I was born in Auckland, New Zealand on a dark and stormy Winter's night in the late seventies. I'm the youngest of six, with three brothers and two stepbrothers. Growing up in NZ meant spending a lot of time doing fun stuff like riding my bike, hours of swimming at the beach, running around the neighbourhood and generally enjoying the Kiwi lifestyle in the eighties.
I did gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics, modern dance and jazz ballet, played netball and did "Jump Rope for Heart" for several years in primary school. I loved swimming sports and from memory I did pretty well. My brother David used to take me swimming at the local pool and we'd swim laps for what seemed like hours. When I got to high school I played volleyball, basketball, badminton, ran the 100m and 200m, rode my bike and still loved to swim.
In 1993 I suffered a series of knee injuries and gave up sports. In 1995 I broke my scaphoid (wrist) bone and was in plaster for 12 weeks. By 1998 I was back playing indoor netball and touch rugby for work social teams. In 2002 I had an accident and tore some rather important parts of my right knee. I had surgery and worked with an awesome Personal Trainer named Blair who whipped me back into shape.
In January 2004 I had another accident just weeks before I was due to complete my first triathlon. I had dislocated my left kneecap and tore all the ligaments around it, so I had to withdraw and wasn't too happy about it! By May 2005 I'd seen three surgeons because my left knee just wasn't getting any better, despite physio, gym work and lots of exercise. The first two turned me down, the third asked me what I was doing in seven weeks' time!
I spent six weeks training with Blair before I had major reconstructive surgery on my left knee in July 2005. I had four days in hospital, then was send home to fend for myself with the wrong exercises. At my two week post-op appointment my surgeon saw that all the muscle in that leg had atrophied - there was nothing left. I had sat on my butt for two weeks and done nothing to help myself, and had lost all the muscle. I copped an earful, then went home and rang Blair in tears.
I spent six weeks working with Blair and Lisa, a pilates instructor. Around week seven, I was starting to get a bit of strength back. After another six weeks with Blair, I'd made good progress, but still couldn't perform a full revolution on the stationary bike. More pilates and strength training followed and I was finally out of a brace and off crutches in November. Sadly, around this time I contracted glandular fever and was sick as a dog for several months. By February 2006, I could finally walk without limping but I was easily exhausted and didn't feel well for another 18 months.
I muddled on for a couple of years, going to the gym off and on. I went back consistently in December 2008 because I'd seen photos of myself on holiday and nearly died with embarassment. I worked my butt off (quite literally) and by June 2009 I was in better shape - until I slipped on the deck on some ice and broke my elbow. I was in plaster again for several weeks and wasn't allowed in the gym at all.
During this time I read a book I'd bought on a whim at the airport in Wellington while there for the weekend. It was by Tracey Richardson, a lady who had four kids - two with cystic fibrosis, a nervous breakdown, had been almost bankrupt, overweight, inactive, depressed and nearly suicidal. She decided at breaking point on her birthday that she didn't want to be fat and forty - so she started to change her life. To cut a long story short, she joined a gym and then did a small womens-only triathlon.
Tracey went on to complete Ironman New Zealand, raising over $150,000 for cystic fibrosis in the process. She then completed the Ford Ironman World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii around her 40th birthday. Mission accomplished for Tracey - she was not fat and forty.
I was so inspired by Tracey that I saw my surgeon, got the all clear on my knees to start training, and worked my butt back off. Between December 2009 and April 2010, I completed seven short distance triathlons - four of those were on two back-to-back weekends.
Not content with short distances, I went to watch Ironman NZ in 2010. I stood in the stands at midnight and watched the final finishers come across the line. That was it - I was hooked and going to do an Ironman too. I picked Ironman NZ 2012, so that I'd have two years to build up to it.
I'm now working in the fitness industry, having started my qualification process in March 2009. Very soon I'll be a qualified Personal Trainer in Australia as well as in New Zealand, and I also want to complete my Triathlon Coaching qualifications as well, so I can encourage more women to give triathlon a go. You don't need to run, you can walk. You don't need a fancy bike. You don't need a fancy attitude. You just need to believe in yourself.
On 15 March 2011 I entered Ironman NZ 2012.
On 03 March 2012 I'll see you at the finish line.
