IT might be a bit odd for a Bathurst triathlete to have a sense of ownership for the Cairns Ironman, but when you've tackled the course as many times as Keith Tuynman it is understandable.
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This Sunday Tuynman will take on the 3.8 kilometre swim, 180km bike and 42.2km run that is the Cairns Ironman long course race for the ninth time, while it will be his 10th triathlon overall in the Queensland city.
He made his debut there in the Challenge Cairns Great Barrier Reef Triathlon as a 43-year-old in 2011.
"This is my race," Tuynman said.
"The first race I did was a challenge branded race in 2011, then I did eight Ironmans in a row and we had corona virus last year so I couldn't come. This will be my ninth Ironman-branded event here."
In his time competing at Cairns, Tuynman has become familiar with the strains the humidity places on the body and the frequent rain showers. He's had to deal with interrupted preparations, illness and race crashes.
He no longer sets himself any specific goals other to enjoy himself and finish.
Now I just enjoy it. You do it with a smile on your face.
- Keith Tuynman
"Now I just do it because I enjoy it. I enjoy training, well I don't enjoy the six hour bike rides, two-and-a-half hour runs or five kay swim sets ... but most of the training I enjoy, you do it with your mates, you do it by yourself and once you're fit you stay fit.
"I used to say that I wanted to do it in 10 hours and do this and that, now I just enjoy it. You do it with a smile on your face, hope people you know do a PB, have a good race and a safe race."
This year Tuynman is part of a handy Bathurst contingent competing at Cairns. Terry Roberts will do the Half Ironman distance while Hollee Simons, Peta Cutler, Chris Howarth, Chris and Fran Grady, Kath Stutsell and Luke Gillmer will do the full.
Orange's Jo Braithwaite, who trains with the Bathurst athletes under the GT Coaching banner, is also racing, as is former Bathurst Wallabies Triathlon Club president Howard Yen.
Their preparation for the event began some six months ago and Tuynman thinks it has them in good stead.
"We basically started, our group, with a training camp back in January. We rode to Mudgee in a training ride not so long ago and we did a Molong-Wellington loop which was 170 kays in training and the week after that I did a six-hour mountain bike race then a Wollongong tri race," he said.
"I think race day is meant to be about 26-27 degrees and it's not as windy as it was last time, last time we did it in 2019 we had 40 kay an hour plus winds and this time it's predicted to be 20, so that will be much better for everyone."
The full Ironman race starts 6.35am Sunday.
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