Iron will sees her dreams come true

On Sunday Debbie Blount, a teacher from PEPPS Polokwane College and a member of the Polokwane Athletics Club, took part in the Ironman triathlon held in Port Elizabeth (PE).
Debbie, who grew up in Mokopane, is the daughter of Tersia Smit, who will be swimming in the World Transplant Games in Durban later this year. Tersia received a liver transplant in July 2005.
The Ironman kicked off with a more-than-chilly 3.8km swim in the choppy waters of the Indian Ocean, followed by a 180.2km bike leg over the rolling terrain of the Eastern Cape, with beautiful coastal views. The race then wrapped up with a 42.2km run, mostly along the PE beach front, covering a total distance of 226.2km. Debbie finished in a time of 13:36:17. 
According to Debbie it was a tough day, but an incredible experience. “The race started at 7:00 and the cut-off for completion was at midnight the same day. You have your name on your race number so all the locals and supporters that line the streets shout out your name to give you encouragement. Believe me, every little bit is great. Throughout it all, you get the feeling that the entire PE has come out to support you – an amazing feeling!”
The Spec-Savers Ironman competition has become an iconic event on the international sports calendar, attracting over 1800 endurance athletes. The mental strength and physical fitness required to compete in and complete this event require countless hours of training and dedication.
Debbie said the race had been on her bucket-list since she first supported her brother completing it in 2007 “I’m grateful to have had this opportunity. None of this would have been possible without hard work, faith and support from my family and friends.”