The Strategic Research and Development Manager has completed 15 Ironman events and competed in the 2018 Ultraman World Championships in Hawaii.
Toni Hodge joined UNSW in 2011, relocating after the Christchurch earthquakes.
“Before the earthquakes I never would have imagined leaving Christchurch or living in Sydney but the uncertainty after the earthquake led me to look for other positions. UNSW offered me a role in the then Faculty of Built Environment, so my husband and I took a punt, came over and we’ve been happy here ever since,” she said.
Toni now works in the Business School, as their Manager of Strategic Research Development.
From Ironman to Ultraman
Toni said she’s “not a natural long-distance runner but has the mental capacity for endurance”. She competed in her first Ironman in 2011 before leaving New Zealand and, at her peak, completed three in a year.
“That was when I had my sights set on landing a spot at the Ironman World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. It’s the pinnacle of the sport and they had a system where if you get 12 ‘finishes’, you’d automatically get a slot.
“I got halfway when the sport had a 30-year celebration for New Zealand and gave out 10 competition slots. I won one and got to compete in the Ironman World Championships in 2014. It was the most amazing experience,” she said.
While training, Toni was hit by a car in her local Sydney suburb of Cronulla, tearing three cruciate ligaments in her knee. During rehab after the accident, she decided to set herself the next challenge – completing an Ultraman event.
“It’s always when I have too much time on my hands that I come up with these crazy ideas. My physio rolled her eyes when I said I wanted to compete in an Ultraman the following year, but I got a coach and completed the Ultraman Noosa event in 2017. That qualified me for the Ultraman World Championships in 2018,” she said.
Ultraman World Championships
An Ultraman is like “Ironman on steroids” and spans three days. It involves a 10-kilometre swim plus 145-kilometre bike ride on day one, a 280-kilometre bike ride on day two and a double marathon on day three. The 2018 World Championships were held in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, and there was a huge volcanic eruption just before Toni arrived to compete which destroyed a large part of the day two bike course.
“There weren’t many choices for alternative routes on the island. The new route for the day two bike added 40% elevation, so that year there were a lot of competitors – me included – who didn’t make the cut-off for the bike leg,” Toni said.
Ultraman events work on a time basis where competitors have a 12-hour limit each day to complete that section of the event. If they don’t complete it in time, the event disqualifies them as ‘competitors’, though they can still ‘participate’ in the following sections of the event. For the World Championships 2018, Toni was a participant rather than a competitor.
“It’s bittersweet but I look back on it philosophically. It was beyond my control, and the event only had a 65% completion rate that year (the completion rate would normally be over 80%). The culture of an Ultraman is a little different to Ironman. Most people will still participate in the following legs even if they’re no longer a competitor – that’s the distinction.
“It becomes a mental challenge deciding whether to carry on when you know you’re running out of time for a particular leg. That day at the World Championships, with three hours left before cutoff I started to do the mental maths of how far I had to go and what pace I’d need to maintain to finish in time.
“There was no way I was going to make the cut-off and I’ve got a very logical mind, so I pulled the pin and took my team out for lunch, thinking I’d save my legs for the double marathon the following day,” Toni said.
Ultraman Australia, 2017
A team champion and technical official
Toni no longer competes, though she’s still involved in the sport as a technical official, supporting others in their triathlon, Ironman and Ultraman pursuits.
“A couple of years ago, I qualified as a technical official for Triathlon Australia. So my weekend activity now includes officiating at triathlon events, across all levels. It’s my time to give back to the sport and it keeps me involved with the community. I enjoy being on other side of the fence, supporting athletes and keeping the races fair and safe for everyone,” she said.
Toni was a technical official at the Noosa Triathlon, November 2024.
Toni is also an avid traveller and has just returned from long-service leave, cruising the waters of Alaska.
Can you tell us something that might surprise your colleagues?
Despite having competed in the Ultraman World Championships and completing many Ironman races, I actually hate running!
What’s the best advice you ever received?
My first coach said, “Don’t underestimate the ripple effect or the impact you have on people.” Doing something like an Ironman or showing up regularly for training can inspire and have a lasting impact on those around you.
What’s one thing that makes you happy?
A day out on the Bundeena ferry, snorkelling and kayaking.
What day in your life would you like to relive?
The Ultraman World Championships, but without the impact of the volcano.
What’s the best thing you’ve seen in the last year?
I was a technical official at the World Para Triathlon event and it was amazing to see the para triathletes adapting to the sport and using technology to overcome various challenges.
- Log in to post comments