Racer in form for Outback success
A TOWNSVILLE triathlete has been edging closer to a win at the Julia Creek Dirt n Dust Festival.
Ben Cooper, 35, will compete in his third triathlon sprint event on April 14 after finishing third in the open division in 2016 and second in 2017.
“I don’t pressure myself, I just go there to have fun – it doesn’t bother me whether I come first or 20th,” Mr Cooper said.
His passion for began when he doing bootcamps few years ago.
“In my 20s I wasn’t doing anything, any fitness at all,” Mr Cooper said. “I went from doing nothing to a pretty elite athlete in four years.”
He says getting heavily involved in fitness has changed his life and challenged him.
“It’s just a matter of getting off your butt and just entering in a race,” Mr Cooper said.
“It’s changed my mindset and made me realise that anything is possible when you put in enough hard work.”
He said the outback Queensland triathlon was a unique experience.
“It’s pretty rugged, really flat red- dirt country,” Mr Cooper said.
“There’s outback creatures, spiders and snakes but it’s just something different.”
The Julia Creek Dirt n Dust Festival also features bull riding, bog snorkelling, horse races and entertainment. fitness started only a