Ironman willpower

After shedding nearly 30kg in a complete lifestyle makeover Roelands man Leigh Johnston is ready for his biggest fitness challenge to date – Sunday’s SunSmart Ironman 70.3 in Busselton.

More than 1700 individuals and 500 teams will begin the race, which is one of the most popular of its kind in the southern hemisphere, attracting more than 17,000 spectators to the Busselton foreshore to cheer for those tackling the 1.9km swim, 90.1km bike and 21km run.

Four years ago Johnston tipped the scales at 106kg but after a chance introduction to veterans AFL, the father-of-two embarked on a body transformation that now has him fighting fit and raring to go ahead of the gauntlet that awaits him on the weekend.

“I’ve always dabbled in social basketball but pretty much from the time I had kids until 2010 I had a good 15-year break from sport and exercise and that’s where I blew out, ” he said.

“I got married in my early 20s and from there got pretty comfortable and was quite happy to just come home and have a few beers every night.”

In October 2010, at the conclusion of his first season with the Leschenault Crabs, Johnston decided it was time for a change.

“I had a ball playing with the Crabs but picked up a few injuries along the way because of the extra weight I was carrying, ” he said.

“I started researching health and fitness and my home gym evolved from that and it turned into a bit of an obsession after a little while, once I started seeing the results I just stuck at it.”

Johnston joined the Bunbury Triathlon Club last year and has previously competed as part of a team in two Ironman 70.3 events but next month will be his first time tackling the race solo.

“I’ve done a lot of cycling and I can run the distance no worries but I actually haven’t swum 2km yet – 1.5km is the furthest I’ve swum, but it is just one of those things that you have to get through, ” he said.

“I’m hoping to finish in between five-and-a-half and six hours but it all depends on how the body holds up.

“When I did the ride and run legs of Busselton last year I cramped up big time in the run so hopefully I can avoid that this time around.”

More than 40 professional triathletes will also take part in the event, with the field headlined by former Ironman 70.3 Busselton champions James Hodge (2012) and Tim Van Berkel (2011) and WA favourite Kate Bevilaqua, who was second last year and in 2012.