Beck (27), a Dunedin dentist and duathlete, returned home this week, after completing two European duathlons inside a month.
She entered the Powerman Austria event in late August then lined up in the Powerman World Championship in Switzerland earlier this month.
In the Austria event - 15km run, 82km bike ride, 7km run - she finished a close second to a French runner.
At the world championship event - 9km run, 150km bike ride, 30km run - she came seventh, her best finish in the event.
Her two running legs were impressive in Switzerland and she was the fastest in the final leg, finishing with an overall time of just over 7hr 40min, but the bike leg had slowed her down, she said.
"On the bike I had a few problems with my back. I led off from my first run but slipped back a bit in the bike leg. But I had a good final running leg and passed quite a few girls and guys."
She was 19min 35sec behind the winner, Erika Csomer, of Hungary.
Her goal had been to finish inside the top 10, so she was pleased with her placing.
Beck was the only New Zealand entrant in the field, and the five-and-a-half-week trip to Europe cost her about $9000.
The trip could have cost even more, but Beck took advantage of four homestays during her time away.
The duathlon organisers arranged the homestays, whereby residents allowed athletes to stay in their homes for free.
Beck said it was great to meet some local people and the homestays had made the trip much easier, and she had given some New Zealand souvenirs to her hosts.
Beck's next event is the Powerman Malaysia just outside Kuala Lumpur in November.
The event comprises an 11km run, a 60km bike ride and a 10km run.
Running in 32degC heat and 95% humidity would be brutal, Beck said.
"They probably couldn't make it any longer, as people would just collapse."
Coached by Tim Brazier, who took over from John Hellemans earlier this year, Beck said she was aiming to increase her bike speed in the next year.
"My running is good enough; I just need to get a bit stronger on the bike. Perhaps I need to look at my set-up on the bike."
She said her sore back might be linked to her riding position.
She intended to log up the miles in training but did not want to do weights, as she had to stay reasonably small to get up hills efficiently.
It was always going to be hard for Beck against professional athletes in Europe.
"But I love the balance of life I've got here with my job, and my employer is really supportive with giving me time off."
Never a swimmer, she concentrated on duathlon and intended to attend the same events next year.
"In Europe, duathlons are really huge and they have clubs everywhere. But it's more about triathlons here."
