There are elite athletes, and then there are triathletes. Forget physical strength: It takes major mental fortitude to swim, cycle, and run your way to a finish line that requires more than mere endurance. Training for triathlon really means practicing three different sports that engage your muscles in three entirely different ways—and that can make properly fueling your body even more complicated.
“I was always chasing what I thought I needed to look like,” says Natasha Van der Merwe, an elite endurance trainer and founder of NVDM Coaching, “versus nutrition being something that facilitates and enhances my performance in the sport, and then enhances recovery. I had this complete mental shift in food purely being fuel and using it as a tool in order for me to perform and recover.”
A former pro tennis player originally from South Africa, Van der Merwe came to triathlon later in her athletic career, but got off on a rocky start riddled with injuries. That’s when she found the superfood that could help fuel her from pre- to post-workout, while training or in competition: Beef.
