, so I got comfortable being in the water, but I never really progressed far. I was just happy to finish my race and see if I improved a little bit. Later, I joined the army for a few years and did some running with that.

I remember seeing Ironman races and thinking, “That would be neat to do one day.” But it went on the back burner. Years later, after changing how I ate and losing a bunch of weight, I was chatting with a group one day and someone mentioned she’d done a local triathlon. I thought, “Maybe I need to look into this.”

At that time, I’d been doing a bit of strength training but not much else. This was around 2017 or 2018. I volunteered at a local half-distance triathlon, and two months later, I was doing my first super sprint. Like so many people say, the rest is history. I was hooked. Since then, I’ve done mostly sprints and Olympic distances, one aquabike, and last year my first half-distance triathlon. My first Ironman-branded 70.3 is in September.

Taryn Richardson (04:02)
And the rest is history. You’ve got some big goals coming up. One of the things you do, Sarah, is proudly call yourself a back-of-the-packer. You always say you’re slow, but you’re fitter and faster than 99.9% of the population. What does being a back-of-the-packer mean to you, and why do you embrace it so strongly?

Sarah (04:22)
It’s just where I am. I’m usually towards the back of the field unless there are lots of newbies. If there’s only one or two in my age group, sure, I might podium, but most races are stacked. When you compare yourself to the field, you’re in the back.

Yes, there are plenty of people at home not doing anything, but that’s not who I’m comparing myself to. I’m comparing myself to those out there racing. And I’m fine with that. I can get better, but I’m never going to the Olympics or world championships.

Taryn Richardson (05:01)
Yeah, and that’s fine. You just love it. Triathlon is such an inclusive sport. It doesn’t matter what your level or ability is. Everyone can be involved, and that’s part of what makes it so special.

Sarah (05:26)
Exactly.

Taryn Richardson (05:28)
You’ve had an incredible health journey - remission from cancer, managing osteoporosis, all while working as a parent and a busy physician. How does triathlon fit into your life?

Sarah (05:44)
I just make my workouts a priority. Nutrition has always been important - eating for health and athletic performance. You make it part of your routine. Get up, do your workout, go to work, take care of family, sleep when you can. Some people might not want to see my house most days, but it still works.

Taryn Richardson (06:19)
You can only do so much in a day, right?

Sarah (06:22)
Exactly.

Taryn Richardson (06:27)
So where did the big “I want to do an Ironman” goal come from?

Sarah (06:34)
I’m not sure when exactly. Seeing others progress inspired me. At our 2023 ambassador camp, we volunteered at Ironman Florida. Standing at the finish line watching people come down the chute, I thought, “I want to be out there one day.” That’s when it really hit me.

Taryn Richardson (07:19)
You’ve got such a good base now. Do you think getting your nutrition right has boosted your confidence to go after that full Ironman goal?

Sarah (07:27)
Definitely. Before, I’d heard advice like, “You only need to eat 25% of what you burn.” There was even a calculator online that told you how much to eat. I followed it and bonked hard around nine miles into a run. I still got my best time yet, but I was walking most of the way home. Now I know how much better it could have been with proper fuelling.

Taryn Richardson (09:30)
Thank God that’s changed.

Sarah (09:32)
For sure.

Taryn Richardson (09:34)
So before joining the Academy, you tracked calories, ate routinely, and avoided processed foods. What did that look like for you?

Sarah (09:56)
Years ago, I followed “eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full.” It helped me lose weight. Then I tried cutting sweets to one serve a day, but that crept up again. Eventually, I cut them completely. That worked for a while, but I struggled with what to eat during races. Sweet potato with almond butter in a baggie? Triscuits and raisins? Not practical mid-race.

I didn’t start tracking calories until 2020 when I worked with another nutritionist. We weren’t racing that year, but I lost some weight and stuck with calorie tracking as a ballpark guide.

Taryn Richardson (11:43)
All of that gave you a solid foundation for nutrition - understanding hunger cues, cutting junk, and staying consistent. Then it’s just about layering on triathlon-specific fuelling.

Sarah (12:09)
Exactly. I’ve even reintroduced some flour, like a bagel on higher workout days, to boost carbs.

Taryn Richardson (12:41)
Nice. So what changes have you seen since learning how to periodise your nutrition?

Sarah (12:41)
I add more food on key training days and make sure I fuel properly after workouts. My dinners now double as my recovery meals. Sometimes they’re at 10 p.m., but they tick all the boxes.

Taryn Richardson (13:11)
Fair. Have you ever had any other weird advice?

Sarah (13:42)
Oh yes. Someone once told me my taper would take care of carb loading. That made no sense. Thankfully, now I use the TNA carb load calculator and it works - I’m not bonking anymore.

Taryn Richardson (15:28)
Funny that. Carb loading is something hardly anyone gets right. The internet is a minefield.

Sarah (16:37)
Exactly. I’ve learned to plan, practise, and build my carbs gradually. Now it’s all much smoother.

Taryn Richardson (17:36)
Have you had any mental blocks around fuelling or carb loading?

Sarah (18:14)
At first, yes - it was hard mentally to eat that much. But once I practised and saw the results, it got easier. Now I just do it.

Taryn Richardson (18:50)
Love that. What advice would you give to back-of-the-packers who think nutrition isn’t that important?

Sarah (19:09)
You’ll be out there a long time, so you need it even more. You might not need as much as the pros, but without proper fuelling, you’ll struggle to finish and you won’t enjoy it.

Taryn Richardson (20:00)
Exactly. We want athletes smiling at the finish line, not dragging themselves there.

Sarah (20:10)
Absolutely.

Taryn Richardson (20:58)
What will you do differently as you prepare for your full Ironman?

Sarah (21:09)
More strength training to get faster and stronger. I’ll refine my nutrition even further - 16 to 17 hours of sugar is a lot, so I’ll experiment with real food options too. And definitely more sleep.

Taryn Richardson (22:05)
Sounds like a great plan. Now, the million dollar question - why couldn’t you figure out triathlon nutrition yourself as a physician?

Sarah (22:25)
We don’t get much nutrition training in med school. I’ve learned bits over time, but athlete nutrition is another world. Online info contradicts itself constantly. You try things, see what sticks, and hope for the best.

Taryn Richardson (22:59)
Exactly. Even smart people struggle with all the misinformation online. That’s why structured support helps so much.

Sarah (23:52)
My advice to others - take it one day at a time. Stay healthy, stay strong, and keep learning. The Academy has been amazing for understanding triathlon specific nutrition.

Taryn Richardson (24:25)
One step at a time - perfect advice.

Thank you, Sarah, for sharing your story. You’re living proof that nutrition isn’t just for the podium. It’s for everyone who wants to enjoy this sport for years to come.

If you’re ready to learn to fuel smarter, recover faster, and perform at your best - no matter where you sit in the pack - come join us in the Triathlon Nutrition Academy at dietitianapproved.com/academy.

Sarah, I can’t wait to see what you achieve in 2026 and beyond. Maybe Cairns 2026 for Team TNA.

Sarah (26:06)
We’ll see about that. Thanks so much, Taryn.

Taryn Richardson (26:10)
Thanks everyone for tuning in. See you next week.

Thanks for joining me for this episode of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy podcast. I would love to hear from you. If you have any questions or want to share with me what you've learned, email me at [email protected]. You can also spread the word by leaving me a review and taking a screenshot of you listening to the show. Don't forget to tag me on social media, @dietitian.approved, so I can give you a shout out, too. If you want to learn more about what we do, head to dietitianapproved.com. And if you want to learn more about the Triathlon Nutrition Academy program, head to dietitianapproved.com/academy. Thanks for joining me and I look forward to helping you smashed in the fourth leg - nutrition!