Denise Limby out of Ironman with injury

Entering Ironman New Zealand is a bit like taking a step into the unknown.

Competitors have to enter Ironman New Zealand nearly a year ahead of the actual race day to secure one of the 1650 places.

So when Whangarei GP Denise Limby started training for her first Ironman New Zealand race eight months ago, she was open to the fact that anything could happen during those months.

Unfortunately, it did - and an injury forced Limby to withdraw from Saturday's race.

Earlier this year, she injured a disc in her neck while out running, and the disc was pressing on a nerve root running through to her arm.

"It was very painful for a month, I didn't cycle for a while - I couldn't event sit on my bike it was that sore," Limby said.

Although she is back running now, her injury prevented her training for several weeks and she felt she had not done enough cycling to do her justice in Saturday's event.

While she said not being able to race was a blow, Limby was very philosophical.

"After eight months of training going so well it was hard. But it's one of those things that happen - you know it's a possibility when you enter ... it's given me an idea of how to train and what's involved to get to the start line, so I will be ready to hit the button to enter next year, that's for sure," she said.

The mother-of-three said she has always been active, but joined Whangarei Tri Club five years ago after discovering she enjoyed triathlons.

"I used to see Oringa (Barrach) when she had just got back from Ironman and thought 'wow, how does this woman do it?' and thought even though I couldn't swim, I might like to give it a go."

Fast forward to late 2011, and Limby is confident in all three triathlon disciplines, and completed her first Half Ironman at Taupo as part of her training for Ironman.

Although Limby won't be lining up in Taupo for Saturday's Ironman, she would be following those racing, online, she said.

And on Sunday, she will run in an offroad half marathon in Rotorua - a small consolation.

"I'm just going to go out there and enjoy it ... and next year, I will be the newbie lining up at Taupo," she said.