Mel Geddes is the type of person who relishes a challenge; she craves them, and has faced many. So for this trim, taut, and terrific personal trainer, competing in triathlons is the ultimate test of endurance and character. However, securing first place in her age group at the grueling Port Macquarie IRONMAN 7.0 event is a dream come true for the determined single mother. It means after years of competing, hours of training, and much sacrifice, she has qualified to race at the 2017 IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii on October 14. And, she did this before an upcoming milestone – her 40^th Birthday. “It has been my dream to qualify for the World Championships before I turned 40,” she explains. The full-time personal trainer – who splits her time between leading the Live Life Get Active Boot Camps at Rose Point park, one-on-one sessions, working at Genesis Fitness in Maitland and raising her two children –  only took up the sport in 2010. Back then she watched her now team mates compete, motivating her “to give it a go”. From here her passion has grown and thanks to team Tri-Hard along with her dedicated coach, Beven Ernst, she is now inspiring others. She says besides being in peak physical condition, mental toughness is a necessity. “It’s a mental game,” Geddes says. “And, it is always a challenge as I am not a brilliant swimmer – you go through high and lows during each race.”