"I had a really bad moment there, which probably didn't befit a professional athlete," she blushes. "It's nothing serious - it's healing okay but I'm touch and go for next week, unfortunately.
"I'm doing everything I can to get to the start line. I've wanted to race this event all year with a home crowd - we don't get too many opportunities to race in New Zealand."
The Auckland event features all the top Kiwis and a smattering of international stars on a course that will host the ITU world championship series finale next year.
After Achilles tendon surgery earlier this year, McIlroy made a late start to her 2011 campaign but was coming into form at her final two championship series races in September. After a sixth at Beijing, McIlroy got her best result the following week, third at Yokohama.
"Those results at Beijing and Yokohama were awesome and totally unexpected," she says. "They made the Auckland race more enticing - knowing I was in good shape, and having the opportunity to extend my training and continue that form."
McIlroy is also excited about being ready to show her true abilities on the 10km run leg, once her strength as world mountain-running champion and international steeplechaser.
She even regards the calf niggles that have plagued her this year as a sign her legs want to run faster.
"The Achilles are fine and, as a result, the calves are working better, too. Because they've never worked properly, they've never been as strong as they should be and I got a small tear.
"We considered surgery on the tendons five or six years ago, but I've always been against the idea. The thought of a knife coming near my legs never appealed. They never really allowed me to do that amount of training I needed to be a world class athlete. Maybe becoming a triathlete was the path I was meant to go down."
McIlroy is eager to experience the Auckland course before returning for next year's world championship final. The route will start and finish at Queens Wharf, with cycle and run legs centred on Queen St.
"The course is designed to be as spectator-friendly as possible," says event chief executive Dave Beeche.
But, from a competitor's perspective, it promises to be a test of strength and technique.
"It's always an advantage to see the course before a big race," McIlroy says. "I've heard it's got some pretty sharp hills, and Queen St is a kind of false flat. It'll probably split the field and make for exciting racing."
The elite women's race starts at noon, followed by the men at 2.45pm. They are preceded by age group events from 7am.
