Meet Illawarra's latest Ironman Australia legend Jacob Payne

You know the ones - they start at the crack of dawn with a near 4km swim, followed by a 180km bike ride and then finish it off with a 42km marathon. All back-to-back, of course, and with lickedy-split changes in the transition zones too, thanks.

Earlier this month Jacob Payne's dedication to his chosen sport reached new levels when he was officially rewarded with "legend" status at Ironman Australia.

It's not something that is gifted wantonly. Rather it takes 10 years of involvement and - literally - thousands of kilometres of effort.

Cumulatively, Payne has raced about 2260km at the annual event in Port Macquarie - and that's before you even consider training and racing elsewhere.

A longtime member of the Illawarra Triathlon Club, Payne admits it's a team effort.

"It's not just me doing it, it's the whole family is almost commits to it every year, very much so ...

"It's an honour and probably more of a privilege to be able to do it now because it doesn't come easy," he said.

Having a partner, Ashley, who has competed at triathlon's Mecca - the Ironman World Championships that take athletes through the lava fields of Kona, Hawaii every year - has helped.

"My wife's very strong, very, very motivated," Payne said, adding that she's now concentrating on running marathons, with the Gold Coast event in July next on her radar.

His boys, Parker and Preston, were involved in the IronKids event in Port Macquarie and a number of clubmates were there to celebrate his 10th crack at Ironman Australia.

Illness meant Payne didn't have the race he planned, but the satisfaction of finishing will always remain.

"I got some sort of virus - the whole thing: sweats the night before, joint pain, skin on fire, the typical cold and flu stuff. It was horrible."

Before he adds with a straight bat: "But I had to get the job done anyway, so I got through it."

Illness meant Payne stoically walked the final leg - all 42.195kms of it - before stopping the clock at 12:48.06, a full two hours more than his finish time in 2023.

"Safe to say, it's a long way to walk. It's a hell of a long way to walk," Payne, now recovered, said.

But he did it and - as you'd expect - intends backing up for Ironman Australia again next year.

The close-knit tri community celebrates the athletes achieving legend status and the 39-year-old is delighted to join clubmates Bob Scott, Gareth Buckley, Carolyn Dews, and John Ogenovoski.

"They are legends. Joining them is really quite meaningful."

Back in 2015 the Illawarra club sent almost 50 athletes to the event and that's a headcount Payne is keen to replicate at the 40th anniversary in four years.

"We talked about the need to get the crew back together - the 40th would be ideal."