Natasha Bowyer has been racing since she was five years old — a Weetbix kid turned elite ITU triathlete, now chasing a World Cup start at 31 and more motivated than ever. Her journey hasn't been straightforward; two major head injuries have tested her in ways most athletes never face. But she's back, she's racing, and she still almost always has her Suunto headphones on.
What got you into triathlon?
I started triathlon as a Weetbix kid at around 5 or 6 years old! Then did some club swimming and more triathlon races at intermediate school, and things continued from there into elite ITU and European team racing at the end of high school. I've had a few major injury and illness issues, so I'm still working on moving up the ranks at 31 — more motivated than ever!
What does adventure mean to you?
Adventure means getting out of the comfort zone, seeing new places, and pushing the limits!
What is it that you love most about triathlon?
I love the training variety and the places I've got to visit. Often they were countries I never thought I'd go to — China and Slovakia, for example!
Do you have a favourite discipline?
I like all three of them, but I have favourite sessions for each:
Swimming — sets of hard.
100s Running — shorter reps Riding — long, easy coffee rides!
What does an average training week look like for you?
It depends on the week, but I'm not someone who does really high mileage. An average week is around 20–22 hours and a big week is 25 hours. Race weeks drop to around 10–12 hours.
How do you balance training and life so it doesn't feel overwhelming?
I work for myself remotely doing marketing, so I'm lucky it's flexible — but my routine is very scheduled and full on! Planning things out in advance helps me get a lot done, and also makes it easier to adapt when things change.
I try to plan in some downtime to keep myself from getting too run down. A few days of my week are quite full on, and I try to balance that with a few days where I'm less rushed and can move a bit slower.
What's your next big goal or event?
This year my goal is to get a World Cup start. To do that I need to meet the criteria at a continental cup level, which means having a few really solid races. I haven't been able to race much over the past few years, so I'm also focused on building a solid race schedule and getting some consistent racing and experience in.
What's your advice for anyone wanting to get into triathlon — especially for newer swimmers or cyclists?
First up — you need to slowly accumulate the gear, because triathlon is an endless pit of spending!
For cycling, getting a good bike fit is really essential. You'll be so much more comfortable and it massively reduces injury risk too. Try to do some group rides to get comfortable with drafting and changing gears.
For swimming, getting comfortable is key — especially for open water. If you can join a beginner open water group, that's great for building confidence and learning skills like sighting. A comfortable wetsuit also makes a big difference.
What has been the biggest personal growth through triathlon?
For me it's been dealing with two major head injuries. They had a huge impact on my life inside and outside of the sport, and I still deal with some effects today.
But they also made me appreciate how good life is when your body and mind are healthy — and made me want to come back to the sport I loved, despite everything I went through. That resilience is something triathlon gave me that I wouldn't trade.
Favourite snack or fuel?
I'm a big fan of Milo and Up and Gos!
How do you use your Suunto gear in training and racing?
I feel like I almost always have my Suunto headphones on — I wear them everywhere! I love training with music, and they keep me motivated and moving, especially when I'm training solo. Natasha uses the Suunto Aqua headphones and The Suunto Wing 2 headphones. Shop Natasha's headphones.
My Suunto Race 2 is key as well, particularly for running sessions. I love how you can customise each sport mode to show exactly what you want — that's super handy when you're switching between disciplines and need different data at a glance.
Hype song?
Power by Little Mix.
Follow Natasha's road to the World Cup — and keep an eye on the Suunto NZ Ambassador Series for more athlete stories.
Q & A With Elite Triathlete Natasha Bowyer
Natasha Bowyer has been racing since she was five years old — a Weetbix kid turned elite ITU triathlete, now chasing a World Cup start at 31 and more motivated than ever. Her journey hasn't been straightforward; two major head injuries have tested her in ways most athletes never face. But she's back, she's racing, and she still almost always has her Suunto headphones on.
What got you into triathlon?
I started triathlon as a Weetbix kid at around 5 or 6 years old! Then did some club swimming and more triathlon races at intermediate school, and things continued from there into elite ITU and European team racing at the end of high school. I've had a few major injury and illness issues, so I'm still working on moving up the ranks at 31 — more motivated than ever!
What does adventure mean to you?
Adventure means getting out of the comfort zone, seeing new places, and pushing the limits!
What is it that you love most about triathlon?
I love the training variety and the places I've got to visit. Often they were countries I never thought I'd go to — China and Slovakia, for example!
Do you have a favourite discipline?
I like all three of them, but I have favourite sessions for each:
Swimming — sets of hard.
100s Running — shorter reps Riding — long, easy coffee rides!
What does an average training week look like for you?
It depends on the week, but I'm not someone who does really high mileage. An average week is around 20–22 hours and a big week is 25 hours. Race weeks drop to around 10–12 hours.
How do you balance training and life so it doesn't feel overwhelming?
I work for myself remotely doing marketing, so I'm lucky it's flexible — but my routine is very scheduled and full on! Planning things out in advance helps me get a lot done, and also makes it easier to adapt when things change.
I try to plan in some downtime to keep myself from getting too run down. A few days of my week are quite full on, and I try to balance that with a few days where I'm less rushed and can move a bit slower.
What's your next big goal or event?
This year my goal is to get a World Cup start. To do that I need to meet the criteria at a continental cup level, which means having a few really solid races. I haven't been able to race much over the past few years, so I'm also focused on building a solid race schedule and getting some consistent racing and experience in.
What's your advice for anyone wanting to get into triathlon — especially for newer swimmers or cyclists?
First up — you need to slowly accumulate the gear, because triathlon is an endless pit of spending!
For cycling, getting a good bike fit is really essential. You'll be so much more comfortable and it massively reduces injury risk too. Try to do some group rides to get comfortable with drafting and changing gears.
For swimming, getting comfortable is key — especially for open water. If you can join a beginner open water group, that's great for building confidence and learning skills like sighting. A comfortable wetsuit also makes a big difference.
What has been the biggest personal growth through triathlon?
For me it's been dealing with two major head injuries. They had a huge impact on my life inside and outside of the sport, and I still deal with some effects today.
But they also made me appreciate how good life is when your body and mind are healthy — and made me want to come back to the sport I loved, despite everything I went through. That resilience is something triathlon gave me that I wouldn't trade.
Favourite snack or fuel?
I'm a big fan of Milo and Up and Gos!
How do you use your Suunto gear in training and racing?
I feel like I almost always have my Suunto headphones on — I wear them everywhere! I love training with music, and they keep me motivated and moving, especially when I'm training solo. Natasha uses the Suunto Aqua headphones and The Suunto Wing 2 headphones. Shop Natasha's headphones.
My Suunto Race 2 is key as well, particularly for running sessions. I love how you can customise each sport mode to show exactly what you want — that's super handy when you're switching between disciplines and need different data at a glance.
Hype song?
Power by Little Mix.
Follow Natasha's road to the World Cup — and keep an eye on the Suunto NZ Ambassador Series for more athlete stories.