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A vegan triathlete took first place in June’s DTU Championships to become German Champion.
Max Hoffmann competed in the middle-distance race at the VR Bank Triathlon Heilbronn and achieved a time of 4:00:46. Eleisa Haag came first place in the womens’ race with a time of 4:38:23, and was also crowned as the 2025 German Champion. Middle-distance triathlons typically feature 1.2 miles of swimming, 56 miles of cycling, and 13.1 miles of running, for a total of 70.3 miles.
While Hoffmann was initially behind schedule after the swimming stage, he moved upwards through the pack during the cycling and running sections to take first place. Writing on Instagram shortly afterwards, he described it as his “most successful accomplishment to date,” but added that there is more “context and information” about his experiences during the race to come.
He also said that the hardest parts were the moments without an audience, such as “training, whilst fighting my inner demons and low energy days in the preparation leading up to this day.” He added: “Those ‘normal days’ are what beat you down or build you up.”
“I realise this now, even more than before. What you feel or know about yourself doesn’t change with externalities such as titles or possessions. It’s always only what you believe or think about yourself,” wrote Hoffmann. He thanked his family, friends, and supportive brands, and added: “I am hoping and working for more to come. Let’s keep pushing for better!”
Just a few weeks after taking first in the DTU Championships, Hoffmann also won the Bavarian Championships in Landshut with a total time of 3:35:36.
Read more: 5 Elite Vegan Athletes Weigh In On The Best Foods For Protein
Vegan triathletes and plant-based endurance
Hoffmann is currently competing in his first German league with the TSG 08 Roth Ligateam. He has been vegan since 2012, and told Plant Based News (PBN) that he was raised “mainly vegetarian” by his mother, Georgia Hoffmann.
He described his journey from the pushy, “emotional vegan years” of his teens to now, where Hoffmann is simply trying to “lead by example” and let his physical performances speak for themselves. Hoffmann told PBN that he intends to “demonstrate that a vegan diet and lifestyle can enable humans to perform at a very high level, if not the highest.”
When asked about his go-to foods and ingredients, he listed nutrient-dense tempeh, tofu, nuts, and cold-pressed olive oil as some of his favorites. “I’m classic noodles, rice, beans, and potatoes guy,” he said.
‘A vegan diet and lifestyle can enable humans to perform at a very high level’
For breakfast, he said that he usually starts his day with a heavy, seeded bread topped with almond butter and jam. To maintain his training regimen, Hoffmann has to eat a lot of carbs, which he said he follows with “quality protein,” though he added that “proteins often take care of themselves.”
Next year will be Hoffmann’s first season with a professional license, and he told PBN that he plans to donate 50 percent of his earnings this year to animal and human rights causes, environmental protection, and climate policy.
In addition to Hoffmann, some other triathletes also follow a plant-based diet, including high-profile figures such as Hillary Biscay and Brendan Brazier.
In May, vegan track runner Andreas Vojta took silver in the 2025 Wings For Life World Run, and in March, a group of vegan athletes called on the LA28 Summer Olympics to go entirely plant-based. A study published in 2022 describes the “potentially advantageous” influence of vegan and vegetarian diets on performance, particularly for endurance athletes.
Read more: How To Build A Healthy Plant-Based Meal Plan That Lasts
