Kate Strong has five words she lives by.
Focus, Love, Journey, Passion, Inspire. These words are written on the handlebars of her bike, the bike she uses to train, compete and to win her title of Australian Long Distance Age Champion.
Blackheath resident Kate Strong is the current Australian National Champion in her age-group in long-distance triathlon and is competing on the Australian Team at the ITU World Championships in China this September. Strong began competing as a triathlete after life led her to follow a passion she had left behind before moving to Australia. Her success is not only inspiring but remarkable because Strong won the national championship title in her fourth ever triathlon. She said her title is part of a dream come true but she won't stop there.
This September strong will compete alongside two other Aussies in the long distance triathlon in Weihei, Shandong province, China. Weihei city sits on the Yellow sea and boasts a modern architectural salute to urbanisation called the Gate of Happiness. The fact that this impressive and aptly named structure is the triathlon starting point and the gateway to the first leg of her triathlon is not lost on Strong.
"Initially I started triathlon to prove myself but now my attitude has changed," she said. "I want to inspire people, to show them they can own there life. Living for obligation is not happiness for me. My dream has taken me to China to compete for Australia and who knows where that journey could end."
The ITU course of a 5km ocean swim, 120km ride and finished by a 20km run is considered technically challenging but Strong is confident having the Upper Mountains terrain as her training ground. Aside from training 25-30 hours per week, she works full-time in her own business; Glenella Guest house in Blackheath. She is also a proficient public speaker, being a guest at two TEDx conferences in 2013 sharing her personal sporting journey.
You can follow Strong's progress on www.strongkate.com. A crowd funding site is available to accept donations. To become a benefactor for Strong's trip to China the site Sportaroo.com has eagerly accepted the chance to help raise the finance for the trip. The project has been developed by local designer Paul Begg and the creative team of Pop-Up Events and the site offers supporter rewards to suit all patrons, with prizes donated generously by local retail and hospitality outlets. For more information and a chance to get behind kate on her epic journey log into https://www.sportaroo.com/katestrong