I have just spent the past two weeks back home in Tassie. On my to-do list while at home was to sort through the mass of ‘stuff’ I have accumulated over the years. I discovered that I have enough towels, backpacks, drink bottles and running shoes to supply a small army. However, I did also come across a few special things from years ago such as photos, race numbers, trophies and uniforms that reminded me of how I got into this triathlon caper. I often forget to acknowledge how far I have come since my first cross country race way back when, to where I am now, so it was good to come across these reminders.
I find it amazing to hear other people’s stories of how they got into doing their chosen sport. I often get asked how and why I got into doing triathlons, and always reply with the stock standard answer of ‘was a runner, got injured, started to swim and ride’ and leave it at that. However, when I think about it, it has been a bigger, more exciting journey than just that.
I found a love for running when I was about 12. Once I hit high school and everyone else started to grow while I remained the same size, I discovered that I was the perfect build to run long distances. So for the next 6 years that’s what I did. I ran for Tassie at National Cross Country and Track & Field Comps throughout my whole time at high school. I always had the dream of ‘making’ it as a runner; all I wanted to do was run for Australia. While I was good, I was never the best. Then when I was about 18 I was plagued by the dreaded stress-fractures that often hit young female runners. I had to stop running, and it sucked, however in hindsight it was probably one of the best things to happen.
I moved to Melbourne for University when I was 18 and tried to start running again, but it just wasn’t happening. I ended up spending the year partying, getting fat and almost flunking first year Uni. At the end of the year I decided I had to take control and get fit again. For me, if I’m not active and training for something then life sucks. So I knew I needed to do something. I decided to get a bike and start riding and swimming for cross-training. My first bike was a hybrid/commuter. I used to take it on 15km rides and be wiped out for the whole rest of the day!
I had read somewhere about a triathlon in Mordialloc at the end of the year, and decided to enter. So Dad and I rocked up to the tri, we both had no idea what was going on. All I had to wear was my two-piece from running; I didn’t have shoes with elastic laces or any of that jazz. I was the only person without a wetsuit and not on a road bike. I ended up finishing near the back of the pack, however I had a ball. I was hooked. I went back home to Tassie for the summer, bought a road bike, learnt how to ride and then entered my second tri – a beginner tri held in January 2007 at Elwood Beach. I managed to win my age group and thought that was pretty cool, so decided to keep it going. People often say that triathlon is addictive, and it really is. Once you start, all you want to do is get fitter, go further, race more.
After a winter of training under my belt in a squad environment I went up to Noosa and raced my first ‘real’ triathlon –2007 Noosa Tri. I came 2nd in my age group. I then went back to Melbourne and raced the local Gatorade Series Triathlons and took out the Elite Female Series award. It was then that I read that the ITU World Champs were coming to Gold Coast, Australia in 2009. I was going! I trained hard, qualified for the race and came 3rd in my 20-24 age group. A few months later I came 2nd in Mooloolaba tri where I qualified for my pro licence. I then travelled to Singapore in April 2010 for my first taste of international triathlon at the pro level. And boy was it a shock! I had never raced in conditions like it…I was the last finisher, but once again I had caught the bug. All I wanted to do was travel and race. So it was then that Sam and I decided to up sticks and head to Boulder, Colorado for 3 months in 2010. We had both heard so much about Boulder, so we decided to see what all the fuss was about (and the fuss is for a very good reason- the best training environment, the best facilities, and the best athletes in the world are all there). It was a pretty big risk – I had only raced in one pro race. But I wanted to give it a crack.
I ended up racing 4 races in the 2010 US season and trained alongside some of the best names in the sport. Those 3 months gave me a taste of what it was like to race and train as a pro athlete. That US season set me up for a successful 2010/11 season back in Australia where I started to post some solid results at the half ironman distance. It was then that I decided to try and qualify for the World 70.3 Champs (held in Las Vegas one month ago). This meant going back to the US in 2011 and step it up to racing against the best girls in the world at the half ironman distance. I managed to score some good results, got my butt kicked in a few others and made it to the Worlds, where I finished 17th Pro Female.
When I think back to this time 5 years ago when I was contemplating my first triathlon to where I am now I am truly grateful to have the opportunity to pursue what I love. If the past 5 years are anything to go by, the next 5 are going to be even better :)
