25.4.12

Not your average dirty weekend!

Every year I say it’s the last time, yet every April I seem to see myself make the journey to outback Queensland to take part in the Dirt’n’Dust triathlon in Julia Creek. A weekend long festival including; Australia’s best butt competition final, PBR rodeo, race meet with a red claw luncheon and the most unique triathlon race, I think, worldwide. Now being my 3rd time back to Julia Creek it’s like going home- I run into many people I have met throughout the previous years- like Thelma and Louise (aka Deb and Jess) and local legends like the weekend’s mascot- Fred.
The ever wonderful event organiser, Margie Ryder, outdid herself yet again- not only with the entire weekend but for the royal treatment she shows me each year. This year organising flights, bussing me from Mt Isa to the creek, putting me up in the living quarters of the Catholic Church (Haha!!) and backing me to reclaim my title….. Even though I knew from the outset that that was going to be a one in a million!!!
Up until the Thursday the field was looking very light on, that was until one of our Olympic hopefuls, Emma Jackson, made for a last minute entry L Still that is triathlon and in the muddy creek, epic headwinds on a bumpy road and a seemingly long 5km run in the middle of the hot hot morning, anything could happen.
Race morning as usual was freezing! Even though it’s enviable for the temperature to soar into the mid to high 30s it’s always fairly chilly at 6am in Julia Creek. Into town to get numbered, set up T2, do a quick interview with ABC radio, load our bikes onto the cattle trucks and then bussed out to Eastern creek where the trucks were unloaded and our bikes were set up in a dusty dry T1. With 30athletes being left behind in town, race start was pushed back about 30-40mins which meant by this time it was sweltering! The gun was off and I found myself not too far back from the front swimmers but swimming on my own, leading out just ahead of local legend Max Feagen but a minute down on Emma. I felt good on the bike pushing well into the wind and ever so slowly putting time into Emma. I was hoping to come into T2 first but unfortunately ran out of real estate, closing the minutes gap to only 10seconds. I knew that I was nowhere near Emma’s speed on the run leg and unless she passed out from the heat knew that the race was on for 2nd….. Luckily enough 3rd was daylight. Next the goal became not to be lapped by Emma! Seeing her blistering through the run, putting 3minutes into me and passing the leading male (her on her 2nd him on his 3rd lap) shows why she’s one of the best women in the world right now. 2nd was to be mine. I was happy with my race and a one minute PB on this course. It just confirms I am NOT a sprint athlete as I am not fast enough with the swim and run legs, though it’s great to be able to race a girl who has the potential to be on top of the world one day, and she’s a nice one at that.
After the race was done and dusted it was off to the races for lunch and finished the night off with the rodeo. Well let’s just say finished off Sunday morning at 5am after dancing all night at the concert in the dust!
Now to get strict, put my head down and focus hard on the next 6 weeks of training with some racing in order to get prepped for my trip to the USA.
Special thanks to Sally Eales for my ticket to the luncheon at the races and the VIP treatment at the rodeo, Margie for another amazing weekend away and needless to say this will be my last time at Julia Creek….. well that is til next April ;-)
Rachie xo

Dirt and Dust- Fred the mascot!


Race morning in the creek


My old friends Thelma (Deb) & Louise (Jess)


Toilet frogs!!!!