Daniel Robson had a compelling reason to take on Ironman Cairns in 2022. His brother, Josh, was going through prolonged treatment for cancer. As a distraction, and to keep Josh’s spirits up, Daniel asked his triathlon-loving brother to train him – a commitment that would ensure the pair could spend quality time together and build an unbreakable bond.
“This just brought us so much closer together,” Daniel says. “It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.”
Ironman earns its name from its gruelling course, consisting of a 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride and a 42.2km run. Once they’d set the goal of competing in an Ironman, Josh and Daniel decided to do it in the best location possible, and travelled from their home of Victoria to tropical Cairns. It was an option they were glad to take up after living through Victoria’s Covid lockdowns.
First-time triathlete Daniel Robson. Photo supplied.
“In Melbourne, we were stuck in our houses for months on end,” Daniel says. “Opening up travel again and moving around the country, everyone felt so much better.”
Soaking up some of the most impressive scenery in the world, and training on 23-degree days without battling wind or rain, had a big appeal.
“Going up there with the sun shining every day made it a lot more enjoyable,” Daniel says. “The Cairns Esplanade on the run is quite beautiful and the scenic bike ride from Palm Cove up to Port Douglas and then back down to Cairns is to die for.”
Daniel had played Australian rules football but had never been a bike rider, swimmer or runner. His brother – a seasoned triathlon contender – taught him the tricks of the trade.
Daniel Robson at Ironman Cairns. Photo credit: Sportograph.
“One big thing he always says to me is to be patient … ” Daniel says. “Sometimes you’ve got to have little stepping stones to reach that end goal. Especially in an Ironman, when the end goal is so big.”
That challenge is addictive, and Daniel says he has caught the bug; his next triathlon is lined up for this May.
“The physical and the mental challenges that we had to go through – you learn so much about yourself when you’re doing an event of that calibre,” he says. “You go to some places inside that you never thought you’d have to go to.
“I knew it was going to be special, but once I crossed that finish line, the feeling that I got of seeing all my family and friends, and my brother standing there – it was probably one of the most amazing things I’ve ever got to accomplish. It was quite overwhelming. Words can’t explain how I felt at the end.”
Larissa Just is another everyday athlete who’s become hooked on destination events. She loves escaping the chill of her homeland, Tasmania, for Queensland’s temperate winter climate.
First time triathlete Larissa Just. Photo supplied.
“Since [completing Ironman] Cairns in 2021, I also did Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast last year and I’ve done the Noosa Triathlon,” Larissa says. “I’m coming back up again this year for a few events in Queensland.”
Larissa says she was looking for a different goal after “a few nasty crashes with downhill mountain bike riding” when a friend got her interested in triathlons. Like Daniel, she says the challenge and the setting keep her coming back.
“It’s about pushing your body and yourself to be better, and to be faster, and to be stronger, and to see what your body is capable of,” she says. “In hard training sessions, you think about why you’re doing it, and that’s to have that feeling of elation when you cross the finish line.”
The feeling afterwards is a special type of satisfaction.
“It’s a pretty cool achievement,” Larissa says. “It’s a very long way. Very long swim, very long bike ride and a very long run. And it’s something that a lot of effort goes into – it’s a huge commitment. When you say you’re going to do an Ironman, it means you’re committing to months of training.
Ironman Cairns is known as the Race in Paradise where rainforest meets the Great Barrier Reef. Photographer: Tim Bardsley-Smith.
“You might be able to do a long swim, a long ride or a long run, individually, but to put it all together makes it a lot harder.
“It’s not something that’s easy to do, and it’s something that not many people in the world do, so to finish, it is a great physical achievement, and it’s also a huge mental battle, just to get through it.”
Where you choose to undertake the challenge is important, Larissa says.
“I had a few mental struggles in Cairns getting to the finish line. But the amount of people on the course, as well as the amount of spectators, is enough to get you to the finish line.
“[The location] definitely keeps you occupied during a race like Cairns. The bike course is spectacular, so that’s always very nice to look at when you’re riding, and you need something to take your mind off how much your legs are hurting.”
Larissa’s husband is always along for the ride, which is another reason to choose a great location.
“It’s just a great all-round race destination,” she says. “Cairns has a lot of good eateries and restaurants, and a lot of good tourism destinations close by as well.”
The lead-up and recovery are half the fun of a destination event.
“It’s a little bit of a mini holiday, particularly if you can add a few days on after the race to really enjoy it,” Larissa says.
“The day after [Ironman] we went up to the Kuranda market, so I was obviously feeling pretty good to go for a walk up there. And we went to the bird sanctuary up there.
Larissa Just at Ironman Cairns. Photo credit: FinisherPix.
“Then we went up to Port Douglas for a few days as well, and went to a mango farm and had some mango wine. [We went] inland a little bit for a few drives as well, just to check out some of the local delicacies, enjoyed eating some mangoes and then spent some time in Cairns itself.”
It’s fair to say both triathletes are huge advocates for pushing your limits and challenging yourself to achieve something unforgettable.
If you’re considering attempting your first Ironman in Queensland, “I would say do it”, Larissa says. “It was pretty amazing to finish.
“Talk to someone who’s done one, or a coach, so that you can set yourself a realistic and achievable training goal. And then just have fun.”
