BRIAN and Kathy Burke will be glued to their computer on Sunday intently watching a live streaming performance of their 34-year-old daughter Melanie in the toughest challenge of her life.
The Wanganui born and raised athlete is competing in the World Ironman Triathlon Championship in the searing heat of Kona, Hawaii.
Mother Kathy said from her Delhi Ave home yesterday that Melanie had already been in Hawaii for a week acclimatising and was feeling sharp ahead of her gruelling challenge on Sunday.
"We email each other every day and she's been telling me just how hot it is there at the moment. She's been out running to help acclimatise and the actual event takes them past the active volcano three times - Melanie said the ground gets really hot on that part of the circuit," Kathy said yesterday.
Burke is in the professional race, having qualified among the top 38-ranked pros in the world. Two things to note about that are she isn't a professional - she is a full-time power company "billing specialist" who fits more than 20 hours' training a week around work - and the other is that until a few years ago, she could barely swim.