Standing on the French Riviera, Army's Captain Ellen Skerritt lined up for the Ironman 140.6 World Championship in September.
Knowing that all the preparation, training and race analysis had been completed, Captain Skerritt said conditions were perfect for the 3.8km swim, 180km ride and 42.2km run
It was 23 degrees with cloud cover and low winds.
"The course is extremely challenging without weather adding an additional factor," she said.
"The bike route covered over 2500m of elevation, which meant there were big descents to navigate. I was confident in my bike skills due to previous experience as a professional cyclist."
She finished third in the military division with a time of 11 hours 3 minutes 9 seconds.
'With this event the intensity goes up, so there's nowhere to hide, however, I look forward to adapting my training to achieve my highest potential.'
"I was extremely proud of my result finishing 24th in my age group and 97th overall against the pro women, as this was my first full ironman," she said.
She qualified for the event after winning her age group at Ironman 70.3 Busselton, Western Australia.
The signals officer is given the opportunity to compete and train while posted to the 1st Aviation Regiment in Darwin.
"To compete at the highest level, consistent training is the most important factor and I was fortunate to have been supported as I often had two to three sessions per day," Captain Skerritt said.
Living in the tropics means she has to train very early in the day to avoid the heat.
"For me, it's about smart training, so I have to be very effective with my time, which means factoring in my stress levels and recovery plan."
Captain Skerritt will represent the ADF at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Taupo, New Zealand, later this year.
"With this event the intensity goes up, so there's nowhere to hide, however, I look forward to adapting my training to achieve my highest potential," Captain Skerritt said.
