Look out world: Taylor Knibb is leveling up

Taylor Knibb is fast. Really fast. To some extent, she admits, her ability to race anything, anywhere, any time has been to her own detriment.

The 26-year-old has excelled at all levels of triathlon. In 2021, with the support of USA Triathlon, she won a World Triathlon Championship Series race in Yokohama and the series finals in Edmonton, both at the Olympic distances of 1.5km swimming, 40km biking, and 10km running. In 2022 and 2023, she won Ironman 70.3 World Championships at roughly double the distance. Then she took on the 2023 Ironman World Championships in Kona at double the 70.3 distance, taking fourth in her first ever full-Ironman attempt. 

Knibb is proud of her ability to get to any start line and perform, but she admits that she has rarely trained with purpose. This year she decided it was time to knuckle down. Her new coach made her write out her season goals, and one event easily topped the list.

“If you saw last year’s racing, or the previous year’s racing, I was kind of just looking at the shiny objects,” Knibb said. “I love racing, I love putting myself out there, but I’m not always prepared. So actually being forced to write down my priorities, that was a big exercise for me in terms of shaping the year. And the only thing I had as a top tier was Paris. And so that’s how the year has been shaped around.”

Knibb has hardware ambitions at the 2024 Summer Olympics after taking a silver medal in the mixed relay event in Tokyo. At her first Olympic go-around, she was still finishing up college and felt as if she was winging it on the world’s biggest sporting stage. This time, she wants to see, arguably for the first time in her life, what it looks like when she puts every bit of herself into one event.

Not that a scattershot approach hasn’t worked out for her. Knibb feels she performs best when she’s excited about the challenges she’s undertaking. Variety keeps her energized throughout a long racing campaign.

“Unfortunately I’m a human being, so there’s also the joy factor and the intrinsic motivation factor,” Knibb said. “If you put me excited about a race versus me being just kinda eh about something, the excited person is going to beat the not excited person, even if there’s a difference in fitness. And I know that about myself.”

Knibb is willing herself to level up. She has never had a clean approach to the season like this. Her recovery from a 2022 stress fracture in her foot had her frantically playing catch up with her fitness throughout 2023. That she thrived anyway is a testament to Knibb’s grit and talent. Now after a structured offseason, and with a big target on late summer performance, Knibb is anxious — dare we say, excited — to see what her next phase looks like.

And so are we. Knibb has wowed us plenty in just a short period of time, and she may still be a long way off her final form. What’s not to be excited about?!

Knibb spoke with the Race Shop about her eclectic career in triathlon, the importance of USA Triathlon’s support in her success, and how she’s still evolving as an athlete. The follow Q&A has been edited for clarity and length.

How are you approaching 2024? Is it keeping the routine as usual?

Taylor Knibb: No, it’s actually quite the opposite. I have a new coach this year. And my coach, at the start of our working together, had me write a priorities list, which I’ve never done before, but I recommend it for any athlete who might. 

If you saw last year’s racing, or the previous year’s racing, I was kind of just looking at the shiny objects. I love racing, I love putting myself out there, but I’m not always prepared. So actually being forced to write down my priorities, that was a big exercise for me in terms of shaping the year. And the only thing I had as a top tier was Paris. And so that’s how the year has been shaped around. And then after Paris, I’m gonna get to do some more fun races, but in the lead up to Paris, it’s very focused and purposeful of what I need to do, and pretty much nothing else.

What are some of the things that you’re doing differently this year than maybe you have in past years?

Knibb: I’m not racing Miami to start the year, I’m racing Abu Dhabi. Which, I would love a three-hour flight [laughs], but I am going to be taking a 24-hour trip instead because my coach wants to see where I am against the best women in the world, and then we can have more time to fine tune our plan and make adjustments. And then I’ll be focusing on draft legal racing.

In the midst of that, I’ll be racing 70.3 Oceanside in April to validate for Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Taupō, New Zealand. I have to complete a 70.3 by June 30th in order to be able to race in Taupō, and Oceanside seemed like the least disruptive given the timeframe I had.

My training is very different from what I’ve been doing in the past. It’s a lot more short course focused again, which is a return to my roots in a way.

And I know that about myself. So I know I need to get there and understand why it’s important. And once you explain to me why I need to do something, I’m down. But if I don’t understand and I don’t see the purpose, it’s kind of hard to convince me otherwise. Especially when it conflicts with something you care about and it feels like you’re kind of going against it.

Do you have a favorite distance or event you like to do?

Knibb: Triathlons [laughs]

OK fair, but any particular formats?

Knibb: I think the PTO format is probably my favorite because it’s the 20-meter draft rule. And it’s also probably the perfect distance for me at this point in my development. I have a feeling at some point in my life it’s going to be Ironman. Like Kona just bit me. I have the bug. But I wasn’t fully prepared for that, and I also respect that distance. I need to go all in for that. 

But I feel like with the PTO, I can go up a little and go down a little if I want, so it also gives me that flexibility. But then there’s also a part of me that loves short course because it’s so competitive, and you can also race so much more. Because you can recover from a sprint quite quickly; after an Ironman you won’t be walking in that time. So there are pluses and minuses to every kind of event.

That reminds me of something you said in the past, which is that you’re an athlete who really likes to learn things. Is that in part why you don’t feel tied to a particular format?

Knibb: Oh yeah, and part of the reason why — so Abu Dhabi is a sprint distance [half of Olympic distance]. And an Olympic distance is probably more comfortable for me than a sprint distance is. And so doing a sprint distance race puts myself in place where it’ll expose even more weaknesses. So then you can kind of tidy them up when you go back to the Olympic distance. With going over or under Olympic distance, you can see what you need to work on so in the distance that you’re focusing on, you can be more prepared.

Different distances are like a stress test to get you prepared for the Olympic-distance sweet spot. 

Knibb: Yeah, but also like before the Paris test event in 2023, I was kind of like ‘Eh, I hope I only have to do two more short course races in my life. I hope I qualify for the Olympics and then I’m done.’ Because I wasn’t really enjoying the process. But then, I don’t know if it was because I took a step back from it, I’m excited for Abu Dhabi. And as I said, excitement really helps me. But also by racing the different distances, when I go to each distance, I’m excited because it’s not dull for me. It’s like, I only get to do this a few times, and I don’t have to do this if I don’t want to anymore, so you’re grateful when you get to show up.

You’re approaching the Olympic cycle for a second time. What’s that like compared to your first time in 2021?

Knibb: Well, I feel like I haven’t really gotten the true Olympic experience. The first time I was in school, and I had classes and exams and things that you can’t miss. And so I kind of did the bare minimum to get into the last qualification race, and then I was able to qualify for that. So it felt like I was almost one foot out the door. It was a bonus Olympics for me. 

And then this time, because of my foot injury, and then also because I’ve been racing the other events, I haven’t raced that much in between. I’m not always on the circuit, and I don’t feel entrenched in it. Which is kind of nice, because I might be one of the most excited athletes to race an Olympic-distance race at the end of July. It doesn’t feel like I’m slogging through the cycle. It just feels like I’ve had a lot of breaks. The most important thing is showing up on July 31st. 

You’ve gotten a ton of support from USA Triathlon to get to this point. How have they been key to your success?

Knibb: In April of 2013, that was the end of my freshman year of high school, I had to make the decision whether I was going to continue to play ice hockey or swim. I had done both my freshman year, and I was moving up another level in both such that I just didn’t have any more time. So I decided to swim, and then three weeks later I did my first draft legal triathlon. And when you do that youth league series, you’re in the draft legal pipeline, so I was racing internationally the next year.

And just to have that opportunity via USA Triathlon, like there’s no way I would be where I am today without that. So I think that’s huge. They support me at most of my races that I do draft legal-wise, which is very, very nice, and something that I’ve learned shouldn’t be taken for granted. Like I can show up to a race and I don’t even know what hotel I’m staying in. Which doesn’t sound responsible [laughs], but I know I have a room, and I know that my transfer is at the airport waiting for me to bring me to the hotel thanks to USAT. 

There’s just a lot that’s done behind the scenes. They’re also supportive of doing long course. I’m guessing there are federations that wouldn’t allow that. And also USAT allows you to pick any coach you want. That’s huge. 

When you were a young athlete just starting out, how did it feel to have that support?

Knibb: It’s very, very helpful. And I probably take a lot for granted because I’ve experienced it for so long that I don’t know what it’s like to not have it, but it has enabled me to continue racing through college. There’s no way I would have gone to the 2021 Olympics had I not been able to race through college. 

You don’t know how every single experience compounds to such a degree that suddenly you’re standing where you are. It’s like the sliding doors, you don’t see the other way. And then it’s hard to see all the other alternate universes that could have happened. So I’m just very grateful.

It sounds like USAT has been an important safety net in a difficult sport.

Knibb: So this is the other thing, I qualified for my elite license in 2016. And I was able to race my first World Triathlon Series race in 2016. But that was before the NCAA had their new rule about NIL deals. So USAT allowed you to have a collegiate elite license specifically for that purpose, so I could accept a pro card race in the pros’ fields. And I could accept prize money up to my necessary expenses. 

So it was all NCAA legal, but they enabled that to happen. And some countries set standards in terms of how you get into certain races, but my first year as a pro I raced WTS Stockholm, and USAT doesn’t limit that. Like if you’re willing to fund yourself to a race, they won’t stand in your way. I think people see support as direct, but also it’s what people don’t do, and if you don’t impede on someone. 

So 2021 was my first year out of college, and it was the first year I was technically a professional, but I’d been racing in the elite field since 2016, so it didn’t feel like that much of a jump for me.

You’ve come a long way in a few years. You won 70.3 World Championships twice. You’re preparing for another Olympics. Does it feel surreal to think about where you are right now in your career compared to 2016?

Knibb: It’s hard to think about, but I also don’t tend to look back too far. It’s like, ‘OK, how are all the ways in which I still need to improve and get better and what can I do?’ I kind of see all the areas that I still haven’t tapped into fully. It’s probably better to have a bi-directional view, but it’s kind of hard when a lot of my process is just living it day by day and making sure I’m doing the best I can each day. 

How do you feel like you’re still growing and what do you still feel like you have to learn in this sport? Because you are still a young athlete.

Knibb: So it depends on each distance. With short course racing, I think a lot of it is learning with my new coach how to prepare best for the races given who I am as an athlete, my physiology, and how I can still perform. Because I feel like I haven’t really tapped my potential in short course at all. A huge piece is my run, but then also my bike tactics — I just need to be better there in terms of expending energy or not. And then my transitions need a lot of work, and also swim consistency. So that’s the whole race. I need to improve the whole entire race. [Laughs].

And then same with 70.3s. And the PTO distance also, but that’s even bigger because on the bike I still need to go into a wind tunnel, I still need to get aero tested, I still have a ton of gains in terms of equipment choices and suit choices, but also even just training. 

I mean, I haven’t really trained specifically for a 70.3 ever. And that’s probably the hardest thing about the past year and a half for me is that I had a big injury, and so I was very much playing catch up. Like between June 1st, 2022, and April 1st, 2023, over a 10-month period I probably ran for a total of two months. So you miss that, and then everything that comes with it. 

I’m also doing a lot more sprinting now on the bike. I don’t sprint like the Lidl-Trek riders at all, but I can tell you, if you look at my data, I couldn’t sprint because at this time last year I wasn’t able to clip out of the pedals. So even there, it’s making sure I can even do the baseline work that’s required, versus panic training for a race and not being fully prepared. 

I feel like I show up to a lot of start lines where it’s kind of just like, ‘Oh, we’ll see,’ and just put out my best performance. And it doesn’t end up being my best performance, it’s just the best I can do based on the circumstances I’ve had leading into it. With a different plan now, everything’s very gradual and step by step, and I have a very good coach. So I’m excited to see how that will help me both this year and for years to come.

For sure, although it sounds like you’ve gotten good at racing on the fly, which is also a great skill to have as an athlete. 

Knibb: Yeah, and I’ve had some plan to my racing, but it wasn’t as long-term focused. It was more like, ‘Oh, this race is coming up in three weeks and you have the bike fitness, you just started running again, how can we get you to the start line?’ And that’s been a big thing in the past two years: Will I get to the start line or not? 

And that needs to change. That’s on me and I’m doing a lot of things that are very different. And I think a bigger piece with having a plan is if I don’t need to do something, I don’t do something. That’s also very purposeful. Like if I do something, it’s because I need to do it. And if I don’t, I don’t.

I do like the challenges and the variety. And we follow our comfort zones, so maybe I’m just a little too comfortable being a little underprepared for every distance. Maybe that relieves a bit of stress that allows me to tap into 100% of my potential on the day and I just need to mature. Hopefully, that’ll come with age and I’ll be able to commit all-in to a discipline. Because that requires a certain level of trust in yourself and your process and your goals.

You’ve been a Trek athlete for two full years now, entering your third. What’s it been like being on this program so far? 

Knibb: So my introduction to Trek was that my previous bike with another brand had a stress fracture. And Trek got me a bike in two days — two days! — for a race, and I was able to race on that at the end of 2021. That trust and support from the beginning, that says a lot. Because there are some companies who are like, ‘You know what, you need to sign the contract,’ and who would not do a two-day bike build. That was two days from request, to choosing my color, and then here’s the bike all built, showing up at the door. That’s beyond anything. 

My second bike was hand delivered and hand built. [Team support manager] Mark [Andrews] came and got it fit. And so that’s just huge. I love the bike. And I think that you have to love your equipment. I’m excited to ride each of my bikes. I don’t like missing a day riding ever, but it’s almost harder because whenever I do ride I’m not riding the other bike. 

Whenever Mark comes to a race, it’s just a stress relief because you know he’ll take care of everything. And he’s such a calming presence, that if you’re a little bit anxious, you get down to earth because he’s gonna do his job, and it just sets a standard. Because when people are accountable, your accountability rises, and you just can’t let anyone down.