It’s been a while hasn’t it?! But what a way to return to my website, with this kind of epic news! That’s right, this ‘look pro, go slow’ triathlete will be heading to the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona, Hawaii in October!

My triathlon journey

My triathlon journey, began in 2014 when I did my first ever race at the Blenheim Triathlon, doing a sprint distance triathlon to raise money for an epilepsy charity. No joke, I couldn’t even do front crawl before that race and my husband had to teach me. Put it this way, it’s safe to say I have come a long way in my triathlon life since then!

In recent years, triathlon has become our lives! My husband became an IRONMAN U Coach (I’m currently doing my qualification), and I spent a lot of 2021 and 2022 racing. I even managed to podium at one race! I did big events like Escape from Alcatraz triathlon, and ticked off two IRONMAN 70.3 races.

I’m going to IRONMAN Kona!

If I’m slow, how am I going to Kona, you might be wondering? Well, I’ve actually been given an ambassador athlete bib from IRONMAN directly. Which is an incredible honour. As many know I’m an epileptic, I wasn’t born with the condition I was diagnosed in 2012 after having it unknowingly. Today, and every day, I have to manage the neurological impairment, some days it’s good, other days it’s not. So not only am I excited to go to Kona to challenge myself and open up the conversation in epilepsy awareness, I’m a female triathlete going to the IRONMAN World Championships, and I love that I get to represent that.

The journey ahead

I went back and forth about taking the spot because I’ve never put myself in that position before, it’s a huge challenge and quite honestly I don’t know how my epilepsy is going to be. It’s not always about the actual challenge, the lead up to these things is often where problems occur. For example if I am training a lot I might get over tired, not recover properly and that can trigger a seizure, or get stressed from trying to juggle everything (as many know doing a full distance IRONMAN takes a lot of time).

I decided I wanted to do this for my fellow epileptics, for females and for me.

Next steps to my triathlon…

I’ve obviously already started training, doing a lot of work on simply sustainability and being able to race in heat. I’m not going for any time, my goal is to simply make the cut offs and finish. I’ll obviously do the best I can, but my main focus is getting to the end… after all whatever the end time looks like, it will be a PB for me!

Anyone else racing this year?

*Excited to be collaborating with IRONMAN*