RT'S 5 HOT Take Aways FROM THE 2019 IRONMAN WA

At the start of the month I headed over to the other side of the country for Ironman WA and Ironman 70.3 WA.  It was a massive weekend and a race that didn’t finish for me until our last T:Zero athlete crossed the finish line in 16 hours, but it was 100% worth every minute.  Here are the top 5 take aways from that weekend:

1. Take a bow, Busselton  
This was my 7th trip to Busso, and while it is an incredible location, often there is some caveat to the weather. Despite some heavy winds as late as the day before the race, Sunday came and it was a sight for sore eyes.  Breathless, glass like conditions out on the water made for some fast swimming, a light breeze (if you wanted to call that) on the bike and moderate temps throughout the run, not only made for fast times but really enjoyable conditions for the athletes.  More please Busso!

2. Exercising your strength when the course is consistent
When the course is so as flat as it is at Busso, whether it is for the Ironman or the 70.3, it forces you to play to your strengths.  We saw 4 T:Zero athletes reach their AG podiums (3 taking their spot to the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii next year) and while not one of them had it all their own way the entire day, they all pushed the limits with their strengths and benefited greatly from it.  We had Andrew Perry clock the top 3 fastest bike splits in all age groups, and Brett Dunstan arrive into T2 leading his age group.  We also had Jac Crofton, who was patient on the bike to arrive into T2 just making it inside the top 10, to unleash her strength on the marathon to get on the podium! Pays to play to your strengths!

3. The Flies 
They are still there.  People walking around on the Sunday with nets covering their entire head, making every single person jealous. Though truth be told, after the first few hours of swatting close to your face every 12-15seconds you really forget you are doing it.  Oh Busso.
 
4. The T:Zero Family is everything to us 
We caught up with some of the T:Zero athletes the day before the race at a local café. It was such a wonderful time to meet these incredible humans, listen to their story, wish them the best for the impending date with destiny and share the common bond of being part of this wonderful community that is T:Zero. We had athletes around table from Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast – such a cool experience to be a part of.
 
5. When you trust the process, amazing things can happen on debut
There isn’t much greater satisfaction in guiding an athlete to their first Ironman. Coach Stu Hill had that very task with his athlete Jade Pavitt.  She was nervous in the days leading into the race, but was a pillar of strength and inspiration throughout the race. Not only did she break 13hours but it was the smile she had from ear to ear seemingly all day.  Speaking with Coach Stu about Jade’s prep – and he struggled to find a way to explain how committed she was to the process.  “She came to me in a moon boot and a history of multiple injuries.  To see her race the way she did – goodness I was so excited.  Her prep was so measured. She had a family of four kids, has a lot of balls in the air, but she got on with the job, never complained and committed to the goal. I am so so happy for her”. 
Trust the process – it is an incredible journey.
​
That is the wrap from Ironman WA and Ironman 70.3 WA – Well done to everyone who raced – looking forward to a full line up of races in 2020!