Northcliffe ironman Luke Cuff just happy to be back competing

While many ironmen have spent the winter months dreaming of returning to the podium, Luke Cuff has solely dreamt of racing again.

WHILE many ironmen have spent the winter months dreaming of returning to the podium, Luke Cuff has solely dreamt of racing again.

The 25-year-old spent almost all of last season on the sidelines after suffering a barrage of health issues in just his first season at Northcliffe SLSC.

After finishing sixth in round one of the Nutri-Grain series, Cuff quickly realised that someone wasn’t right.

“I didn’t feel great at training and just had no energy and endurance,” he said.

“I was fatiguing as the day went on.

“Three days after round two, I checked into Tweed hospital and they diagnosed me with pericarditis (swelling of the membrane surrounding the heart).”

Pericarditis turned into pneumonia and soon Cuff was diagnosed with a cavity abscess in his lung.

Just weeks earlier he’d felt the fittest he’d ever felt and now he was fighting a battle against his own body.

“It took me from the first time I checked into the hospital in November until the State titles in April to get better,” Cuff said.

Returning Northcliffe ironman Luke Cuff. Picture: Jerad Williams

“I spent about three months doing nothing and I wasn’t allowed to get my heart rate up.”

After making the move from Mermaid Beach SLSC to Northcliffe for the start of the 2018/19 season, Cuff intended to continue his upward progression following two top-five Nutri-Grain series finishes in as many years.

Instead, he watched on as his new teammates excelled in the professional series.

“I had expectations on myself but I was stuck in the same spot and wasn’t going anywhere,” he said.

“I missed the World Titles in Adelaide and my teammates come together to take out the win and then my clubmate Georgia Miller completed the treble but I couldn’t be part of any of it.

“I’d spent years building and some say you take three to five years to reach your peak so you start to question yourself.”

Slowly he returned to training and began to rebuild fitness, missing the remaining professional series rounds but making his return as part of Northcliffe’s gold medal-winning taplin team at the Aussies.

“I was juggling a new job and a lot of training but it puts everything in perspective,” he said.

Cuff in action. Picture: Jerad Williams

“I developed a new program with my coach and we’ve taken the 80 per cent approach in that you’d rather be at 80 per cent and make it to a race then push to 100 per cent and not make it at all.

“I’ve placed a big focus on my long term health.”

Months on from his initial ordeal and Cuff is preparing to make up for lost time after securing a wildcard entry into this year’s professional series.

“It’s taken a lot of pressure off because a lot can happen in those trials,” he said.

“I used to put a lot of pressure on myself and think ‘these guys are flying’ so I will keep a bit of pressure on but I want to enjoy this year for what it is.

“I want to appreciate each race as it comes because I didn’t get to race last year.”

Cuff and Northcliffe clubmates Shannon Eckstein and Cory Hill will compete in the Coolangatta Gold teams event this weekend to raise funds for the Albatross Nippers, which caters for children with special needs.