Passion, Experience and Knowledge.

BENJAMIN EITELBERG

OWNER AND HEAD COACH

Hometown:

Auckland, New Zealand

Athlete:

A competitive age-group athlete

Trail and ultramarathon running
Swimrun
Sprint to half ironman distance triathlons
XTERRA and cross-triathlon
Mountain bike stage racing

World Championship Events:

South Africa representative at the ITU World Age Group Championships 2003
New Zealand representative at the ITU World Age Group Championships (including team captain on 2 occasions) 2008 to 2016 - 2008 to
XTERRA World Championships 2017
Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc: UTMB - CCC 2023

Ben has multiple years of experience in trail ultramarathon, triathlon and endurance sports coaching, with a keen interest in plant-based nutrition and its relationship with performance and recovery. He has had unique opportunities to shadow world-renowned individual and team coaches (such as Bobby McGee and Tana Umaga), work with a vast range of ability and experienced athletes in achieving their own goals, and deliver training camps, workshops and clinics throughout New Zealand and Australia. Ben continues to achieve success with both beginners and seasoned athletes, tailoring his approach to each individual.

As an athlete, Ben has won numerous provincial and national age-group titles aquathlon, duathlon and triathlon. He has been competing for over 30 years across the various distances of triathlon, both on and off-road, as well as swimrun, trail running, mountain bike stage racing, and more recently, trail ultramarathon running. Ben has a wealth of experience and knowledge to share with his athletes.

With a certificate in Plant-Based Sports and Exercise Nutrition and numerous collaborations with plant-based health professionals, Ben continues to experience tremendous success in his advocacy for a plant-based lifestyle. These include educational workshops, speaking engagements, and personalised consultations that inspire many to make the shift. Ben is also the co-founder of The Lentil Intervention, a not-for-profit organisation advocacy platform disseminating all aspects of planetary health.

Ben highlights a crucial link between physical activity, immersion in nature and the responsibility of undertaking behavioural changes benefiting the planet. Founder of Sports Gear Revived and Athletes for Nature, his advocacy extends well beyond his 'coaching with a purpose' by collaborating with event organisers and other climate action groups in leading change.

Undertaking a concurrent 25-year-plus career in a very demanding corporate world whilst accommodating a passion for training and competing, Ben knows first-hand that there is no secret formula to balance. It's a constantly moving target that requires delicate management, best achieved through a well-established athlete-coach relationship.

Coaching Achievements:

National Triathlon and Aquathlon Age Group Champions
ITU World Long Distance Championships Age Group Silver Medalist
Ironman 70.3 podium finishes, in New Zealand and abroad
Secondary Schools National Mountain Bike Champion
Qualifications to ITU World Championships, XTERRA World Championships, Ironman 70.3 World Championships, ABBOTT World Marathon Championships and Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc: UTMB
Guidance to completion of extraordinary endurance events – The Pioneer, Cape Epic, Comrades Marathon, trail ultramarathons, and various Ironman events abroad.

Qualifications:

UESCA Certified Ultrarunning Coach - 2025
Triathlon New Zealand Level 3 Accredited Coach - 2017
XTERRA Certified Coach - 2021
Cycling New Zealand MTB Accredited Coach - 2012
Triathlon New Zealand Certified Open Water Swim Coach - 2012
No Exceptions Training Certified Coach (Halberg Disability Sport Foundation) - 2012
Triathlon New Zealand Level 1 - 2011 / Level 2 - 2013

Stryd Certified Coach - 2023
CORE Certified Coach - 2023
Foundations in Heart Rate Variability - 2019

British Society of Lifestyle Medicine / PlanEd Academy: Plant-Based Sports and Exercise Nutrition - 2024
Vegan Nutritionist Diploma - 2019
Sports Nutrition Business Diploma - 2019

St John First Aid Level 1 - 2023