12:00a.m. 29th March 2008

| By Toby Walker

US triathlete and fitness model Katya Meyers is on the Sunshine Coast as part of a fitness camp. Photo: Che Chapman/n20069

For someone who has graced the cover of numerous magazines, US triathlete and fitness model Katya Meyers sure got a kick out of seeing a triathlon-focused magazine at the Sunshine Beach shops.

“My friend and I were laughing when we saw there were three different triathlon magazines on sale because at home you definitely wouldn’t see tri magazines at the local convenience store,” she said.

Triathlons may enjoy a bigger profile here than San Diego, but back home Katya’s own profile has been steadily on the rise thanks to the 27-year-old’s sponsored mix of modelling and competing.

For the past month, she has been bunkered down at Sunshine Beach with fellow athletes from the US and Canada as part of the Lifesport training camp.

After an 18-month battle with fatigue, Katya said her second trip to Australia (she placed 11th at the ironman event at Port Macquarie last year) had been an excellent opportunity to build her fitness back up.

But she could hardly call it a holiday.

“It’s been pretty hardcore,” she laughed.

“Our social calendar has been pretty blank and it’s probably not the most glamorous life.

“We’ve been doing between two and four workouts a day, so getting back to peak fitness has been the main priority, but it’s also nice to be here for an extended amount of time to absorb the atmosphere of one place, even though we’re not seeing too much of it.”

Katya is yet to decide whether she will be up to tackling tomorrow’s main race but her love of the triathlon is still as strong as the first time she tried it as a teenager.

“Never in million years did I envision racing professionally,” she said.

“I’ve just been lucky as time went on that I’ve made improvements that meant I could race at that level.

“I love it and want to keep doing it as long as possible.”

Best places to catch the Mooloolaba Tri action:

Alex Hill: Both sides of the road at the top of Alexandra Headland provide the best view of runners and cyclists heading out of Mooloolaba towards the turning markers.

Loo with a View: It can get a bit crowded but the raised platform above Mooloolaba Beach provides one of the best views of the swim.

Maroochy River Bridge: The pedestrian walkway on the new bridge will allow plenty of room to watch cyclists whiz past, and it is not expected to be too crowded either.

A Mooloolaba unit: Not many will have the privilege of watching from the balconies of Mooloolaba’s apartment buildings, but the view can’t be beaten.