Just five months after giving birth to her second child, five-time Ironman NZ champion Meredith Kessler is back on the startline in Taupō.
But the American has had to sacrifice a lot to just get here, embarking on her first long haul journey without her son Crew.
Kessler admitted it's been an emotional journey down under, but she feels she's back in her happy place.
"To be back here in a haven of a town that I love is just primo," Kessler told Newshub. "It couldn't be better."
It's taken an almighty sacrifice - both mentally and physically - for the 44-year-old to return to Aotearoa, leaving her son back in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
"I had him via c-section, so it's a big surgery and I didn't think I'd be able to get fit enough to come and race here," Kessler said, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Leaving [my family] for seven nights was a big feat."
A feat only an iron lady could achieve.
"Am I the fittest I've ever been to race here? No," she said. "But I'm the fittest I can be for having a five-month old"
Making it to the start alone is a win for Kessler, but she insists she didn't come all the way to New Zealand just to make up the numbers. She has her sights set on a sixth title and her first since 2016.
"I'm here to race the hardest I can for that victory," she added. "If that were to fall into place, that would pretty much be one of the top moments of our lives."
Former world champion Sebastian Kienle hopes to achieve such a moment himself.
Competing in his final year on the circuit, the German's racing for the first time in Taupō and is out to cause an upset.
"There's no better place to put myself in the history books, so I will definitely give it my best," she
But to do that, he'll have to get past Kiwi favourite and defending champion Braden Currie.
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