David Reaburn

I’d forgotten how good riding a bike was! Until I was in London, got fed up with the tube trains, and started riding to work. It made sense. Why take a crowded train when I can ride a few miles to work and avoid the crowds?

When I came back to Australia in the early 2000’s I kept it up. I moved further out of Melbourne, so switched from a mountain bike to a road bike. What an eye opener! I loved it. Being able to ride much longer and further was awesome. I soon entered Around The Bay, a 210km ride that was my first endurance event.

As I’d also been a part-time runner and swimmer, it seemed to make sense to do a triathlon. Why not? From there I was hooked and spent the next 10 years training and competing in triathlon. My favourite distance was a 70.3 (half-Ironman) and I did two full Ironman events in Melbourne and Busselton.

Nowadays I just ride. I’ve hung up my running shoes and only swim a little. Riding is now my main sport. I love competing in road races and feeling fit and healthy. There’s nothing easy in cycling if you want to be competitive. It’s hard, painful work.
I work a demanding job in IT project management. It’s tough balancing this with cycling, so you must make sacrifices in other parts of your life. A small price to pay – in my opinion – to keeping a fit and healthy lifestyle.

I am from the south-side Reaburn clan. We grew up in Melbourne and rarely ventured north. When news came of a “Reaburn family reunion”, I was surprised. Is there more of us? Turns out, there is. A whole other clan up north in Queensland. So that was when I first met Peter and the rest of the family. I’m happy to know our northern clan. And also, very proud to support the Rare Ovarian Cancer Incorporated charity. I look forward to helping raise funds for lifesaving research!