What I earned as a professional triathlete | 2023 Costs & earnings | Full transparency | Ruth Astle

Hey!
We're back with the one you usually wait for each year. What exactly did I earn as a professional triathlete in 2023? And what did it cost me to be a professional triathlete? I talk through all of the expenses around the sport and what I've earned in a turbulent 2023 season.

[@davidmorgan9138]

Ruth, you have a fun wonderful way about you - sell yourself to the sponsors - share more of your kit or sponsor products on KZbin and why you use them - we’d love to watch and listen. Best of luck in the new year!

[@peachxblue]

Totally! I didn’t realize she sold kit, granted I haven’t watched every single video. But, having a link or mention of it in each video could help!

[@HazzyWazzey]

Who’s got the money for kit?

[@peachxblue]

I mean not me but some do!!

[@2011hwalker]

The transparency is really commendable. Being a professional athlete is a tough path financially sometimes-you got to have the passion for sure.

[@foodgeektv]

I was never a pro but as I get older I'm beginning to really appreciate the days I was able to spend all day on a bike or running. The races, hanging out a the bike shop, group rides...all of it. Enjoy it while it lasts.

[@neilianparker6487]

Thanks again Ruth for the honesty and transparency, it must be difficult but keep believing and more consistency and consistence results will come 💪🏻

[@markrimelspach7041]

Thank you for sharing. Hopefully better results this year. You all are amazing athletes who certainly deserve more monetary rewards for your work.

[@andyashton3605]

I love these ‘end of year wrap up’s’ - I wish more Pros showed their breakdowns.

[@adam872]

This just highlights the brutal and exacting nature of elite sport and why I've never had any problem with people extracting the maximum amount of compensation possible. You could be one injury away from never competing again!

[@adamdellman2896]

It stinks that you are among the best in the world, yet so poorly compensated for your incredible efforts. Hopefully you, and your peers, are paving the way to triathlon becoming commercially viable. You are such an inspiration to so many. You change lives.

[@kcc937]

It was great fun cheering for you at Kona! Love your content and attitude! Thank you for sharing your journey.

[@sascha1778]

Thank you for sharing Ruth, very insightful content. All the best for next year’s race season!

[@ironmanbrazil75]

Very good content! Wishing you a killer 2024 season!

[@elizabethigrisan6880]

Appreciate your transparency!! Hoping for a great 2024 for you!

[@mansikinworthy4065]

Good luck for next year, Ruth!! 😊

[@RunYourWorld]

good luck with next season. we believe in you!

[@davidrook3890]

Thanks for sharing so openly. Fingers crossed for a great 2024 Ruth 💪

[@guillaumevaneeckhout6765]

Brands are (hopefully) renewing you not just because of the results. You provide a fantastic image for the sport, in front of hundreds of thousands (even if they don't all see your vids) and it's rare to see the reality of the sport, honest, unpolished, full of highs and lows. All the best for 2024!!

[@josepm.8972]

Thanks so much for sharing. Great vibes and best results for 2024

[@juditpapp3090]

Thanks for sharing, it is really interesting to see. Keep it up, hope 2024 works out a lot better for you!

[@fitcoupleslife6739]

Thank you for the transparency! 2024 will be a much better year!

[@dkemecsei]

Thanks for transparency, interesting insights! Have a great 2024🎉

[@DaddoSport]

Forza Ruth! Thank you for your video!

[@Pipsky12]

Love your attitude and personality Ruth. Look forward to seeing you thrive in 2024 😍

[@jonathanwales5949]

Great insight into the life of a professional triathlete ! Good luck for 2024

[@markbphilip]

Insightful video, and speaks volumes for your character that you are so honest and open. Here's to a kick-ass 2024!

[@CleverSmart123]

Thank for for your honesty and transparency. Very informative

[@infovidasupps8640]

Fantastic! Thank you so much You seem so fun and happy Hope all is good for you

[@barneyreed2315]

Great content. Keep smashing the KZbin content.

[@lord1999ful]

I admire you so much being open about it! Thank you for the videos. Wish you the best luck in 2024! Healthy and prosperity to you and your family. Train hard and stay safe .

[@ConfessionsOfALifeCoach]

Thanks for the honesty and openness Ruth. Well done for going all in and investing in energy, time and finances. Whether it’s building a business or being your best at a sport, you have to invest and it’s not just a couple of £! I think your videos and Cody’s blog’s highlight how difficult it is to make a living from triathlon & not many triathletes manage without some other form of income, huge kudos for doing it - hope the injuries allow more racing in 2024 .May cya at a gravel race!

[@distrvl5893]

Thank you for the transparency, I watched the entire adds and liked the video…👍🏻

[@leearnasnell]

Very brave of you to detail your income (well some of it) but also very interesting. Wishing you the very best of luck for next year

[@cl91000]

This video was really awesome!

[@jjun4219]

Thanks for your honesty, 2024 will be a Great year

[@joemalone4322]

Next year is your year Ruth. Keep up the hard work.

[@user-df4hi2yd7l]

Difficult year but you got through it - next year you’ll be back on top.

[@kingtubby999]

Really fascinating Ruth, thanks for the transparency, it helps us understand how the sport works. In 24 you will win a couple of races and podium in some more.

[@walterwaltersen]

Cool and brave to be transparent about your financials. Keeping fingers crossed that you will have a successful year 2024.

[@Zwiesel66]

Very likeable and interesting insight into the life of a professional athlete, it shows how much sacrifice, work and time goes into that money. I wish you all the best and success for 2024.

[@bonn1771]

great video as always and i laught at the leg room comment hopefully 2024 is better

[@gressshap8200]

Wishing you every success in 2024. You are a beautiful person so please stay strong in what is a very challenging sport

[@mr_musette]

So interesting, thanks for sharing, I'm sure many are too scared/proud to be so open, good luck for 2024

[@toon_8552]

Thanks for the breakdown and good luck for next year. I’d be happy to see a permanent shift away from Kona.

[@bizzybaz]

Thanks for the transparency

[@Lankysprinter]

This is so interesting thanks!

[@Transsend_it]

Thank you for sharing this! I love and respect the sport because the pros are doing it out of passion, but I wish they made more money - something that was more representative of their effort.

[@konradlampe9154]

Honestly, your annual summary really shows what most of the triathletes experience. I would count yourself to the top5 % female triathlete and so itˋs even more irritating that the salary is that low. Evenmore I thougt your kit and bike expenses are quite low. I would have expected higher costs. Nevertheless, I hope it will change in the upcoming years for a better. I immediately subscribed your channel for sure;-). But fingers crossed for 2024. stay healthy and push yourself to the limit.

[@tribikecargo4596]

Trank you Ruth for your Transparency in this Video. 😍👍🏻👍🏻💪🏻🍀🍀🙏🙏

[@Chris-dw3xl]

Wow very interesting and thank you for your honesty

[@hickorynotch]

Wishing the best for 2024.

[@tfun7834]

Keep after it!!! Especially the KZbin ❤

[@eitanshushu]

kudos for the transparency

[@lechprotean]

I think many viewers appreciate the honesty. It’s hard to be a a pro athlete. Even from a financial perspective.

[@zaneclone]

I always find your financial "audits" interesting- even if not really our business- as you suggest, good info for someone thinking of going "full-time". I guess the real takeaway here is- don't go mad with spending if you have a great year- as there will likely be "lean" periods...

[@maxmcaleese2071]

Wishing you a very successful 2024 👍

[@ryanw903]

Thanks for sharing.

[@glennwilliams5869]

Thank you for sharing Ruth. It just shows how difficult it can be to make a career in pro sports. It must make you crazy to see what football players get paid for what they actually have to do.

[@isthatujeebus]

If we're talking overpaid then MLB players have to be top of the pile.

[@gluecksdrache2054]

Soccer players are limited to their stadium and *never* have the experience of nature, the sound of wind speed as well as epic achievements like the run as third triathlon discipline. The top soccer players of FC Bayern may get more revenue but noone of them has such an aura and is an admirable person like Ruth. 👍

[@Biggiiful]

It sucks to think about, but it's basic economics. The football players bring in millions of more views and play an infinitely more popular sport. Simple.

[@sids1214]

Bloody hell this is hard work!!

[@jonnykeeb]

Amazing!

[@nurseboogy]

Love this! There is also a huge disparity in the racial and cultural makeup of triathletes and this is part of the problem. Thanks for shedding light on this.

[@samgooding-matthews3175]

Thank you for the back round insights I don’t think enough people bring up that actually being pro triathlete only just pays for being a pro athlete everyone talks about the prize money no one mentions how much it cost you to race there ..also pro license basically a grand 🤨 oh you can represent us but it will cost you 1k 😵‍💫

[@abderra18]

Maybe at times it may not feel like it, but you are ... "living a dream" and although that dream as a career is short - it's priceless. Money really doesn't matter. Good luck in 24, keep on truckin' 🤜

[@Reastle1]

100% agree - I didn’t get into the sport to make money!

[@peachxblue]

I love these videos, it’s so refreshing for triathlon, and also more broadly, hearing women speak about finance. it encourages me to audit my own finances, and now I can think of a friendly face like yours when doing it instead of intimidating old businessmen :) (nothing against them, they are just not relatable to me as a young woman). Finances aside, do you feel that having additional jobs other than triathlon races and sponsorships helps fulfill you mentally during the grueling & sometimes solitary hours of training?

[@Reastle1]

Yes often it is nice having something else to do other than just training and recovery. Pros and cons to it!

[@jasontoft6798]

You could really grow the KZbin channel, be the UK TTL, people are genuinely interested in the whole lifestyle from racing & training right through to coffee and down time. Your positive fun attitude is inspiring & motivational. Keep it up & smash 2024 👊🏼😎

[@Reastle1]

I’m working on it! If you have any ideas on how specifically you think I can do that please let me know 😊

[@lydsrod4933]

Thanks Ruth! This is just for the love of the sport. I think wheels company should sponsor you. You’re amazing.

[@Reastle1]

I do have a wheel sponsor at the moment - Parcours 😊 lots of other things I could be sponsored for though!

[@ayeeffvee8173]

I’m currently a division 1 runner in the United States who grew up swimming and I’m very interested in getting into tri once done with uni. These videos help a lot for me to get a perspective on a potential future! Thank you!

[@asianconnection7701]

Would it be correct to say that some people can run and some can't?

[@Reastle1]

Glad it was helpful!

[@General1Cal]

I been marathon running just to lose weight 138 miles per month wanted to push per week but with work not sure i can really push that. Your vid is great.

[@vits-swimtrainingevolution9886]

Great, so I send following information: Biggest pain in the ass is the steady effortfull but little effectful swim training - as known in the traditional way. VITS eases that rapidly and additional it is also an add for even higher bike and running abilities. Forget swim improvement and swim training and development effort at all. Actually Its nearly doesnt exist at your weekly plan, its not longer the shitty thing as it was, its the easiest thing now from the three disciplines - and still time left for what ever. VITS, Principle, Methods, Training System, Programms, education-work-train-win. VITS - quicker swim bike run - quicker win 😎 (Same in swimming freestyle, Pool and open Water, Big Championships, Olympics ... ) Cheers Peter, Germany

[@MegaMarine4ever]

Amazing insights :) May I ask what program you use to keep track of your finances?

Tough sport. Hang on in there!

[@jonathanwales5949]

Definitely very different to professional golf which has got so much money now

[@MrSonicCharge]

Thanks for a shot of reality and I really hope you get the opportunity to show us what you are capable of. How much of the financials affect your mental side when you are lining up to race? Do you allow it to impact you knowing one race can change your financial year so quickly? Thanks again and good luck

[@Reastle1]

The majority of the time it doesn’t really affect the race - I’m not doing it for money, and I made sure I had a good buffer from my corporate job so it was never the pressure of money when racing, as I don’t think that is a good way to race. There are obviously points you think about it, ie when I had to dnf in Mexico some of the frustrations and thoughts are about all the money I’ve lost doing that, but ultimately I didn’t become an athlete to get rich!

[@peachxblue]

I’ve always wondered this, too!

[@davidsantillanes3139]

Where is the kit you sale? I would love to check it out! Great video, I always wondered about this

[@Reastle1]

Most of the time just go via network of people I know, but if there are specific things you are after that I might have drop me an Instagram message!

[@zikaperic2133]

Ruth I have a suggestion for another side job: doing accounting for pro (tri) athletes. This is fantastic

[@Reastle1]

Haha! Definitely wouldn’t be very good at that 🤣

[@markroe4952]

very courageous

[@johnbeltran4988]

Elite athletes that don't make a lot of money shouldn't be taxed. It is not an occupation that they can do for so many years. If they received millions from sponsors and partnerships that is another story.

[@jmwoods]

How much are you able to save from a good year in case of harder future years/injury hit seasons?

[@Reastle1]

Good question - I saved a lot from my corporate job to make sure I had a good buffer, and 2022 I was able to save a good amount.

[@jimmyz5831]

It must be hard to see how much money is in "TV" sports. I hope you at least love what you've done. Pretty amazing stuff.

[@mikecounsell]

For the algorithm 👍👍👍👍

[@swites]

Conti or Specialized would be great tyre sponsors...

[@_J.F_]

Triathlon will certainly not make you rich unless you are at the very top of the sport, and even then it is questionable depending on how you define rich. I do think that there is a brighter future ahead in this respect, but while IM and PTO are obviously injecting money into the sport I do feel that they are not doing a very good job of actually selling the sport. Too many races are not covered or broadcasted, and those that are are often very poorly covered and often only available on limited streaming services requiring subscription etc. In my point of view that is a huge mistake as the big money comes with big numbers of fans/viewers and to get those numbers growing, and growing fast, the races need to be readily available and preferably for free to attract more fans/viewers to the sport.

[@robg109]

Was that Heather, roadside in Kona 🧐

[@foophonic]

Moral of the story , don’t give up those side hustles 😂

[@savagepro9060]

Triathlon is the actual side hustle😂

[@Claire_16]

I loved the bit where you say you treated yourself to premium economy! I'm a bit tired of seeing content of triathletes living it up in business class all the time!

[@Reastle1]

To be honest if I was earning more I think business class for long haul is worth it if you are racing, especially if you aren’t going out that long before and you need sleep.

[@Claire_16]

Oh I think everyone would go business class if they could afford it, racing or not, I know I would. I just think putting it on insta all the time is a little “braggy” - is that a word?? I’m just jealous that I have to slum it on EasyJet all the time 😂

[@savagepro9060]

Fun Fact: tell anyone you're pro triathlete, and wait for it . . .🤭🤭😄😁😆😅😂🤣

[@savagepro9060]

Comparatively, we wish to hear from Lucy Barkley, in the same context!

[@Reastle1]

I would find that too depressing 🙈

[@jonnykeeb]

Food - £2500 at Kona? Jeez. Can you break that down for us?

[@savagepro9060]

I've seen a good documentary showing that professional tennis can be worse, especially if you're at the bottom of the scale.

[@Reastle1]

Which documentary is that! Difference is top 100 in tennis usually earning pretty decent money (understandable at the moment considering the views tennis gets relative to triathlon) compared to top 20 at a push in triathlon

[@savagepro9060]

@@Reastle1 "Why most tennis players struggle to make a living" by Vox, on KZbin

[@nonspecifie4351]

More accurate would have been gross income, sponsorships, and appearance/etc. would have been more accurate - we all pay taxes

[@Reastle1]

Actually this year doesn’t really affect it - Given minimal prize money barely any difference in the tax. Thought people would find it interesting though that IM tax it before paying, so the headline prize money you see isn’t what you get. I got zero appearance fees, and sponsorship is hopefully laid out quite clearly

[@jonathanwales5949]

Suspence 😊

[@Spike-yc5gx]

I have a proper job and only earned £40k.

[@stephtraveler7378]

I made $5 in a local triathlon. Guess that makes me a professional athlete. Its a dying sport due to massive increase in road cycling deaths and heart injuries due to ultra endurance sessions. Plus all the ped abuse in the slowtwitch community.

[@angellosmalefakis1321]

The problem here is that Ironman and Kona UNDERPAYS the winner and its athletes. The CEO of Ironman makes more than the winner for Christ sake. It is time for Ironman to increase the prize money. In turn Ironman should pay for the top 10/20/30 accomondations and flights. After all they charge such high entry fees for the amateurs. Finally, PTO needs to have both a pro and an amateur field. Thus hold the amateur race on Saturday and the pro race on Sunday. In conclusion, I command what you are doing. But the problem here is Ironman corporation that gives slave labor wages in prize money and PTO that is run by amateurs. It is consequently up to the pros to wake up and have a union because you are NOT very well represented and the fees they charge amateur is ridiculous.

[@thedeegan]

The way I see it, being a pro ENABLES you to do your ACTUAL job (coaching, sponsorships, youtube etc). It just gives you exposure.

[@Reastle1]

That is the complete opposite of how I see it. . . Not sure there are any pros out there trying to be as competitive as they can be that would see it that way

[@vozzen]

Getting €4000 for coming 12th in Kona is a fucking joke. I bet you spent more just traveling and staying there. The fees for entering as an amateur was $1050 in 2022, and $1600 in 2023… Ironman is not a serious organization. You should be able to live off of the sport if you are 12th in the world, given how much money is circulating in the world of triathlon.

[@jonathanwales5949]

@@Reastle1does the annual pro license fee include kona if you qualify ?

[@adamkevern8764]

Weirdly being a human powered pro athlete is very bad for the environment. Flying and probably a lot of driving

[@jonathanlaue3460]

In other words, most “pro” triathletes are not pro. What an ego trip to declare themselves as such. Good luck in retirement.

[@thestreakpodcast]

Wow. Pretty mean that.

[@Reastle1]

Not sure it is an ego trip. . . Just people with the courage to chase their dreams and do something they love rather than be driven by money