SUNSHINE COAST, (August 15, 2013) – Former international Rugby League and Rugby Union star Mat Rogers is used to changing sports. During a much heralded rugby career he notched up 11 tests for Australia in league and 45 in union.

So adding another string to his bow should have been easy. The only problem was that new string was like nothing he’d tried before.

After becoming a first time Ironman in Busselton, Western Australia last year he discovered triathlons are a bit like a bag of chips, you can just stop at one.

Rogers will be adding to his triathlon tally at the upcoming IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast.

“I'm like a dog with a bone. I love it,” said Rogers.

“The people, the nature of the sport, and the battle against yourself are what I’m drawn to.

“I'm never going to be an elite triathlete but I love that every time I do an event I feel I learn something new and I'm always looking to improve.

“I love the solitude of it. I love pushing myself to the point where you don't think you can go anymore but you have to. It's a bizarre feeling, I was laying on my back in WA with 15km to the finish and feeling like I couldn't move but at the same time I loved the fact that I pushed myself to that point. I just want to get better so that point comes along later in the day - maybe just after the finish line.”

Rogers has experienced the elite end of the sporting world, competing against the best the rugby world has to offer, and as you’d expect from an elite athlete, his triathlon dreams are big with a spot at the IRONMAN^® World Championship in Hawaii at the top of his wish-list.

“I would absolutely love to race in Kona, it’s a dream. I think I've watched every IRONMAN World Championship ever filmed. I'm still scratching my head about when, but it is definitely on the list of things I have to do in life,” he said.

So how does the ultimate one day endurance event compare with winning a rugby test?

“It's euphoric in both cases. I guess in footy you have your mates to celebrate with after a game and that was my favourite part of footy, the 10 or so minutes in the sheds right after a game, where it's just you and your team mates and you know you gave it everything and you won,” he said.

“It's different in an Ironman because you cross the line and that's it. No team song, no dressing room but there is that overwhelming sense of accomplishment.

“My wife just experienced it after her first marathon on the Gold Coast and is now hooked as well and signed up for the Melbourne marathon. I said to her "now you know what I'm talking about with this endurance stuff."

The inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast will be held on Sunday, 15 September 2013.

The event requires athletes to complete a 1.9km swim; a 90km cycle and a 21.1km run, incorporating the Sunshine Coasts stunning landscapes.

The IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland.

For further information www.ironmansunshinecoast.com.

About IRONMAN

The iconic IRONMAN^® Series of events is the largest participation sports platform in the world.  Since the inception of the IRONMAN^® brand in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE^® by crossing finish lines at the world’s most challenging endurance races. Recognized for excellence through distinguished events, world-class athletes and quality products, World Triathlon Corporation (d/b/a IRONMAN), owner and operator of the IRONMAN^® Series, has grown from owner of a single race to a global sensation with nearly 190 events across five unique brands: IRONMAN^®, IRONMAN 70.3^®, 5150™ Triathlon Series, Iron Girl^® and IronKids^®. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.

Media release and image courtesy of USM Events