Episode 219 - How Brian Fuelled a 45-Minute 70.3 PB Through Total Life Chaos

How Brian Fuelled a 45-Minute 70.3 PB Through Total Life Chaos

How do you train and race at your best when life is completely hectic?

In this episode, I chat with TNA alumni Brian Joseph, a full-time working dad of three (including a toddler and a teenager!) who somehow managed to shave 45 minutes off his 70.3 time while juggling family chaos, illness, ER visits and back-to-back Ironman goals.

We unpack how he:

• Fuelled for performance while sleep-deprived

• Used TNA tools to stay consistent, even when life derailed his race prep

• Learnt to prioritise recovery and protein to bounce back faster

• Turned chaos into control through smarter nutrition planning

If you’ve ever felt like you’re spinning plates trying to keep training, family and work going, this one’s for you.

Links:

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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 219: How Brian Fuelled a 45-Minute 70.3 PB Through Total Life Chaos

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 guest is TNA alumnus Brian Joseph. Brian is a busy dad of three from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a 19 year old, a four year old and a 19 month old at home, plus a demanding job and a wife who travels for work. So add triathlon training into the mix and his life is pretty full. Brian was preparing for Ironman Chattanooga and Ironman Cozumel just eight weeks apart, chasing his Kona Legacy status. But as you'll hear, things didn't exactly go to plan.

This is a story I know you're going to love because it's about doing your best in less than ideal circumstances, navigating family chaos, illness, sleep deprivation, visits to the emergency department, all while trying to stay consistent with your training and nutrition.

And while his race calendar didn't quite turn out as expected, what's clear is how much of a difference good nutrition has made in Brian's life when honestly it would be so easy to give up and throw it all in. Brian's here to share what it's really like to train like an endurance athlete with tiny humans at home and how the TNA program has helped him manage what he can control even when life throws disease covered battle noodles at his plans.

If your life is as jam packed as Brian's, but you know you want to feel smarter, head to dietitianapproved.com/academy and register your interest in our next cohort of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy program. Let's do it.

Brian Joseph (01:31)
You.

Taryn Richardson (01:31)
Brian, welcome to the podcast.

Brian Joseph (01:34)
Hey Taryn, thanks for having me on. I'm happy to be here.

Taryn Richardson (01:37)
So firstly, what on earth made you decide to do two Ironmans eight weeks apart?

Brian Joseph (01:43)
I have a plan to pursue Legacy Kona. I was six races in and my buddy who also does Ironmans wanted to sync up schedules for the Legacy application. So we put a plan together and two Ironman races per year matched up our schedules so that we could apply at the same time and do Kona together. Fast forward, we registered for two. I thought eight weeks in between races would be enough. Turns out best laid plans, right?

Taryn Richardson (02:15)
It was a big, hairy, audacious goal to try and hit two Ironmans in eight weeks, that's for sure. With the right nutrition behind you, I can understand why you thought that would be a good idea. And to have the opportunity to do something like Kona Legacy with a buddy would definitely be much more enjoyable than doing it by yourself.

Brian Joseph (02:36)
Yeah, and that was the thinking. I have the years, not the races. He has the races but not the years. So syncing up was part of the plan.

Taryn Richardson (02:44)
Nice. So take me back to before the Triathlon Nutrition Academy program. What was your nutrition life like when you were trying to juggle family life and training?

Brian Joseph (03:00)
Nutrition has been a journey my entire triathlon career. Everything from trying raw veganism to winging it to looking up everything possible on the internet. But when you have children, you have to be present. And I wasn't. With all the training I wasn’t showing up, not being present for my children, falling asleep. My racing was stagnating, actually going from mid pack age group down to lower in the age group.

So I decided to stop trying to do it all myself. I started listening to podcasts and yours came up. That sparked my interest. I signed up in October and it immediately started to help.

Taryn Richardson (03:39)
Yay. Was there a tipping point or was it a slow burn?

Brian Joseph (03:58)
It was a slow burn. When I heard about your program it just made sense. Everything you were saying and the reviews I read made sense. So I dove in and haven’t regretted it.

Taryn Richardson (04:10)
I'm very glad to have you. You’re not a full time triathlete. You’re a full time everything else. So how did you make TNA work on top of all that?

Brian Joseph (04:15)
I don’t know if you remember the first time we met in Power Hour, but you asked what I'd been doing for the past six months. My schedule didn’t allow me to join the live Power Hours, so I did most of the course through recorded sessions. I submitted questions and watched the recordings. After about six months I was finally able to join the live sessions and I regret not doing it earlier. They make all the difference.

Taryn Richardson (05:21)
That’s why it’s set up so triathletes can access it no matter their time zone or life situation. The masterclasses are prerecorded, accessible anywhere. And Power Hour is live, but always recorded so you don’t miss anything.

You’d already done all the work. When I met you, your plans were done, your race strategies sorted, and we just refined things from there. So when people say, “I don’t have time,” you’re proof they can.

Brian Joseph (07:01)
It doesn’t take that much time. A couple of hours a week watching the classes and doing the homework. The benefit of Power Hour is reviewing it with you.

Taryn Richardson (07:33)
What have been the best learnings inside the program?

Brian Joseph (07:41)
Starting with recovery was the most important. It seemed basic at first, but it ended up being critical. Race planning and carb loading too. But recovery is what gives me energy between sessions. I also learned I was way under on protein. I'm approaching 50 and my wife is too, so it helped both of us. After a while, everything became routine. We plan meals for the week and stick to it.

Taryn Richardson (09:10)
Most athletes think they have recovery sorted until they actually get into the details.

Brian Joseph (09:23)
When you sit down and do the calculations, you realise how far off you were.

Taryn Richardson (09:43)
What tools or strategies helped automate your daily nutrition?

Brian Joseph (09:58)
Your AI planning tool. I put in my workouts and times and it creates a meal plan. It even adjusts because I'm cooking for two. We write it down on a chalkboard and prep what we can. When the kids want mac and cheese, we stick to our plan.

Taryn Richardson (11:22)
What benefits have you seen in your racing?

Brian Joseph (11:43)
This year was always hectic, but I raced the Penn State 70.3 and hit a 45 minute PR. Same course, same body, same training. The only thing different was nutrition. Proper carb loading made a huge difference.

Taryn Richardson (13:18)
During Ironman Chattanooga things went downhill with hydration. What happened?

Brian Joseph (13:43)
I wasn’t prepared for the heat. The new bike course was fully exposed. First loop was good. Second loop went downhill. I tried to drink enough but couldn’t keep up. No heat training, no acute salt loading. By T2 I was rough. Ended up walk running the marathon. Finished, but not my best.

Taryn Richardson (16:03)
And while you were racing, your wife was in the ER with the kids.

Brian Joseph (16:24)
Yes. Our son cut his hand, needed stitches. She spent eight hours in the ER with both kids. When I got home, we had to rethink a few things.

Taryn Richardson (16:49)
You made the tough call to defer Cozumel, but you bounced back quickly.

Brian Joseph (17:04)
I did. I felt great within a few days. Good recovery nutrition, hydration and sleep helped. Previously, after races, I’d reward myself with junk food. This time I focused on proper recovery and it made a huge difference.

Taryn Richardson (18:25)
How has having your nutrition dialled in helped you feel more in control?

Brian Joseph (18:25)
I knew what I was doing. It took practice. At first I made mistakes, like ramping carbs too quickly or trying 120 grams an hour because pros do it. I learned what actually works for me.

Taryn Richardson (20:04)
Many people don’t understand carbohydrate types and ratios.

Brian Joseph (20:32)
It’s a game changer.

Taryn Richardson (20:35)
Any advice for other triathletes with young families?

Brian Joseph (20:44)
Your partner must be on board. Be flexible. Share your schedule. Finish workouts on time, even if you cut distance. Keep the peace so you can keep racing. Masters swim and group rides help. A coach helps too.

Taryn Richardson (22:10)
Tell the story of when everything went pear shaped heading into your race sim.

Brian Joseph (22:25)
The family got sick. I was fully carb loaded and ready, but had to cancel because my child was sick and my wife was travelling. In Power Hour you told me, “It’ll still be there,” which helped.

Taryn Richardson (23:04)
Triathletes love structure, but flexibility matters.

Brian Joseph (23:17)
It helps to have a coach to keep you accountable and dial things in.

Taryn Richardson (24:21)
So what's next?

Brian Joseph (24:30)
My buddy Sam is waiting for me. I have Cozumel and Ottawa planned next year. Shorter races in spring.

Taryn Richardson (25:52)
What’s been your favourite full distance race?

Brian Joseph (25:52)
Mont Tremblant. Did it twice. Louisville was great too. Placid is hard but historic. Chattanooga is my least favourite, but probably recency bias.

Taryn Richardson (26:13)
Have you done Cozumel?

Brian Joseph (26:15)
Not yet. Excited for the swim.

Taryn Richardson (26:20)
It’s hot though.

Brian Joseph (26:24)
I don’t know how to do heat training in the fall, so I’ll be picking your brain.

Taryn Richardson (26:57)
For someone listening who feels overwhelmed, what has TNA helped you do differently?

Brian Joseph (27:11)
I don’t feel like I have my life together, but my nutrition is more together. The planning helps. The race plans remove guesswork. I have more energy to play with my kids after long rides. Before, I’d be useless on the couch.

Taryn Richardson (28:11)
Brian, thank you for sharing your honest journey. This sport is relentless and doing it while raising a family is real life. If you’re listening and thinking this is you, the Triathlon Nutrition Academy might be exactly what you need. It’s not a one size fits all diet plan but a science backed education program to help you fuel smarter so you can perform at your best even when life is chaotic.

Head to dietitianapproved.com/academy and register your interest.

Taryn Richardson (30:03)
Thank you again, Brian. You’re an absolute legend.

Brian Joseph (30:03)
Thanks for having me.

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!