Help Me Get Back to the Start Line. SUPPORTING EB TO MUNICH 2027.

A difficult update.

A few months ago, I started this fundraising campaign with an incredibly ambitious goal which was to represent Australia at the Triathlon Age Group World Championships in Pontevedra, Spain, this September. For someone who only recently discovered triathlons, qualifying to wear the green and gold felt completely surreal. I’m not a professional athlete. I’m a high school science teacher, fitting training around lesson planning, marking, and everyday life. I qualified on a bike I bought from Marketplace, riding laps around Centennial Park and running with my dog. I am no elite athlete by any means but hope to spark something in people thinking about getting into the sport.

Unfortunately, I have recently been diagnosed with a Grade 3 stress fracture and, devastatingly, I am no longer able to race in Spain.

At the moment, I’m on crutches and unable to weight-bear for six weeks. To say I’m devastated is an understatement. I have poured an enormous amount of time, energy and heart into preparing for this race, and accepting that I won’t be standing on that start line in September has been incredibly difficult. But I also know that health has to come first. My focus now is on getting back to optimal health, rebuilding properly, and giving myself the best possible chance of qualifying for the 2027 World Championships in Munich!!!!

The support I have already received means more to me than I can properly put into words. I am so incredibly thankful and know that your donation will be still be used to support my race next year! While I will no longer be travelling to Spain to race this September, the funds raised will still contribute directly towards my journey back to the start line including the costs associated with recovery, rehabilitation, training and equipment. Then, hopefully giving me the opportunity to qualify for and represent Australia in Munich in 2027.

I never imagined that my first experience with triathlons would take me this far in the first place or that I would learn quite so quickly that endurance sport is about much more than race day. I can't wait to get back into the early mornings before work, the two-a-day sessions, days of little motivation, the setbacks and uncertainty. Right now, my goal has changed from getting to Spain to getting healthy enough to earn another opportunity to represent Australia. If there is one thing this experience has taught me already, it's that you don't have to be an elite athlete to chase something extraordinary. You do however need to fuel appropriately and make sure your listen to your body. Research in female endurance athletes has shown that high training loads combined with insufficient fuelling and recovery can contribute to low energy availability, which may negatively affect bone health. This may have been the cause of my injury and is a tough lesson to be learned. Stay tuned for the comeback story.

If you've already donated, thank you. Truly. Your support has already been a huge part of this journey and I don't take it for granted.

And if you're considering supporting me, I would be incredibly grateful. Your contribution will help me focus on recovering properly and working towards earning that green and gold opportunity again. I may not be racing in Spain this September, but watch me in 2027.

Thank you for reading this. I wanted to be as transparent as I could. Feel free to watch this unfold at @ebmatthews TikTok. The struggle is real.