TT Hawaii Ironman Coverage 2011: Athlete Profile – Michelle Duffield

By Michelle Downs http://www.getsetupinsport.com.au

Name:

Age: 25

Country Representing: AUS

Occupation: Fisheries and Marine Officer

Marital Status/Family: Single

Is this the first time you have been to Kona?

Sure is! I was lucky enough to qualify through my first IM attempt at IMWA. So Kona will be IM # 2 for me.

Where did you qualify for Kona 2011?

IM Busselton was my first (and was meant to be my last) IM. Being my first IM, I wasn’t too sure what I was getting myself into. Based on times I was doing in training, I calculated my race splits to get me across the line in 9 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds. Sub 10 hours was the goal, if that got me to Hawaii, then so be it. I kept within seconds to my race schedule each lap of each leg, except the last lap on the run, which saw me miss the 10 hour mark by 17 seconds. Still, a fairly accurate calculation for a first timer!

Tell us about your preparation for Hawaii.

Busselton 70.3 and the Cairns Half Challenge were both incorporated into my Kona prep. It was good to do a race in some warmth with a few hills in it in Cairns, unlike the flat, cool conditions of Busselton. Since Cairns it’s been a matter of spending quality time on the bike in the Perth hills. The temperature of the Perth hills in winter is a far cry from what is to come in Kona, but there isn’t much I can do about that. So far I’m injury free and enjoying the journey, but cannot wait til that cannon fires!

What has a typical training week looked like for you in the lead-up to this event?

At this stage in the program I’m swimming three times a week, running four times a week, on the bike four times a week. Saturdays are a long ride, followed by a run, which is followed by a coma like state for the rest of the afternoon. Oh, and there are three gym/core stability/trigger point sessions mixed in each week too. It’s totally an average of 22 – 25 hours each week.

What excites you the most about competing at an iconic race like the Hawaii Ironman?

Coming down Alii drive and seeing my family, partner, and good friends down that finishing chute. The support these people have given me on this journey has been amazing and to see them all there when it comes to an end means the world to me.

Is there anything about the Ironman in Hawaii that makes you really nervous?

The cross winds on the bike, and the heat. I will be making it up as I go along with both of those factors, which is hard to accept because I like to be prepared!

What are your goals for the race?

Hard to say. I guess that part of the beauty (?) of IM, a lot can go right and a lot can go wrong - it’s a long, unpredictable day. Who knows what the day will bring and what challenges my competition will put to me, but I can’t wait to find out!

What are you doing to relax after the race? Are you planning on a holiday in Hawaii post Ironman?

I am really looking forward to some quality time with my family, partner, and friends who will be making the journey to Kona with me. It’s just as much a long day for them as it will be for me, so we will all head to Honolulu for some R&R post race.

Tell us a little about your background?

I started triathlons in 2004 after my 1500m athletics coach advised me that after 16 years of athletics and an ongoing injury that I needed to take a season off. He told me to ‘keep myself in shape, but he didn’t want to see me at the track until the next season’. It was during my first year off athletics that I thought I would try a triathlon, and the rest is history. I have not been back to the track since. In 2009 I saw my twin sister battle through IM WA in 35 degree heat, and I was in awe. After watching her finish that race, I committed there and then to do IM WA in 2010.

How have you managed to balance the training for Ironman with your other commitments such as work and family?

Ah, not very well! Luckily there is only 7 weeks to go, and that will be it for me in terms of IM. I want my life back J I don’t know how people with children can do this. I struggle to manage work, training, and having some sort of a relationship with my partner. I take my hat off to those who do this with children, that is truly amazing.

Thanks for chatting to us and best of luck for the race!

We look forward to catching up with you on the Big Island :)