THE words snow and triathlete are two scarcely seen in the same sentence, let alone muttered in the same breathe by anyone preparing for the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.
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But for Kim Dale and Jess Richards, it’s all the Piranhas pair have been able to talk about.
Snow, cold, snow, ice.
Repeat.
“It was awful,” Dale said looking back at her training during winter ahead of her first world ironman, a 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42.2km marathon.
“Cold, wet, it wasn’t nice. But you don’t have a choice. You’ve got to keep going.”
Since making the cut as the top three competitors in their respective age groups at the Port Macquarie Ironman in May, Richards, 33, and Dale, 41, have done the majority of their training for Kona indoors.
Really, there hasn’t been another option.
“It’s been one of our worst winters,” Richards added.
While the October 10 ironman is Dale’s first in Hawaii, this will be Richards’ second after completing the torturous event in 2013.
Taking that maiden attempt in her stride, Richards says she’ll be upping the ante at this year’s championship - although that’s a lot easier said than done.
“It is tough,” she said of the course.
“I guess I’ve got a feel of what the course is like without the pressure and this time hopefully I’ll race it.
“As long as I perform the best I can, I’ll be happy. I’m not going for places. It’s a really long day and really tough conditions. You take what you can get and the goal is to be satisfied at the end, not to think I didn’t do my best.”
To give you an indication of just how long a day, at the Port Macquarie qualifiers Dale posted a time of 11 hours, 21 minutes and 50 seconds.
Richards, impressively, was the fifth fastest female.
And that was still in a mammoth time of 10.04:02, and with 35 degree-plus temperatures and 90 per cent humidity awaiting the pair in Hawaii, it’s only going to get tougher.
“You’re constantly having to check your hydration, nutrition and just trying to stay focused,” Dale said, the pair flying out today in order to get acclimatised for the race.
“I’m under no illusions as to how hard it is. I went over three years ago to watch my brother compete ... the course, how challenging physically and mentally it is.
“I’ve got some little goals I’d like to try and achieve but for me it will be enjoying the experience and making sure I can stay mentally strong, and do my family friends and Orange proud.”
The Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii begins on October 10.
