Ironman Races: My quest for Kona
I did my first Ironman race in Nice France in 2010. This is one of the most challenging races on the ironman circuit with over 2000 metres climbing over the mountains. It took me almost 13 hours to complete but I finished around 25th place. I loved it so much I went on to collect more ironman races all over the world including Barcelona, Regensberg, South Africa, Australia, Florida, Brazil, Argentina, and Cozumel to name a few. I have now completed 21 full ironman races (and 12 half IM races) including two in Hawaii which is the Ironman World Championships (2017, 2019). My fastest time is 10 hours and 7 mins which was Ironman Florianopolis in Brazil and I got my first age group win at IM Cozumel (2020).
Ironman 70.3 World Championships, Mooloolaba, Western Australia ; 4th Sept 2017.
Race Report IM 70.3 World Championships – Mooloolaba, Australia I qualified for the half ironman world championships in Bahrain in December 2015. This would be my second outing at the 70.3 Worlds but my fist time to Australia so I was very excited. The Worlds are always a great race because there’s no pressure, I can actually enjoy the race. I’m not going to do anything great or get on the podium. The pressure is
Race report Ironman Brazil 29th May 2016 – Florianopolis
I woke up just before my alarm went off at 3.50am. Down to breakfast 4.15am. Then the shuttle buses took us to the swim start. I was booked on this race at the last minute with the lovely Ken Glah from Endurance Sports Travel. Ken has this race really sewn up, everything is exceptionally well organised. It was Ken that actually started this race when he set up his company in 2002, looking after athletes
Arrival in Florianopolis, Brazil and course recce
It appears to be somewhat cooler than you think Brazil is going to be. Race day at the moment shows rain and temperature starting on the bike about 17 celsius rising to about 19 celsius before starting to cool again around 3pm. Sun sets early around 5pm. The swim is one lap but with two loops side by side and an Australian exit in between where we exit the water after the first bigger loop
Change of plan B
So after a relaxing holiday in Dubai, drinking copious amounts of champagne and eating lots of really good food in some of the best restaurants in Dubai, I return home. After having a conversation with my coach we decide before writing Kona off for the year to have another go. I’m left with two options: IM Lanzarote 21st May or IM Brazil 29th May. I know Lanzarote bike route inside out and back to front,
IM South Africa – 10th April 2016
Race day dawns. In the dark at 4.30am. I stagger out of my comfy bed realising it’s D Day. I love the mornings of race day. I think to myself, ‘the page is totally blank now and today the story will be written. I wonder how it will read tonight’. The hotel puts on a fantastic breakfast for us. As usual everyone is walking about with strained faces, nerves written all over, trying to eat
Ironman 70.3 World Championships, Mooloolaba, Western Australia ; 4th Sept 2017.
Race Report IM 70.3 World Championships – Mooloolaba, Australia I qualified for the half ironman world championships in Bahrain in December 2015. This would be my second outing at the 70.3 Worlds but my fist time to Australia so I was very excited. The Worlds are always a great race because there’s no pressure, I can actually enjoy the race. I’m not going to do anything great or get on the podium. The pressure is
Race report Ironman Brazil 29th May 2016 – Florianopolis
I woke up just before my alarm went off at 3.50am. Down to breakfast 4.15am. Then the shuttle buses took us to the swim start. I was booked on this race at the last minute with the lovely Ken Glah from Endurance Sports Travel. Ken has this race really sewn up, everything is exceptionally well organised. It was Ken that actually started this race when he set up his company in 2002, looking after athletes
Arrival in Florianopolis, Brazil and course recce
It appears to be somewhat cooler than you think Brazil is going to be. Race day at the moment shows rain and temperature starting on the bike about 17 celsius rising to about 19 celsius before starting to cool again around 3pm. Sun sets early around 5pm. The swim is one lap but with two loops side by side and an Australian exit in between where we exit the water after the first bigger loop
Change of plan B
So after a relaxing holiday in Dubai, drinking copious amounts of champagne and eating lots of really good food in some of the best restaurants in Dubai, I return home. After having a conversation with my coach we decide before writing Kona off for the year to have another go. I’m left with two options: IM Lanzarote 21st May or IM Brazil 29th May. I know Lanzarote bike route inside out and back to front,
IM South Africa – 10th April 2016
Race day dawns. In the dark at 4.30am. I stagger out of my comfy bed realising it’s D Day. I love the mornings of race day. I think to myself, ‘the page is totally blank now and today the story will be written. I wonder how it will read tonight’. The hotel puts on a fantastic breakfast for us. As usual everyone is walking about with strained faces, nerves written all over, trying to eat