Vegemite, Wallabys, Worlds and Ironman, Oh My!

What is Vegemite anyway? That was just one of many questions that I had floating in my head as I headed to the land down under. My trip to Australia was my very first, and most certainly not my last to this beautiful country. For those that know me well, it is no secret that I have a deep passion and love for animals and creatures of all kinds. So, my mission, in addition to learning and experiencing Australia via my training, racing and travel, was to see wildlife at every opportunity. I definitely did just that.

The day before the World Championships in Canberra, I took my Blue T14 out for a spin along Lake Burley Griffen (the site of the swim course) to run through the gears. Of course I am always grateful for the protection a helmet provides, but on this day I was extra grateful to have my brain bucket securely fastened. Within minutes of leaving the hotel I was under attack by a flock of noisy birds. They dive bombed me and pecked at my helmet. I pedaled faster and faster being sure to stay on the left side of the path. Those birds were very persistent. I was amazed at how far that chased me. It was both hysterically funny and a bit unnerving at the same time. Later I learned I made the acquaintance of several Mag Pies, black and white birds that look a lot like our common crow or raven.

Until I traveled to western Australia, the remainder of my wildlife encounters were in much more controlled conditions, in that of a zoo or aquarium. I visited the National Zoo and Aquarium in Canberra as well as the Sydney Aquarium and the Tauranga Zoo. I was thrilled to see dingos, wombats, echidnas, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils and so many fascinating creatures. The Sydney Aquarium was truly world class and a must see if you ever find your way there. To get to the Tauranga Zoo, I took a ferry that offered views of the Opera House, Harbor Bridge, Manley Beach and a number of other landmarks. I met a number of people on board who were all very amused by the “78” that was burned into my arms and legs. It was hard to hide the fact that I was a triathlete, and folks were eager to ask me about my sport.

I spent the better part of two weeks in Busselton, the site of the Ironman. With the sun shining so early, I found myself awake daily at 4:30. I was out on my bike at 5:15 on three different days I saw several mobs of kangaroos. The groups ranged in size from ten to over thirty! I was giddy with excitement to see the awesome hopping power of these marsupials. I have pictures which I hope to post to my website soon. In addition to the ‘roos, I enjoyed the gorgeous landscape and yes, beautiful sights in the water, too.

The week before the Ironman I swam at 6am with the local Busso group. Several athletes planned to ‘swim the jetty’ which is essentially the course for the Ironman. The jetty is the longest wooden pile jetty in the Western Hemisphere and runs 2 kilometers straight into the ocean. I couldn't resist and agreed to go around the jetty, too. The swim that morning was heavenly. The water was so clear I could see to the bottom; and all of the creatures swimming with me. I saw sting rays and giant schools of fish. Amazing! Of course a few times I spooked myself when I started thinking about sharks and other large predators. I was glad to have navigated the swim course, it served me very well on race day. A week later I matched my best Ironman swim to date.

During Ironman, I was focused on racing, so I didn’t notice much wildlife be it aquatic or on land. However, the inspiration that wildlife gives me did spur me on. Of course any and every Ironman is a difficult day at work, but overall I had a really solid day. I rode my best Ironman bike split to date (5:15) and learned a great deal more about what works best in long course racing, be it equipment or nutrition. I finished 13th professional and within 5 seconds of my career best in 10 hrs 43 minutes. That time is an hour faster than both my Ironman Hawaii and Ironman Canada times from 2005.

The day after the race the awards banquet was held. The highlight for me (besides hearing the words of champion Jason Shortis) was getting to hold several rescued wild creatures in the care of FAWNA (a wildlife rescue organization). There was a brief auction at the beginning of the ceremonies of some gear to help raise money for FAWNA. Several caretakers brought animals along to show including several baby kangaroos, a wallaby, an Echidna, a possum and several birds. I had the thrill of holding the echidna (most commonly compared to a porcupine), the possum and petting the joeys.I was just in awe of being able to sit and enjoy the magnificent representatives of Australian wildlife. After visiting so many zoos, it was very special to meet these animals up close and personal.

I could continue indefinitely about my animal encounters, but I’ll save more of those for another day. Still, I’m left with the question of vegemite. I did eat a little bit on a piece of toast with butter. First, I have to say that I am not a picky eater and there is little that I do not like. Second, I really wanted to like Vegemite! Nevertheless, I found it to be one of the more vile things I have tasted. It is dark brown, thick spread that tasted like coagulated bouillon. Ack. I almost got reacquainted with my previous meal. I was extra glad that I did not taste ‘vegemite on a stick’ as it was offered on the Ironman course aid stations!

I'm still sorting through pictures and thinking about my experiences in Australia. I can not wait to return and it will be sooner than later, that is for sure!