Meet Hayley – Comeback Kid, and Caravan Queen
Hi Hayley, how long have you been a member of Bayside Tri Club?
A long time! I joined in 2007, after a friend from work and I did the BRW corporate triathlon and decided we liked triathlon. Haven’t looked back since.
What do you like about our club?
The people. I’ve met so many friends here, and it’s so inclusive. Plus, it’s local, so there’s always someone to train with – which is much more motivating than going it alone.
You’ve had an outstanding racing career. What distances and PBs are we talking about?
I’ve done loads of Sprints, a few Olympics, and five Half Ironmans. My PBs:
• Half Ironman – 4:44 (Shepparton 2013, 5th overall, on just 6 weeks of run prep!)
• Olympic – 2:14 (2023)
• 10km road race – 37:45 (2022)
• Sprint distance – lots of wins, but I haven’t tracked times.
Pretty amazing, well done! You didn’t fancy stepping up to an Ironman at any point?
Injury prevented me getting to the start line of my first Ironman in 2014…and I’ve never had the desire to do an Ironman since!
Fair enough – it’s a huge commitment! Which sporting achievements are you most proud of?
• Bronze at the 2012 Sprint Age Group World Champs in Auckland – that was pretty special and so much fun!
• 5× Sprint Series winner (back when it was the Gatorade Series), 3× State Sprint Champ, 1× Australian Sprint Champ.
• Bayside Club Champ 2012, 2013, 2022, and 2023.
• On the cycling side: I won B Grade at the Tour of East Gippsland and the Tour of Mansfield in 2018, and later podiumed at Peaks Challenge Falls Creek and Amy’s Gran Fondo in 2022 (and qualified for UCI World Series).
• And lastly, my 10km PB in 2022 was a surprise and a bit special.
Ha ha, yes – a special 10km PB because I hear you beat Clint in that race 😊
I sure did :)
Who’s your greatest rival?
It changed every year depending on who was competing. Women at my age (40-44 age group at the moment) seem to come and go from racing, like I have. Sarah Clark’s in a different age group, but we’ve always had some friendly rivalry, pushed each other every race and made some great memories.
We also know you’ve had some pretty serious setbacks. How did they affect you?
Oh, where to start!
• I disappeared from tri from 2013–2020 with nerve issues in my back preventing me from running.
• I had my kids (2016 and 2018), dabbled in bike racing and open water swims… then came Covid.
• In 2020, I had a major crash descending Mt Hotham – smashed my pelvis and was airlifted to The Alfred. It was six months before I could run, but I made a full recovery.
• I finally got back into triathlon for the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons and won the series both years.
• And then in 2023, I got long Covid and haven’t been the same since. Orthostatic intolerance hit my exercise tolerance hard – lots of fatigue, light-headedness and breathing issues. I couldn’t do much cardio-based exercise for at least 12 months (other than swimming) and the fatigue was tough…but I feel like I’m on the right path now and I’m hopeful I can make a full recovery.
Sorry to hear all that, and it’s been great to see you out riding strongly again. Do you have any future racing goals?
None at the moment – just focusing on recovery and enjoying training when I can. If racing comes back into the picture, that’ll be a bonus.
What’s your approach to training?
I’ve rarely followed a strict program. I stick to a routine, join group sessions when I can, and rely on consistency and experience. Clint’s been helpful with advice… sometimes even when I didn’t ask for it!
Ha ha. And what’s your Post-race indulgence?
A hot shower and salt & vinegar chips. Heaven.
A cheap date! What else do you get up to outside triathlon?
I coach my daughter’s netball team, hit the gym, read whatever looks good, and support the kids with their swimming, tennis, soccer, and netball. Adam and I recently bought a caravan, so we’re looking forward to some family camping adventures.
Fun! We look forward to the pics. Who’s your greatest supporter?
Adam – he’s been with Bayside almost as long as I have. He’s the first to brag about me and drags the kids to races. We’ve been together for 11 years…but we haven’t actually got around to getting married yet!
Aww, he’s a good ‘un. Tell us a bit about your blended family?
Adam and I have 2 children together. Harper is 9 and Noah is 6. Adam also has a son Kylan who’s 12. We timed it well actually keeping 3 years between all the kids, so it works well when we are all together😊. We also have Pepper our 10-year-old Cavoodle…who’s just recently had ACL surgery!
And to finish, can you share something people might not know about you?
I’m a twin – and so is my mum! My twin sister Lauren lives in Perth. We grew up in tiny Walpeup in northwest Victoria, on a sheep and wheat farm…so it was lamb for dinner every night, and I learned to drive well before the legal age 😉
Thanks Hayley, it’s fabulous having you as a member, and we hope your recovery continues well so you’re back to dominating the podium soon.
