Taylor Knibb on a Tear in the Inaugural T100 Season
By Carson Beckett
Writer, Pro Cyclist
HPT Athlete Taylor Knibb has had a remarkable season in the inaugural year of the T100 Triathlon World Tour. With three wins under her belt, and the final World Championships in Dubai looming ahead, Knibb spared some insight for us on how this season has gone.
What main pieces of the puzzle do you attribute to your consistency across the events this year?
I think the consistency in performances can be traced back to consistency in training. My coach is very focused on very good load management and getting me prepared to race. I’m also grateful that the format allows you to showcase your abilities across all three sports, especially on the bike with the 20 meter draft rule.
Your performance in Lake Las Vegas marked a significant milestone with your third T100 win. How did you approach this race, and what strategies did you employ to make it happen?
I just focused on getting to the start line in the best shape possible – physically, mentally, and emotionally. I try to communicate well with my coach and we made a bit of a change to the plan the weekend before and in the week leading into the race. My body was quite tired and so it got a little extra rest.
In the lead up and during the race, I just really tried to focus on my process and executing the plan —both training plan and race plan— to the best of my ability, one step at a time. It’s easier said than done, but it’s where I find I perform best.
Having competed in both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics, how have these experiences influenced your approach to the T100 series? And, vice versa, how has T100 assisted your career?
I think any Olympic Games experience can give you perspective, but the Olympic distance and T100 distance are completely different race distances and formats.
Right now, the T100 is in its first year and I raced my first T100 race at the beginning of the year (so less than five months ago). So its hard to say how it’s assisted my career. I think it really helped me post-Olympics get excited to race again. It’s new and different and giving me some space from short-course.
How have you trained to make that cycling leg of tris such a standout? How does this influence your race day strategy?
In 2013, when I started draft-legal triathlon, I did not have a competitive run. In order to be competitive in races while my run developed, my coach and I started using my bike as a weapon. It definitely became my strength.
My strategy was to go from the gun (I took the advice a little too literally and went quite fast from the gun) and use the combination of my swim, bike, and run to my advantage.
How do you approach your nutrition in the days leading up to a T100 race?
(with regard to Lake Las Vegas) I was getting very cranky and irritable 8-9 days out from the race. So it probably sounds questionable, but I bought a cake. It was a chocolate cake from Whole Foods. I finished it by Sunday evening or Monday. But I felt like my body needed energy and I enjoyed eating the cake. I still ate normal meals/snacks otherwise.
Once I was in Lake Las Vegas, I went to Crumbl on Wednesday afternoon, so I refilled my fueling stash. I cut out most fiber two days out from the race. I still eat oatmeal for breakfast (now 100g). I mostly just try to eat enough. When in doubt, I’ll err on too much rather than too little. It’s a long race and my body needs the energy. I also trust my body and feel.
What does your on-course fueling strategy look like? Are there specific types of fuel or timing that you’ve found to be most effective during longer races?
I’m still refining my fueling strategy. But in this race I took 100g of Skratch Superfuel on the bike and two Maurten 160 Gels (so 180g of carbs in 1:58). Then I took one 30g Skratch Superfuel “gel” on the run. I had two made and I was going to take a second one, but the special needs was a bit out of the way and I felt good and didn’t want to lose my rhythm.
Has your fueling approach evolved over the season(s)? What’s something you’ve learned from experience that’s really improved your race-day nutrition?
My fueling approach has definitely evolved over the seasons and I’m continuing to work on it so it will definitely continue to evolve over future seasons.
I think this year is the first year that I’m really focusing on fueling while training. My coach will put in the grams/hour that I have to hit for most rides. And then I’ve applied that to the swim and run too. I’m not perfect, but I’m working on it.
Recently, I made the switch back to using Skratch Superfuel and that has improved my fueling.