I am a 42 year old mother of one who has just completed my 5th Australian Ironman race at Port Macquarie, my 6th Ironman race under the coaching of Rowan, and my 2nd IM following the birth of my daughter Lily in May 2009, and thanks to Rowan, a PB of 11.55.02. A sub-12 hour was something I have only dreamed of since completing my 1st IM at Port Mac in 2006 and a goal I thought I would have struggled to achieve without the continuing support and encouragement of Rowan and his wife Angela.
I met Rowan having just moved to Brisbane with my now husband Christian in March 2005, I had been competing in triathlon since 2000 in Victoria, mostly sprint and Olympic distance and had recently stepped up to the ½ IM distance. I was self coached and what I lacked in natural ability I made up for with a lot of determination, enthusiasm and passion for the sport. Never having been naturally athletic, I took up tri’s at the age of 30 and spent 6 months learning to swim after participating in a team tri in my hometown of Lakes Entrance earlier that year and running through the finish chute with a dreadful stitch, but just wanted to do it again and do it all better!
IM was a dream that I honestly thought I could never achieve, as I always suffered with lower leg running injuries (my physio had told me that biomechanically I was not meant to run), was so slow at every discipline (my 1st half had taken me 6 hrs 45 in Canberra 2002) so I felt that IM would always remain just a dream.
Meeting Rowan and the Vipers Tri Club made that dream a reality in 2006 – under Rowans coaching I raced 3 half’s in 2005 chasing a qualifying spot for Australian IM, qualifying for my first IM at the same Canberra course I struggled on 3 years earlier, being 7th in my age group and qualifying without even a roll down. I was ecstatic and very nervous!
Rowan coached me to that first IM finishing 13.44 and my first words to Rowan were “I ran the whole way” on the marathon, something I thought I could never do.
Over the past 6 years I have placed my unwavering trust and faith in Rowan as a coach and have improved my times steadily across all distances and disciplines, but most importantly he has improved my running style which has eliminated 99% of my lower limb injuries.
Without the friendship and guidance of Rowan and Ange, and their ongoing encouragement and support, I would have never achieved so much over the past 6 years. I do not consider Rowan as just a coach but someone who I now count as a friend. Rowan doesn’t say a lot rant or rave, he is always direct and honest, but you know when he tells you have done a good job that you have! He has a wealth of experience, but never brags about it, but will always be there for you, even standing in the cold and rain at IM encouraging you to the finish whether you are at the pointy end of the field or struggling through the dark and cold guiding you home.
Leonie Killeen