Carolynn Margan Tauranga-based triathlon coach Carolynn Margan is unlikely to be short of willing bridal party volunteers when she gets hitched in Las Vegas in just over a week, although her bridesmaids aren't likely to have much energy left for the after-party.
Four of Margan's Tauranga multisporters will compete at next weekend's ITU world long-distance triathlon championships in Nevada before joining their coach in the chapel when she weds long-time partner Rossco Dalton in the Marriage Capital of the World.
Margan, who runs Persona-Performance Endurance coaching, with 50 multisport athletes on her books, said it seemed a shame to go all the way to Vegas and not get hitched.
"We were going to be there and Rossco and I both thought 'why not?'
"I won't be short of willing bridesmaids and they'll all be looking for any excuse for a party, although what shape they'll be in after competing for a day in that heat is anyone's guess."
Debbie Clark (55-59 years), Terri Mann (25-29 years), Luana Cox (35-39) and Meryl Wanless (45-49) have spent the winter training under Margan's regime and are part of a big New Zealand age-group team competing at the worlds - a 4km swim/120km cycle/30km run in the Nevada desert.
Two other Tauranga triathletes are also part of the national team - the well-performed Janine Sax, who is in the elite race alongside former Port of Tauranga Half champion Jo Lawn, and Heidi-Jane James (35-39 years).
All four of Margan's crew qualified for Vegas with podium finishes at the Tauranga Half and are relative newcomers to multisport, with Mann and Cox lining up in their first race in just over two years ago at the Bayfair sprint triathlon in Mount Maunganui.
Mann, a former national representative three-day eventer, said it would have been laughable 2 years ago to suggest she'd be lining up at a world champs next weekend.
"I'd always had an interest in triathlon, more specifically the ironman distance, so I started with the little triathlon at the Mount with no idea what I was doing, just stoked just to finish in the end."
Cox's entry into multisport was eerily similar, with the sprint tri her first, coming from a background of offroad and trail running.
"Never in a million years did I think I'd be representing New Zealand so next week's going to be fairly surreal," she said.
Mann and Cox completed their first Ironman NZ in Taupo this year - Mann in 11hrs 12min and Cox 11hrs 36min - while Wanless is a three-time conqueror of Ironman who said she was only heading to the worlds because it was Las Vegas.
"I really didn't set out at the Half to qualify but the thought of going to Vegas was quite cool. Ironman [next year] is still my goal but I'd say that'll be it for a while. I love the event but you quickly get over the hours and hours of training."
Wanless found triathlon after a marriage breakup.
"I had no sporting background whatsoever and my dear father, who is dead, could never get over the fact I waited until I was middle-aged before I started. At school they used to call us girls [who weren't sporty] beetle brains so I guess I'm the one in this group of girls who is proof Joe Bloggs average can do it."
Clark, the aunt of Olympic swimmer Moss Burmester, did Ironman last year with husband Hugh. She was another who said "never in a million years" but got hooked and is still pounding the pavement "while Hugh's taken up golf!"
They've put in up to 25 hours a week under Margan, with their swim training in the last month indoors after the oil emergency from the grounded Rena.
Margan said the odd distances at the world long-course champs required a more tailored training regime than usual.
"The swim's about the same as Ironman but the other distances are three-times standard [Olympic] distance - too long for out-and-out speed but not that long where they need to slow right down for sheer endurance.
"The heat [about 30C] is going to be the biggie, so a couple of times I've had the girls out in the middle of the day with a bit more clothing on than usual, just to get their bodies used to drinking more water. Because the desert heat's a dry heat, they don't notice [hydration] as much because they're not sweating as much."