Busselton bred triathlete Hayley Reid is returning home to take part in this year’s Ironman 70.3 course next weekend.
Ms Reid now lives in Singapore with her husband Owen, the pair will be tackling their 10th Ironman 70.3 course and hope to compete in at least one event on every continent.
So far the duo have conquered the endurance race in Vietnam, China, South Africa, the US and Budapest and it will be the second time they will compete in Busselton.
The husband and wife team both qualified for the world champs in South Africa this year and said it was an amazing experience to race with the world’s best.
“It was really cool I was high-fiving strangers that day I found out I was going to the world champs, when I was there it was amazing,” she said.
“It is really humbling, I might come in the top five when I compete in Asia then I go to the world champs and I am 185, so you think yeah I’m okay but not that good.
“It is just inspirational to see athletes move that fast.”
Ms Reid said her nerves before the race depended on how much she had prepared for the event and hopes she can beat her personal best time of 5 hours and 44 minutes in Busselton.
“The first two races I did were pretty nerve-wracking but the more experience, training and the more I have learnt about my body the better prepared I am,” she said.
“The start of every race is always a bit different depending on what the conditions are like, it is towards the end which is worst, that part is pretty brutal.”
Competing in different competitions around the world meant the pair faced different challenges in each race such as elevation, wind conditions, heat and rain.
“It is really hard to compare different courses but Busselton is favourable so I am hoping for a personal best,” she said.
When Ms Reid first moved to Singapore she joined a running club, swimming club and cycling club where she was able to meet like-minded people.
“I am surrounded by triathletes from around Asia and other expats, Busselton is a course which everyone has always talked about and it is so funny it is my little old home town,” she said.
“They are so excited and always say, ‘it is supposed to be one of the best courses in the world,’ last year lots of my friends in Singapore went to Busselton to compete.
“I had a bit of fear of missing out, so I had to come back for it.”
Ms Reid has been training more than 15-hours each week for the 70.3 course and it will be the first time she has competed in the event alongside the Ironmen.
“That will be really inspirational,” she said.
Next year will be the first time Ms Reid will compete in her first full Ironman in Europe and said she was feeling “so scared” about tackling the course.
“It is absolutely nerve-wracking, but we’ve had great training all year, we have an awesome coach and we do not have children yet, we thought while we are this fit and available let’s try and tackle it,” she said.
