In this edition of Orca Echo we talk to the latest athlete to join the Orca team, Australian Ironman distance triathlete Kate Major. She tells us about how she got into the sport, her goals for 2008 and how she brought cartoons to Ironman.

OE: IN A SPORTS-MAD COUNTRY WHAT ACTIVITIES DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN AS A KID?
KM: Growing up first in New South Wales, then on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland there were loads of sports to get involved in and my hobbies were pretty much anything that was active. I tried the sports my brother was into and was the first girl on the soccer team. I also played softball and basketball, and enjoyed athletics, cross country running and swimming. Plus I rode my BMX bike anywhere my mum would let me!

OE: SO HOW DID YOU GET INTO TRIATHLON WHEN YOU TRIED SO MANY SPORTS?
KM: I can remember it pretty vividly. My brother was watching a TV show called Wide World of Sports and the Ironman was on. I remember he said it was the “toughest race in the world” and from then on I decided I was going complete an Ironman. Pretty soon I was donning Lycra bikepants to bike around, doing laps of the local pool and running around the park.

OE: NOW YOU’RE AN ESTABLISHED WORLD-CLASS IRONMAN ATHLETE, WHAT’VE BEEN THE HIGHLIGHTS TO DATE AND YOUR GOALS THIS YEAR?
KM: Probably my top three career results to date are coming third in the Ironman World Champs in 2005, winning Ironman USA in 2004 and Ironman Arizona in 2005. As with most pro Ironman athletes the main goal each year is a top result at the World Champs. I’m 29 now, which historically means I’m coming into my prime as an Ironman athlete.

OE: YOUR BROTHER DESCRIBED IRONMAN AS THE TOUGHEST RACE IN THE WORLD – WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING EVERY YEAR?
KM: To me it’s all about finding out how fast I can go and how far I can push myself. It’s a sport where you can surround yourself with motivated people and for me, just like when I was young, I love being fit and active. I also appreciate that my sport gives me the chance to visit amazing places, experience new cultures and meet fantastic people.

OE: WHAT KEEPS YOU FRESH OUTSIDE OF IRONMAN?
KM: Despite the gruelling training I still love to stay active, so I enjoy activities like mountain biking, surfing, hiking and wakeboarding. I also do a lot of speaking at tri clubs and schools and fix up old furniture.

OE: CAN YOU RUN THROUGH A TYPICAL WEEK OF TRAINING?
KM: It is normally something like:
Monday: swim, bike, gym
Tuesday: swim, run
Wednesday: ride, run
Thursday: swim, run
Friday, ocean swim, ride
Saturday: ride, run
Sunday: run, ocean swim
Phew!

OE: WHERE’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE IN WORLD?
KM: Definitely home, because it’s home! Otherwise, I love to hang out at my brother’s place at Christmas. We just go to the beach all day, surf, kayak, play some volleyball and just have fun. Other than that it’s got to be Kona – there’s just something special about the place.

OE: YOUR WEBSITE IS MAJORKATE.COM AND CARTOONS ARE PROMINENT ON THE SITE AND WHEN YOU RACE – EXPLAIN?
KM: Me and my sister always used to draw this face at the end of anything we wrote. When I started racing, she told me to draw the face on me or my bike so that she could be with me. People noticed and mentioned they liked it so I’ve had stickers made and ended up getting it trademarked. We named the character Major Kate and it’s just flown from there.

www.majorkate.com