Tim DeBoom is a long-time PowerBar® Team Elite® veteran, two-time Ironman Triathlon World Champion, and successful business entrepreneur. We recently tracked Tim down to discuss a host of topics including how he got his start in triathlon, life outside of the sport, his sports nutrition regimen for an Ironman, and advice for athletes looking to advance in the sport.
Snapshot
- Age: 38
- Home base: Boulder, Colorado
- Family: Married (to Nicole) and with a big soft spot for their dog (Annie)
- Occupations: Professional triathlete and business owner (SkirtSports, run by Nicole, and Red Rock Company)
Notable Accomplishments
- Member of the Pan American Games USA team in 1995 and 1999
- Member of the Goodwill Games USA team in 1998
- Twice selected as the United States Olympic Committee “Athlete of the Month”
- Two-time “Triathlete of the Year”
- Six-time selection as the “Top U.S. Ironman Triathlete”
- Two-time “Overall Age-Group National Champion” Ironman Triathlete
- Two-time “Overall Age-Group World Champion” Ironman Triathlete
- Ironman Triathlon World Champion in 2001 and 2002
- Fourth-place finisher in Ironman Hawaii in 2007
Q: At what age did you get into triathlon? How did you work your way up the ranks to become a pro and get that first Ironman win?
Tim: I had a long competitive swimming career. My first triathlon was at age 20. After that initial race, I didn’t do another one for over a year. A friend got me interested in trying to qualify for an Ironman, and it turned out that in my second race I ended up qualifying for Kona. For the next few years, I pretty much focused on short-course racing and winning age-group titles. But after accomplishing just about everything I could as an age-grouper, I decided to turn pro. That was back in 1995, and I finished 10th in Kona. That race was crucial because it gave me the motivation to get better. My brother Tony joined me in the pro ranks, and we traveled the world together competing in triathlons. That’s also when I met Nicole, and we got married a year later. I had a few years of setbacks with disappointing results. But in 1999, I gave myself an ultimatum — either I had to improve in Kona or find another job! The strategy worked. I won Ironman New Zealand early that year, and then used that momentum to take third in Kona. That was a huge stepping stone. Up to that point, I wasn’t quite sure that I had what it took to win in Hawaii. But with that finish, I knew winning was possible. A second-place finish in 2000 was another step forward. I was so close, but it was my own mistakes that held me back. Then in 2001, all I thought about for the entire year was Kona, and that’s when it all came together. I won in Kona in both 2001 and 2002.
Q: What has enabled you to be so successful as an athlete?
Tim: I'm a pretty determined guy and I love to work hard. That's what this sport is really all about — the strongest guy usually wins. I also have had an incredible support group around me. You don’t win something like an Ironman on your own. It takes the support of family, friends, sponsors, and fans.
Q: What do you love about the sport?
Tim: There's so much to love about triathlon. Being outside every day has to top the list. Traveling to different locations for races has shown me the world. I also really appreciate the people in the sport. It’s like being part of a big family. I’ve been involved in it for so long now that it’s a huge part of my life. It’s been incredible.
Q: What’s most difficult about the sport, and how do you deal with that?
Tim: Setbacks are tough. You train so hard, and then an injury or even an illness can completely derail your plans. I've been there several times, and it’s frustrating. But now I look at situations like those as a way to learn and an opportunity to come back stronger, both physically and mentally.
Q: What else do you have going on?
Tim: As a professional athlete, you have to realize that there are always going to be younger and faster athletes coming up. I still believe I have what it takes to win, but I also know that I have to look to the future and think about what's next. My wife, Nicole, decided to stop racing a few years ago, and she started a women's apparel company called SkirtSports. All that she had been putting into being a professional athlete she redirected to building her company, and it shows! She loves it, and her experience helped me realize that there will be something else out there for me when I’m ready to stop racing. Last year I actually raced very little. Instead, I got more involved in her business, and also started another endeavor called Red Rock Company. It’s an event production company that puts on triathlons and other events around the country. It took so much time to get things up and running. Racing full time while helping to manage these two companies would have been very tough. But this year the focus is back on racing. I know what it takes to get to the top, and I'm not willing to put anything less than 100% into achieving that goal.
Q: What has the partnership with PowerBar® meant to you?
Tim: I’ve been part of the PowerBar team for as long as I remember. PowerBar products have been part of my training since my very first triathlon race. PowerBar’s support and their dedication to the science of sports nutrition have been invaluable to me personally. They’ve also been a huge supporter of the sport of triathlon, and have been key to its tremendous growth. And I couldn’t ask for better people to work with. I consider the whole team at PowerBar close friends, and always look forward to hanging out with them.
Q: Are nutrition and hydration important to your ability to train and compete, and is there any particular experience where you learned that lesson the hard way?
Tim: I always say that the top guys in our sport train basically the same. So winning comes down to proper rest and, most important, nutrition. Just this year, in my first race back at Ironman Australia, I had a huge nutrition meltdown. Racing through the transition to my bike after the swim, I dropped my PowerBar
® Performance Energy bars and PowerBar
® Gels. What a disaster! They didn't have what I needed on the course to make up for what I’d lost. I knew it was just a matter of time before the wheels would come off. I tried to replace the calories and the carbs, but missing my PowerBar nutrition really took its toll. It was a tough way to relearn the lesson — always have a backup!
Q: Can you describe a day in the life of Tim DeBoom when gearing up for an Ironman, and your eating and hydration regimen?
Tim: I train all year round, but my big builds for key races start about eight weeks before the event. This is when my discipline goes into high gear. Everything revolves around training, resting, eating, and recovery. All the extra junk goes out the window! I eat a pretty healthy diet. I always start with coffee and a little something to eat before swim practice. Lately I'm hooked on the new PowerBar
® Energy Bites — I like that you can eat only what you feel like, and then save the rest in the resealable pouch for later. During the swim, I have my water and a PowerBar Gel. After practice and before my long ride, I always eat a good breakfast. Oatmeal or toast and eggs is my favorite. Training then takes up most of the day, so I'm eating Performance Energy bars and PowerBar Gels, and drinking fluids, all through that period until I'm done. Then it's right on to recovery. I try to eat as soon as possible after training to maximize the rate of recovery.
Q: How about for a race — what’s your typical fueling and hydration regimen?
Tim: I try to hydrate and eat pretty normally leading up to an event — nothing out of the ordinary that could upset my stomach. Race morning I get up a few hours before the start and eat some toast, a banana, and a Performance Energy bar. Then I sip water until the start. I also take a PowerBar Gel about 30 minutes before the start to top off my fuel stores. Nutrition during the event varies from race to race depending on distance and conditions. What works in a chilly race will not work in the heat and humidity of Kona. But my strategy is to always get a Performance Energy bar in me right at the beginning of the bike. This helps set me up for the whole day. Then I go into my routine of fueling every 20–30 minutes and continually rehydrating.
Q: Do you do anything in particular after a race to promote recovery and reward yourself?
Tim: I always try to get food in me as soon as a race is over, assuming my stomach cooperates. If it's a big race like Kona, then anything goes because it's time to celebrate! Usually the thing that really tastes good to me is a vanilla milkshake.
Q: What is your favorite PowerBar product?
Tim: Right now, I love the oatmeal raisin and the chocolate Energy Bites. I leave a couple of packs in the car, and when they heat up, they taste just like cookies out of the oven!
Q: How do you cope nutritionally with travel to an event?
Tim: I always travel with my own stash of PowerBar products and a jar of peanut butter, because you can always find good bread. Other than that, I'm pretty adaptive and I enjoy eating in new places. If you are too structured in your diet all the time, you can run into trouble when you have no choice but the local food.
Q: Any words of advice for up-and-coming triathletes?
Tim: Keep it fun! I think it's the same advice for any career pursuit or endeavor. What's the point if it's not fun? Also realize that you’ll make mistakes along the way and you’ll have setbacks. But use those as opportunities to learn. I’ve benefited from mistakes and setbacks because I’ve learned from them, made adjustments, and ended up stronger in the long run. That thinking has helped me to have a long career in the sport, and it’s been exciting. Imagine if everything had gone according to plan all the time — that would have been boring!
Q: What’s on the horizon for you?
Tim: I'm in full build mode for another run at Kona!
Follow Tim as he goes for his third Hawaii Ironman World Championship this October. Interested in knowing about other Team Elite athletes or how you can join the ranks? Click on the Team Elite link at PowerBar.com.
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