Why Training Hard Isn’t Enough: Lessons from Triathlete Brent Saltmarsh

Training like a machine but still falling short on race day? You’re not alone.

Triathletes are some of the most dedicated athletes on the planet. You follow your training plan religiously, tick every swim, bike and run session off the calendar, and yet come race day, something's still not clicking.

Sound familiar?

In this post, we unpack the real-life story of Brent Saltmarsh – a determined age-group triathlete with a military background – who learnt the hard way that training hard just isn't enough. With PBs finally falling and cramping issues a thing of the past, Brent's journey through the Triathlon Nutrition Academy (TNA) is packed with lessons that could change your race results too.

Cramping, Bonking and Gut Bombs: When Training Alone Fails

Brent came into triathlon from a 30-year career in the army. No stranger to hard work, he brought that same "grit it out" mentality to his endurance training. But what he didn’t realise was that his nutrition strategy – or lack of it – was holding him back.

Here were some of the mistakes that led to cramping, gut issues and inconsistent performance:

• Trying to out-train a bad diet: Brent assumed he could eat whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, and just burn it off. Spoiler: that doesn’t work long-term.

• Believing online advice: He followed well-meaning but misguided tips that didn’t match his physiology or training load.

• No structured race day fuelling: Often under-fuelled and dehydrated, he paid for it with race-day cramps starting from as early as 100km into the bike.

"I was taking hits literally in every direction by the time I got to the run," Brent says. "I just couldn’t put it together."

Turning Point: The Ironman That Broke Him

Brent’s wake-up call came at Cairns Ironman. By 100km into the ride, he was cramping hard. His gut had shut down. From that point, it was survival mode.

"I tried everything. Anything I could get my hands on. Gels, drinks, course nutrition. But nothing worked. I was underdone, under-fuelled and paying the price."

Despite the pain, Brent finished. But it was a miserable experience. That race, combined with years of hit-and-miss performances, drove him to seek help. He joined the Triathlon Nutrition Academy.

What Changed When He Got His Nutrition Sorted?

Fast forward to today: Brent is halfway through TNA and already seeing massive changes.

Here’s what’s different:

1. Cramp-free racing: PBs at Sunny Coast Half and Noosa Marathon, both completely cramp-free for the first time.

2. No more gut bombs: He identified fibre as a key trigger and completely restructured his race week nutrition.

3. Consistent energy: He can now finish strong instead of hanging on by a thread.

4. Confidence to race, not just survive: "For the first time, I feel like I can actually race, not just hang on and hope for the best."

"I used to plan long runs around toilet stops. Now, I don't even think about it."

Key Lessons for Every Age-Group Triathlete

• Training is only part of the equation. You can be the fittest athlete on the start line, but without a solid nutrition plan, you’ll never reach your potential.

• Don’t wing your race day nutrition. Throwing gels and sports drink down randomly won’t cut it. You need a personalised strategy.

• You don’t know what you don’t know. Brent thought he had it covered – until he realised he didn’t.

Next Steps: Ready to Nail the Fourth Leg?

If you relate to Brent’s story, it’s time to stop winging it. The earlier you get your nutrition sorted, the better your results (and race experience) will be.

Start here:

• ✅ Download the Triathlon Nutrition Checklist: Your 50-step guide to nailing race day nutrition. dietitianapproved.com/checklist

• 🎧 Listen to Brent’s episode: Episode 209