Worden kids follow in mum's footsteps

WARRNAMBOOL Triathlon Club’s (WTC)season-opening event will be another milestone on the road to a loftier goal for Lisa Worden.

The Warrnambool mother-of-three will use the duathlon on Sunday as preparation for her first solo half-ironman next month.

Worden will join a strong Warrnambool contingent venturing north to contest the Shepparton Half-Ironman on November 18.

The event will be one of the highlights of the summer season for Worden, who is into her third year with the WTC.

“I did it last year in a team with my husband. I did two legs and he did one,” she said. 

“I thought I’d like to give it a go and try the whole lot this year.

“I have a couple of good friends as training partners and we motivate each other.

“I’ll be happy to finish. I’m not going in with any times in mind at all given it’s my first time. I want to finish and finish well.”

Worden said she was training six days a week for the 1.9km swim, 90.1km ride and 21.1km run at Shepparton.

She said she would use the WTC duathlon as “another training run”, and was rapt she could compete with her three children.

Sam, 13, April, 11, and Lachie, 9, will contest junior events, following in their mother’s sporting footsteps.

“I do most of my training in the early hours of the morning when everyone else is still in bed,” Worden said.

“It doesn’t affect them too much, but when I train later on they might come for a ride or a run, or they might come to the pool with me. They’re quite into it. They’re part of the junior development squad.

“Part of why I do it is to show them you don’t have to be winning to get enjoyment and pride out of doing an event.

“It’s just good to participate.  It’s a healthy lifestyle,” she said.

Sunday’s duathlon starts at Jetty Flat athletics centre and features a 2.5km run, 8.5km ride and 2.5km run, with shorter events for juniors.

The event is one of 11 events — plus a training camp — which make up the club’s 2012-13 calendar.