Bradley, who is competing in the 65 to 69 age group, said she was one of eight from New Zealand in her race.<\/p>\n
Bradley splits her time living between Mount Maunganui and Rotorua and said she did marathons and half-marathons in her late 40s and 50s.<\/p>\n
She had always watched her two sons doing triathlons and followed the Ironman 70.3 \u2013 also known as a Half Ironman.<\/p>\n
Bradley said she wanted an Ironman 70.3 T-shirt, which has all participants\u2019 names on the back of it for that year\u2019s event.<\/p>\n
In February 2023, Bradley started training for the Ironman 70.3 \u2013 a 1.9km swim, 90km bike ride, and 21km run.<\/p>\n
In December that year, she came second in the event in Taup\u014d for the 65 to 69 age group.<\/p>\n
Her son Shane was with her \u201cevery step of the way\u201d and the pair crossed the finish line together, she said.<\/p>\n
Tauranga triathlete Jenny Bradley and her son Shane Bradley at the Ironman 70.3 in Taup\u014d in December 2023.<\/p>\n
In 2024, Bradley told her coach she wanted to qualify for the world championships.<\/p>\n
In November 2024, she said, she did the Tinman triathlon in Tauranga, where her time qualified her for the world championship finals.<\/p>\n
Bradley said she had a bad bike accident in December 2024, which took four months to recover from.<\/p>\n
Training had taken \u201call my resolve\u201d during the winter\u2019s rain, wind, and cold.<\/p>\n
She is training for the sprint distance triathlon in Wollongong \u2013 a 750m swim, 20km bike ride, and 5km run \u2013 and has been training for about 10 hours a week.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s been \u201cconsiderably less, and more manageable\u201d than training for the Ironman 70.3.<\/p>\n
She said she felt \u201ca little anxious\u201d ahead of the triathlon, including getting her gear to Australia and complying with 84 pages of \u201cvery strict rules\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are even told what running shoes do not comply.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tauranga triathlete Jenny Bradley has been selected to represent New Zealand in the World Triathlon Championship finals in Wollongong, Australia, on October 17.<\/p>\n
Bradley said she hoped her story inspired others to do something \u201coutside the square\u201c.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you show up, put in the work and keep believing in yourself, you are doing something amazing.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd it\u2019s worth celebrating because on the day, it\u2019s only me out there. No one can help you, so it all comes back to your hard work and commitment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bradley thanked her coach, the Rotorua Aquatic Centre, My Ride in Mount Maunganui, Cyclezone in Rotorua, her osteopath, strength trainer, masseuses, and the encouragement from her family and friends, including her husband Paul, who had ridden \u201cthousands\u201d of kilometres with her on their bikes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am lucky he is very supportive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bradley said representing New Zealand was a \u201chighlight\u201d of her year.<\/p>\n
She said her son Shane had represented New Zealand in cycling; and her mother, Jean, had played outdoor bowls for NZ.<\/p>\n
A Triathlon New Zealand spokesman said more than 5000 athletes were participating in the international event in Wollongong, including 266 from New Zealand.<\/p>\n
The event runs from October 15 to 19.<\/p>\n