Why Triathlon was the easy pick for me?
Photo by: Superleague Triathlon
I came from a surf life saving ironwoman - ski/ board/ swim background, you needed to be strong, fit & technical in the surf on your craft. Growing up in the pool swimming & then in the surf competing at state, national & world surf club Championships & I loved it!
In 2011 I had my first experience with triathlon at the NSW all schools event out at Penrith, just scraping into the NsW team for nationals. Having never ridden a road bike before, unaware of how to shift gears & going around course with my lace up sneakers on the bike & run! I loved it and came back the following year in 2012 wanting to qualify for my age group 16-19 at the world championships in Auckland that October! This time with my own road bike and some cycle shoes with cleats!
At this stage I was still training for surf life-saving in the surf every afternoon along with the pool sessions of the morning and the newly added bike work with some additional running. I started working with Mick Delemont from high-performance tri & was faced with a choice- surf or tri?
As a 19 year old, very new to the sport I had a choice, stick with what Knew & loved OR I could take a leap of faith Dive headfirst into this crazy sport & take it on!
It's safe to say triathlon one needs of the reasons why it was an easy pick for me:
- Number one was the lure of Olympic and Commonwealth games- all athletes ultimate dream!
- It was international- with a booming & well established World triathlon series at its pinnicle to aspire too!
- Being international there was global opportunity here on all fronts- racing, training, travel, sponsorship, opportunity internationally, global exposure, worldwide friends & contacts
- I love the fact it was multisport with swim bike and run Components
- It proposed a significant endurnace challenge
- The sport excited me, along wth the endless opportunities it offered
- I could travel the world doing something I love!
- I dream to be a professional athlete and this had the ability to provide that sustainable Athelte life
- It worked off the summer calendar!
- I had already met some amazing and inspiring people in the sport that encouraged me to take it on & gave me the belief that I could be something one day in Australian Triathlon
- there was an art of tactical elements involves having to use your brain and think on your feet while racing, similar to how I grew up learning to read the surf moment by moment, this excited me!
- There were so many different formats of triathlon that I thought I could find the perfect fit - ITU, half ironman, ironman, Xterra triathlon, supersprint relays!
- Having done a few triathlons by this point I loved the sense of pride you get and satisfaction finishing such a tough event
- it was & still very much is an exponentially growing sport worldwide- so much potential in terms of new racing, series, sponsors, destinations, formats.
When I was given the choice of tri or surf, my coach at the time said- you don't want to look back in 10 years time and be asking yourself- could I, would I, should Iā¦ there's no 90% it's 110% or not at all.
I have loved my short journey in triathlon so far and I am 110% happy I chose to rio in & give it all I've got, it has served me well so far! You should give it a Tri š
Truthful thoughts,
Em.