Paul McDonald even shocked himself in ULTRA355 triathlon

Darwin’s Paul McDonald pushed through head noise, physical pain and uncertainty in his first ever ultra triathlon. Read how he did it and what he’s got planned next.

Defence force member and Darwin dad Paul McDonald put not only his physical limits to the test, but his mental abilities too in an event some have labelled “insane”.

Crossing the finish line last Monday, McDonald completed his first ever ultra triathlon; a 355km epic.

An event that spans three days and involves three disciplines – swimming, cycling and running – the race is not for the faint of heart.

“I was definitely stoked when I crossed the finish line,” the 41-year-old said.

“The fact that it spans three days makes it a unique challenge and something I hadn’t done before.”

McDonald hasn’t always been a triathlete, only truly immersing himself in the sport six years ago and copping a bit of flack from his partner in the process.

“I’ve always been a runner; ever since I was a kid, but I didn’t fully get into triathlon until 2017,” he said.

“I joined the Darwin Triathlon Club back in 2017 and ever since I’ve loved the sport and continued to push myself.”

“My wife thought I was mad at first, but now the whole family loves it.

“They come to my races and even compete in their own (races), and are often my main support crew, travelling with me to events and being by my side.”

McDonald said that the race was actually a test for his upcoming Ultraman race next year, a 515km epic.

“This race was a bit of a trial run for the future,” he said.

“So I wasn’t overly concerned with where I placed but I did want to see if all the preparation paid off and what I can do in the future.

“I was happy with my performance, and I went under a number of splits I’d set pre-race.”

Darwin Triathlete Paul McDonald's three-day plan/itinerary for the race. Picture: Supplied.

McDonald said that while he was fortunate not to have any mechanical issues or major hiccups during the race, head noise was a hurdle.

“During the stages I’d constantly be asking myself questions like: ‘how am I tracking?, how do I feel?, am I on pace?’, stuff like that,” he said.

“The time between legs means there’s a lot more head noise than ‘normal’ races, and I had to be super aware not to over exert myself and leave enough in the tank for the next day.

“I also put a big emphasis on resting, recovering and eating, and I’ll tell you what, I don’t want to see rice or any carbs for the next fortnight.”

McDonald finished seventh overall in a combined time of 15 hours and 51 minutes, and encouraged others to test themselves, saying that the ULTRA355 is an amazing event and anyone can compete the race if they set their mind to it.