PowerUp Tri Podcast Episode 23: Tim Reed

The PowerUp Tri Podcast is hosted by former pro triathletes Matt Lieto and Jordan Rapp, who lend their in-depth knowledge of the multisport to the Zwift Tri audience.

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On this episode we bring the king of the “Budgy Smuggler” Tim Reed on to talk about perception versus reality when it comes to the life of a pro triathlete. There are not many athletes who know the true challenge of balancing a “real life” with top performances in triathlon more than Tim. He has done an amazing job of juggling his family (with a wife and three children) and the responsibilities of logistics that are necessary to keep a pro career going. Beyond this, he’s been able to maintain the elite level training it takes to win over 20 70.3s, including a 70.3 World Championship in 2016.

It wasn’t just any 70.3 World Championship win either. In many people’s opinion, including mine, it might have been the best 70.3 world champs race in the history of the event.

Tim touches on the misconception that being a pro means you just race triathlon. In reality, a “pro’s” life looks a lot like that of any elite amateur, meaning that on top of the real job of pro triathlon, the athlete also has other jobs to actually pay the bills. “I think I turned pro in 2010 and I really didn’t stop taking on other sources of income until maybe 2013 and by that stage, I was winning quite a few races,” Tim states. He also expresses his annoyance with the age grouper that rips on, or takes great pride, in beating a pro: “I think… if you’re an amateur and laughing at a pro because you beat them, just realize they’re probably doing exactly that same amount of training and work.”

Besides chatting with Tim about what it’s really like to be a pro, we dive into our normal segments and get some good info laughs as well. We chat about Tim’s longtime friend Cam Wurf getting himself on a pro tour team (Ineos) and, in Tim’s opinion, help him in his goal to win Kona. “Honestly, (I) don’t think it’ll take anything away from his Hawaiian visions. If anything, it’ll probably add to it,” he says about Wurf. We also get into Tim’s dream of a Rapp Power Up and we all give our opinion on why Jan Frodeno parted ways with Asics after being with them his entire career. Spoiler alert: we get real word from the man himself (Jan) in our next episode. 

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