Podcast Episode #6: Interview With Pro Triathlete Bryan Rhodes

This is Ben Greenfield. I'm here with Brian Rhodes, pro triathlete from Taupo, New Zealand. Brian's been one of the top Ironman triathletes for many, many years and he's got some great stuff to share with us today. But first thing is what I hear. Word on the street is that you've been dealing with a little bit of a nagging injury, Brian. You want to tell me about that?

Yeah, I've had a bit of a bad start ever since last August. I tore my gastroc in my lovely big calves that I have and I've been struggling to get it right. And yeah, just an ongoing injury that's been incredibly frustrating and finally got the good diagnostics from PC and I think we're on the road to getting back to where I should be.

You know, Brian actually had a chance to come up here and race Ironman Coeur d' Alene a few weeks ago and I noticed that he was using a lot of different types of techniques to actually help him out with his injury. And that's one of the things that I like to tell people about here@BenGreenfieldFitness.com is how to treat some of the nagging aches and pains they might have. And I don't know what kind of things you been trying out, Brian.

I was doing the usual sort of stuff, ultrasound, muscle stim, but I even went using the trigger point walls and things to try and speed up anything. Basically I was looking for anything and even turned to compression socks and all sorts of things which I thought was utterly bunch of Euro trashy sort of looking garbage. But I'm sort of an advocate now.

Yeah, you know, I see some people running around with those compression socks and I think it looks like they are basketball players straight out of the 80s. But they've been working out pretty well for you.

Yeah, I mean, it's new stages, but I've been using them in my long runs and they seem to be sort of working and hopefully that will sort of maybe hold these puppies together. I'm definitely not getting any younger, so anything in that realm that will help me recover faster or maybe squeeze that extra ounce out of me, I'll take it.

So what do you have coming down the pipeline for races now, Brian?

Pretty much just focusing on Ironman Canada, so trying to squeeze as much training. Like I've got the swimming and biking sort of going quite good. But, you know, obviously just with all that lost time, I want to get the run to where it should be and you know, I mean, people are going, oh, aren't you worried about Kona? But I think it's important. I really haven't raced an Ironman since Ironman Coeur d' Alene last year, so, yeah, it's a worry really. Well, actually, sorry, no, I tell a lie. I did Florida, obviously, because I qualified at Florida. You need that sort of racing to go into a world championship knowing that you're actually capable of pushing yourself. I think that's probably the biggest question mark that I have over my head.

You know, we get a lot of people listening to Ben Greenfield Fitness who are triathletes, and we focus a lot on diet and nutrition. So how do you actually fuel your body during a race like Ironman?

Yeah, pretty much. It's an amazing sort of event because from one race to the next, I try to stick with the exact same nutrition. And one race I'll nail it and it'll be in the next race. You try and take the exact same stuff and it might be just a little bit cooler, a little bit hotter and your body just adapts different to that sort of condition and you can struggle. So each race is different. But if you stick with the same strategy, generally you come out baby rough. But I don't try anything radical. I don't change too much. You've got to have an A and a B plan for your nutrition because there are things outside of your control that do happen out there. I've had bottles drop from rear cages. That's the ejector cages. And you've just got to go with it, you know, I mean, I'm not a great advocate of the stuff they service on course, but at least it is consistent. You know you're going to get Gatorade and you know you're going to get the power gel. So, I mean, it is probably advisable to actually mix some of that stuff in along with your training so that you can adapt if anything does sort of throw a hurdle in your racing.

Yeah, absolutely. I believe banana's a banana the world around, right?

That's exactly right. I mean, you just. Yeah, it's racing conditions and you know, the other big thing is the change of pace. Like, especially for us, age groupers usually set their heart rates, goals, times. It's all sort of working with their pacing and their training and whereas we have to lift the pace at different times. So it actually makes it a lot more interesting. Let's say you can really have to go above threshold to make sure that you're in with the hunt for the race. Yeah, I mean it's a different sort of race to be involved in the pro race.

Yeah, well you got somebody pushing yourself outside of the comfort zone when there's a paycheck involved, right?

That's right. I mean when you are vying for those small paychecks that we get and you have to completely change your game, I like to come off with the lead guys so that you're not at any deficit at all. Sometimes it means missing an aid station or actually putting yourself above that absorption rate of your nutrition so you can even fall behind. So yeah, you've got to be prepared for that.

Now, what are the nutrition habits of triathletes vary quite dramatically. But what would you say your top five nutritional staples are in your diet?

Well, pre race I use Ensure plus and I've used it for a number of races. I actually have two cans of that one in my special needs bag on the bike and one going from bike to run and I charge that back pretty rapidly. Not the nicest, but I just use the plain vanilla. Some people use strawberry and chocolate. I don't know how they handle those flavours. Then I'm straight with Clipshot and basically the Cliff Electrolyte drink. And then I use noon tablets with water. I just not a big advocate of Gatorade. Any time that I've used Gatorade I've had stomach issues. If you get Gatorade it's always best to sort of water it down. The big problem is consistency. Each aid station is so different but most of the races now are in that same single serving sort of bottles. It's a little bit at least straight from the manufacturer, but yeah, that's what I take. And then onto the run I hit the caffeinated gels near the end of the bike and onto the run, onto the water. Cokes straight away at the aid stations and just keep whacking them back. And the old fuel belt comes in handy to take on a, a little bit extra, maybe a go fast energy drink mixed with a wee bit of water on the run. Just lots of caffeine really to keep you wiggin to get to the finish line.

Yeah, absolutely. I think you may have just screwed me because this entire podcast is actually sponsored by Gatorade.

Oh, sorry.

That's okay, I can edit that out. So anyways, well, it was good talking to you, Brian. Any last pieces of advice for an up and coming age grouper triathlete?

There's lots of good advice. The main thing that I always got told. And that's one thing I wish I had a mentor under me very early, but your pace and your training and just going out there and really just relaxing and enjoying the Ironman. It's, it's a long day and everyone goes through highs and lows and you'll have some bad points, but there's always a good part of the race after a little bad low. So just keep ticking along and reach your goals.

Keep a smile on your face, huh?

That's the one. Smile on the dial.

Alright, well, thank you very much, Brian Rhodes, folks. This is Ben Greenfield with pro triathlete Brian Rose from New Zealand, over and out.