19/10/2026
SAM HOOPERT, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN! 🏊♀️🚴♀️🏃♀️🏅
What a way to celebrate your 50th birthday year! 🎉
The plan was hatched in 2025: take on the Gold Coast Marathon in July, then set the sights on the big one — IRONMAN Australia. 💪
Fast forward 12+ months of consistent training, plenty of sessions completed solo, and navigating a few obstacles along the way, and Sam is now an IRONMAN!
The road to an Ironman is never smooth. It takes patience, resilience, and the ability to adapt and adjust when things don’t go to plan.
📍 PORT MACQUARIE — RACE DAY
🌊 THE SWIM | 1:24
A cool start with rain overnight, but Sam got the job done in the water and made her way into T1 right on target. One leg down, two to go!
🚴♀️ THE BIKE | 7:21
Port Macquarie is no easy ride, with its rough road surfaces, endless undulations, and the infamous Matthew Flinders climb waiting before the return to T2. The goal? Stay upright, stay patient, and keep moving forward. And that’s exactly what Sam did!
🏃♀️ THE RUN | 5:45
Just 42.2km to go! One foot in front of the other, one kilometre at a time. As the sun went down and the temperatures dropped, Sam made the smart call to put on her wind vest and kept pushing all the way to the finish line.
And here’s the icing on the cake… her Ironman marathon was FASTER than her Gold Coast Marathon! 🤯🔥 How good is that?!
Sam, what an incredible achievement. The consistency, commitment, and determination you’ve shown over the past 12+ months have paid off in the best possible way.
Now it’s time to put your feet up, enjoy some well-earned R&R, and celebrate becoming an IRONMAN! 🥂
Next up Hervey Bay Hundy in 4 weeks
YouAreAnIronman 50thBirthdayYear
