The true identity of Ironman has been revealed and it's not some fictional character - as in the case of billionaire playboy, industrialist, and ingenious engineer Tony Stark - but Jill Bloggs!
Nearly 10 days after participating in her first official Ironman earlier this month, Rayanne King said she is already considering her next challenge.
The 41-year-old mother of four completed the 2014 Kellogg's Nutrigrain Ironman New Zealand in Taupo on Saturday, March 1, in a time of 15 hours, 30 minutes, 15 seconds, doing the event's 3.8km swim in 1:25, the 180km bike ride in 7:30 and the 42km marathon run in 6:14. Not bad for a single mother of four.
Eventually finishing 1347th in the overall field of 1617 participants, King said she made sure she paced herself throughout her debut Ironman.
"Just took my time, and enjoyed it. Just listened to my body. It was great! Lots of positive people calling out your name, high-fiving you as you go past," she said.
A product of the local Wahine Tryathlon over the past five or so years, King said taking part in this event led to her taking on her first Iron Maori - half the distances of an Ironman - with the Muriwhenua contingent two years ago.
"I did a good time, felt good, felt inspired," she said, noting the fitness bug was taking hold.
She carried on training and it was while she was taking part in a weekly ride through the Herekino loop with [2014 Ironman stablemate] Perry Hanara over summer the seed was sown.
"Perry was saying after we finished one day, 'You know what? You can do an Ironman'."
The daycare worker decided to enter, noting that by paying the $800 registration fee, "I was committed then."
At this point, her main challenge was how to juggle training with four kids. A perfect opportunity presented itself early on when her ex offered to care for the children ... only for King to suffer an ankle sprain which threatened to derail her preparations.
She eventually "rode out" the injury and continued her preparations, more than sufficiently as it turned out.
"I am quite determined," she said.
Looking back at having an Ironman notch on her belt, King said tackling the gruelling endurance event had also been good for her self-confidence.
"[It was] about picking myself up at a time when I was down. Like they say, when life gets tough, the tough get going. Helps you realise, when things are going wrong, don't panic. Now I know I can do it!"
She also acknowledged the support of several local people including various training partners and Ironman stablemates.
Top of the list was Kahu Thompson from Kaitaia health organisation, Te Hauora o te Hika o te Ika, who organises the annual Wahine and Tane Tryathlon events. King said she was indebted to Thompson for bringing her children to Taupo on the Friday before the Ironman took place.
"She [Kahu] was amazing," King said, also paying tribute to her employer, Alison Thom: "She was really supportive for me, and just supportive about wahine getting active."
However, the most important people behind her journey from conception to completion were her children.
"The most amazing thing for me was having my kids there [Taupo] right through to the end. It was a big day for them," she said.
"Now they all want to do an Ironman ... Maraea told me she's going to do an Ironman but she's not going to be like her mum, she's going to win it!"
There are plans to do another Ironman in five years' time when her children are more independent. In the meantime, King is eyeing the local leg of the State Ocean Swim series, the 3.3km swim from Russell to Paihia next summer.
Also a learn-to-swim and playgym coach, King said the benefits of multisport went far beyond the immediately obvious. She was pleased to see a growing movement within her local community towards becoming involved.
"The interest in it is growing. People know that it's achievable, that every Joe Bloggs can be an Ironman," she said.
"Every Jill Bloggs too!"