Iron-Cladingboel: Echuca-Moama triathlete Bec Cladingboel successfully completed the Ironman World Championships. Photo: Cath Grey
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Cath Grey
Qualifying for the Ironman World Championships is one thing — actually completing it is an enormous physical feat on its own.
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But it’s an achievement Echuca-Moama triathlete Rebecca Cladingboel can proudly claim after crossing the finish line of the world-famous event on October 6.
Navigating a 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride, and a marathon length run (42.2km) in the middle of the oppressive heat of the Kona lava fields in Hawaii, Cladingboel completed the Ironman in 11 hours and 42 minutes to cap off an enormous achievement.
“It was incredible,” Cladingboel said.
“To be on the world stage and be able to conquer a race that I know many can’t, I was just so happy and relieved.
“I was relieved that it all went to plan, and I knew it was going to hurt. That’s what I went for, because I know it’s tough and they only choose the best to do it.
“You know it’s going to be a tough day out there, so to be able to pull through mentally and get to the finish line was unreal.”
Success: Bec Cladingboel poses with her medal after completing the Kona Ironman. Photo: Supplied.
And it all went largely to plan for the determined Cladingboel, who battled a brief period of dizziness in the final 30km before powering to the end.
“The swim was pretty much spot on, and then out on the bike I rode steadily,” she said.
“My goal was to conserve as much energy as I could for the run.
“I got a little bit dizzy for a moment and had to walk/run just to get the heart rate down and compose myself. I dug myself out of the hole and just kept going.”
The event is one of the world’s marquee Ironman competitions, providing a gruelling challenge for those who qualify.
With temperatures reaching up to 29 degrees and lava fields just metres off the race route, Cladingboel likened the conditions to the stifling heat of January’s Echuca-Moama triathlon.
A makeshift “heat cave” based in the laundry and countless hours training, however, provided Cladingboel with the appropriate preparation heading into the race.
And despite the stiff challenge and event such as this presents, Cladingboel was the 618th competitor over the line in a field of 2427.
She admits it’s been a whirlwind journey from setting the goal of simply competing in an Ironman back in January to earning qualification after her first event in Cairns.
“At the start of the year I kind of said ‘okay I’m going to do an ironman,’” Cladingboel said.
“To end up finishing Kona in October was huge. I set my sights on something and to achieve that was phenomenal.
“It’s not just me; I’m out there doing the work but I’ve also got a big team behind me. I’ve got my coach (Jason Shields) and my husband (Nick), it’s such a team effort.”
Post-race, Cladingboel’s initial reaction to attempting the championship again next year was, understandably, in the negative, but a viewing of the remaining day’s competition may yet inspire a repeat performance.
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