Airlie Beach Triathlon

As a regular bike rider and swimmer, I thought I would enter the Enticer Airlie Beach Triathlon. My only concern was the run leg - it's not something I am particularly good at, except when I have a tennis racquet in hand.

I was able to convince my husband to be my support crew, which actually really only meant him getting up at the crack of dawn on a Sunday morning with me instead of lying in bed. Registration was the day before, so the various stickers were already placed on the relevant paraphernalia that's required for identification: number 177 was stuck on my bike helmet and bicycle, pinned to my running top and tattoed on my arm.  The pink wristband was adorned to enter the transition area, and the GPS tracker ready to be strapped to my ankle before the starting gun.

Transition area

The weather was superb with a light breeze, 17 degrees Celsius and clear skies - perfect conditions for a 300 metre swim beside Airlie Beach lagoon, a 10 kilometre loop bike ride to Cannonvale and 2.5 kilometre return run along the boardwalk.

Ready for the swim

I didn't break any records, but I put in a solid midfield performance (14 out of 22) and completed the course in just under an hour at 00:59:29. Swim time was 00:09:12, ride 00:32:35 and run 00:17:41.

Start of the 10km bike leg

The overall winner of the Sprint Triathlon, which is twice the distance for each enticer leg, finished in the same time as me. It's amazing how fit some people are.

Finished!

Thanks to my husband for the encouraging clapping and cheering (and photos), as well as to all the volunteers from the Whitsunday TriClub and the emergency service personnel who gave up their time to help make it a fun, smoothly run event.

Bring on the Bowen triathlon next month!