Medical School staff at Melbourne Ironman
Trace Morrison crosses the line to finish in under 10 hours.
Saturday 24 March was a big day for two staff based at Gippsland Medical School as they took on one of the toughest athletic events on the calendar.
Professor Debra Nestel and Trace Morrison participated in the longest triathlon event in the world – the Ironman (IM) held in Melbourne.
They work closely so were also pleased to line up together to take on the IM challenge, which includes a 3.8 km swim, 180 km ride and a 42.2 km marathon-length run.
It was Debra’s first and Trace’s second IM. Both felt excited but also anxious. Trace wanted to see if the hours of training would pay off to deliver a faster time than last year while for Debra the challenge was to get through an enormously difficult event.
With strong winds and a big swell on the race morning and with competitor safety in mind, officials shortened the swim to 1.5 km. The ride and run distances remained the same.
Debra and Trace took on the rough waters and completed the swim leg. The strong cross winds for the 180 km bike were tough, physically and mentally, and they were relieved to start their favourite leg, the run.
A race as long as an IM has many high and low points but the achievement of crossing the finish line is unforgettable. Trace improved her time to 9 hours, 45 minutes and 18 seconds. Debra finished hours later but achieved her goal and was greeted with great excitement by family and friends.