After a day of cycling under the hot Cuban sun, the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean were a reprieve from a steamy afternoon.We were three weeks into a long bikepacking trip through Latin America and, having covered every topic of conversation within the realms of reality, we veered to the fanciful. One idea appeared like a hazy mirage over the water: the off road triathlon.Swimming in the ocean = fun. Riding bikes on dirt = heaps of fun. Running… well, I wasn’t convinced, but Petra seemed to be certain that trail running, too, was fun.Splashing back onto the rocks and remounting our trusty bicycles, we agreed then and there that we would keep our fitness up after the bikepacking trip.The idea seemed less fanciful the more we considered it. With my background as an event organiser and Petra’s intimate knowledge of the stunning Jervis Bay area, as well as her experience in two olympic distance triathlons already, we thought we were the right people to do it. A section of the trail run! Jervis Bay, where Petra grew up, is a bit of a mecca for triathlon these days thanks to the wealth of postcard beaches and amicable parklands.We decided to limit the first edition to 40 people, to make it friendly, easy and fun for ourselves as well as the rest of the athletes. I’ve never done a triathlon before, so this would be my first.