IRONMAN Insights - meet Becky Turnbull

This isn’t your first time around when it comes to ANZCO Foods IRONMAN New Zealand. Tell us a bit about your history with this event.

This will be my third time representing ANZCO Foods in the  IRONMAN 70.3 race. Before my first one, my endurance background was pretty much the occasional 10km run, so jumping into triathlon was a big step that put me way outside of my comfort zone.

Each race has taught me something different – usually the hard way – and that’s been a huge part of the appeal. My first time in Taupo was pretty rough, particularly on the bike, so last year felt like a bit of redemption on two wheels but the run was a struggle, so this time around the focus has shifted again, and having a great run is firmly in my sights.

Building that consistency, resilience and confidence to keep showing up, even when it gets uncomfortable, has been what I am most proud of in my IRONMAN journey so far.

How are you balancing training with work and everyday life?

This is always the hardest part of the whole experience. ‘Mum guilt’ is a very real thing, especially when weekend training means time away from the kids and family. That said, we make it work. My husband, Andrew, is incredibly supportive (although he was noticeably less enthusiastic when I recently started joking about signing up again for 2027!), and we’ve learned how to plan around my training. It’s not perfect, but having a supportive family makes all the difference.

How has your approach to nutrition and good health changed since starting this journey?

Nutrition has become absolutely critical, not just for performance on race day, but for recovery and consistency in the months prior. You can’t do IRONMAN training on an empty tank.

I think protein is key for me to be successful. I struggle with protein shakes and powders, so I’ve had to be more intentional about getting my protein through whole foods. Obviously beef and lamb are a major part of that.

Tell us about being part of the ANZCO Foods IRONMAN New Zealand race team. 

IRONMAN is a pretty selfish sport, but if you take away the personal goals, the team is the real thing that has kept me going for the past three years. I genuinely think I’d get serious FOMO if I wasn’t involved in this team beyond this years race. The people, with the support and camaraderie they provide, are hard to beat. I love it and I have thrived on the environment we have created.

It’s also been a great way to connect with people across the business that I wouldn’t normally get to meet through my day job, and I’ve made some genuinely great friends along the way.

What are you most looking forward to on race day?

The atmosphere is next level and you can feel it well before you line up on the start line and have to deal with those pre-race nerves and adrenaline. Taupo absolutely shows up for race day, and the support you get from the volunteers, spectators and even other competitors, especially on the run course, is incredible. When things get tough, that energy is often what keeps you moving forward.

We are also really lucky to have the ANZCO support crew there on race day, which just takes so much stress off your shoulders. Ange Gordon, Louisa Hurst, Fleur Cerecke & Tim Raines do so much work behind the scenes to make sure we have the best experience possible, and it really makes a big difference.

What would you say to a colleague thinking about joining the team next year?

Since this is year three for me, I guess I can’t think of any reason why you wouldn’t come and join us in 2027! Yes, it’s challenging and will push you physically and mentally, but you learn so much about what you’re capable of through the process. You’re never doing it alone either. There’s always someone on the team who’s been where you are and is willing to support, guide and reassure you when self-doubt creeps in. It’s one of the most rewarding things I’ve done.

Leave us with a memorable story from your training this summer.

There isn’t one single standout moment, it’s more a collection of them that seem to happen every season. Falling off my bike at least once has almost become a tradition, along with plenty of humbling training sessions that don’t quite go to plan.

Then there are the good moments, such as group rides with the ANZCO team including well-earned coffee stops, being able to share the bad days with my teammates and knowing everyone else has been there and understands, and nailing those small wins that quietly build confidence. One of those was finally ticking off a big bike ride in Golden Bay this summer that I had procrastinated about all holiday. Finishing that ride felt like a real achievement.

It’s all of those moments – good and bad – that make the IRONMAN journey what it is and keeps me coming back.