AustrAliAn triAthlete | 35Tim Don
I just felt like I needed to put a race
number on and hear that starting gun.
I was excited and nervous to run the
Boston Marathon this past April, but there
was no real pressure on me. My only real
goals were to finish the race without
getting injured and avoid totally smashing
up my body. Not only was this my first
“stand-alone” marathon, but I was also
going into the unknown as I had only done
two long runs of 28 kilometres up on
Magnolia Road.
I should have worn my wetsuit when
I raced the Boston Marathon this year!
It was a tough, slow day with the driving
rain, a headwind, and temperatures of -2
degrees Celsius. It was pure survival at
times! Having so many people running
around me was great fun and the crowds,
even in that crazy weather, were amazing
and definitely helped us all get around out
there. I was over the moon to run 2:49:42
and not have trashed legs as I begin the
next phase of my rehabilitation for Kona!
I am lucky to actually be able to
walk and be alive and I appreciate the
moment and future much more.
The sense of community has really
shocked me, and Kelly, through this
process. I continue to get support from
random people and I think that’s a great
reflection of our sport. The entity of pros
does mean something to the age-
groupers and I think it shows there is
always a place for the professional
triathletes. I think featuring the pros stories
can help age-groupers, and anyone
interested in triathlon, relate as we all go
through hardships like raising kids, juggling
a job, and trying to race. Even though they
may see the glamour when we cross the
finish lines, kissing our guns, it’s still just as
hard for us.
To be honest, I did watch Kona on
and off, but I cannot remember it
because I was under very heavy
medication and was in a lot of pain. I
watched it, but with no emotion because I
was in another world. Afterwards, you can
live your life regretting and thinking “what
if”, but who knows how I would have raced.
It was great to see my friend David McNamee
get on the podium. It is fantastic for British
triathlon too. We trained on and off over
the years during ITU, which was awesome,
so I was very proud. Seeing Lucy Charles
going from an amateur to pro and getting
second in the toughest race, in that field, is
just stellar. It’s great to see consistent
athletes and new athletes do well. We saw
in the men’s race, you have to break
records to win. It’s getting tougher at the
top and that excites me. I hope I can be in
the thick of it in 2018.
I need to be quicker than I was in
Brazil and I think I can go quicker. I think
in terms of pure speed, looking at the time
of 7:40, there are so many factors, like5 facts with
Tim Don
A bucket list race of mine is...
Escape from Alcatraz.My favourite city I have raced
in is...Sydney, when I raced the
Olympics in 2000.My favourite post-race treat is
...a nice bottle of red wine!If I wasn’t a triathlete, I would
be a... a Marine biologist.Most people don’t know
that I... have a pet bunny rabbit
named Percy, who has ears that
are 18cm long.wind, rain, temperature, having the right
course, and making sure your training is
peaking. You need a lot of things to line up
to go that quick. I definitely think people
will be going close to 7:30 in the next five
or six years. Race directors see that and
they are designing faster courses, but
ultimately, I wouldn’t be doing what I am
doing if I did not believe that I can be back
fighting for a podium spot in Kona. To do
that, you need to go fast!R OAD TO RECOVERY: Rehabilitation for Kona 2018.TREATMENT
Tim was fitted with a
Halo as the best means in
which to recover from his
serious injury.