Paceline People
Dec 2012
Tri it - you don't know what you're missing!
By Zoe McBride
Nearly 11 years ago I landed on these sunny shores with a backpack, my carton of ciggies and 12kgs more weight than I carry now. My life revolved around drinking, smoking and laughing at those 'sporty types' I used to see out running as I was falling out of nightclubs!
A decade later I just completed my first Olympic Distance Triathlon in Noosa in 3 hours and 3 minutes and I'm hooked! Yes, I have become one of those 'sporty types'....but not without hard work, discipline and a little bit of passion.
2 years after arriving in Sydney I decided to quit smoking. My wonderful friend Bev was at the same time doing a personal training course.....I became her guinea pig! The first thing I said to her was 'don't make me run, I won't do it'.....gently does it, she got me to jog for 10 mins downhill. I couldn't believe I'd done it! The next day I called her from the bathroom....I could not stand up I was so stiff! I saw the funny side, and from there my running career was born. I'm happy to say I successfully quit smoking and ran a marathon 18 months later.
Those early years of running were indulgent. Running club twice a week, a long run on a Sunday with a lovely, lazy breakfast in Manly, followed by a nap.....I was child free and married to a man who loves golf, plenty of time to myself!
And then our first child arrived....what a shock to the system. I had to plan everything! I was working, had a small baby and wanted to run. Running went from indulgent fun with long breakfasts after to something I needed to survive. It was my time to blow off steam. I maintained well between kids, but focussed on short races 10kms and under, until baby number 2 arrived just over 2 years later. Well, I thought I was busy before....! This was a whole new level of busyness!
The only way I could fit sport in regularly was to join the gym. I hated the gym! (or so I thought!). I had to rethink how I managed my time and the kind of things I could do in the gym that would make me as happy as running had. With a hubby who now travelled regularly, 2 girls under 3 and a 4 day a week job, I had to manage with putting the girls in the crèche at the gym and running outside when I could. I met some wonderful girls at the gym in similar situations and they invited me to do the Pinky Tri with them last year. It was a short course, so I went for it. And fell in love with Triathlon. Why didn't I discover this wonderful sport and way of life 10 years ago!?
And so in a mad moment of craziness my husband and I, one year ago, after one wine too many, entered the Noosa Triathlon. I had never even ridden a road bike, cleates? What are they? Brick session? Transition training? Nutrition? And so the craziest year of my life begun! I spent the first 3 months building basic fitness through running, spin classes and swimming in the pool. I spent the following 3 months focussing on the half marathon, but this time with more cross training than I had done before. The next 3 months I learned how to ride my bike....this was the biggest and hardest part of my journey not just technically but finding time to go out, and have someone take care of the kids. And the last 3 months I spent putting it all together.
I think I smiled the whole way around the course. I loved every, single moment of this wonderful event. The training wasn’t perfect, but I was fit enough to do it, the sacrifices of early mornings, very rare down time, and extremely busy weekends of tag team training had all been worth it. And would I do it again? Absolutely, I’m entering the moment they open the website up for 2012. And what does the future hold? Busselton Ironman 70.3 is on my wish list.....when I have more time on my hands. Wonder when that will happen...?!
