Singapore #Fitspo of the Week: Anna Eberhardt
Life goes beyond the digits on the scale and your body is capable of so much more. Yahoo’s #Fitspo of the Week series is dedicated to inspirational men and women in Singapore leading healthy and active lifestyles. Have someone to recommend? Hit Cheryl up on Instagram or Facebook.
Name: Anna Eberhardt (@annaeberhardttri)
Age: 36
Height: 1.68m
Weight: 55kg
Occupation: Professional Triathlete (graduated as an architect)
Status: Married
Diet: No specific diet, but try to eat low carbs and high fat
Training: Usually I train two to three times a day, with the weekend focused on longer runs and bike rides.
Q: How did you get into the sport of triathlon?
A: I’ve always been an active kid. I played handball competitively and then in high school, my sports teacher introduced me to triathlon and took me to compete in a team at a school triathlon event. After that, I saved my pocket money to buy a second-hand road bike and started a journey which never ends – now I call it a lifestyle.
What was your very first triathlon race and how did it go?
One of the high school triathlon and duathlon events where I finished in one of the last few spots, and I knew I could do better than that.
What is it about the sport that you like so much?
Triathlon is an endurance sport, not very technical, and anyone could start anytime. In a social aspect it brings people together. I’m lucky I get to call many of them my friends today.
When did you decide to turn professional and why?
I applied for a professional license back in 2015 as I was looking for a challenge and I love racing. With a pro license you can race as much as you want and you can register for the race just two to three weeks before.
In my first two seasons as a pro, I was still working full-time as an architect for a famous office in Zurich. It was only after my relocation in October 2016 to Singapore that I decided to focus on triathlon and duathlons, and become a full-time professional athlete.
How different is it being a professional, compared to competing in the age group categories?
As a professional, I have more time for training and also for recovery. I can plan my training sessions during the day and I don’t have to rush home from work to get on the bike for a ride.
Racing is also completely different. For example, swimming is not my strength, so I usually have to swim by my own (the professionals start separately from the age groupers), which makes it much harder compared to swimming in a group.
The dynamics of the race are different too – you must adapt to different situations, adapt to what the others are doing. As a pro, you are not racing for a good time but for position instead, for a place on the podium.
What are some of the highlights of your triathlon journey so far?
2017 was my best season so far – I won Ironman 70.3 Vietnam, Duathlon Powerman Malaysia, Challenge Shepparton, Challenge Thailand, Nakon Nanyok and the Half Ironman National Champion in Hungary.
What are your goals for the sport now?
I’d like to focus more on the full Ironman; the challenges are different from the Olympic distance and 70.3 races. I like to challenge myself!
Your husband is also competing in triathlons. What are the advantages of being in the same sport as a couple?
It is nice to spend time and share the experience with someone who loves the sport as much I do.
When did you not feel confident about yourself?
It was after Ironman Western Australia last year. I had a very bad race, with a terrible swim, then stomach issues and I never found my rhythm in the race. I ended up finishing 30 minutes slower than I planned. I analysed the race with my coach after to see what went wrong and accepted that not everything goes to plan all the time.
Are you satisfied with your body now and why?
I’m always satisfied with my body because I think a healthy lifestyle and a happy life is more important than your weight.
