The avid runners and cyclists signed up for today’s Upper Murray Challenge without any experience on the water.

Instead of hibernating for winter, the pair set out on a 16-week training regime, determined to conquer a new sporting challenge.

“When I first started paddling I fell out twice for the first 10 paddles, it is really hard,” Mr Poole said.

“I fell out one morning and it was frozen, there was a massive frost.

“It was ice cold.

“I swore and I said I’m not doing this, I’ll do the ride and the run but I am going to get a paddler.

“But we ended up sticking with it.”

Mrs Poole said she had enjoyed exercising through winter, when she might normally have been in hibernation.

But with 17 hours of riding, running and paddling a week — and just one rest day coming up to today’s challenge — she has had to keep the motivation up not just for herself, but for her husband, too.

“A couple of times I’ve woken up and just rolled over and had no intention of getting up but Heidi has just said no, get up,” Mr Poole said.

“I tell him to suck it up, quit your whingeing and get up,” Mrs Poole laughed. It seems to have worked.

Mr Poole could barely get through a 40-minute run at the beginning of training but now plans to complete the triathlon in 6? hours.

Mrs Poole plans to finish in eight hours, providing she doesn’t fall in the water.

“Now that we’ve learnt to paddle hopefully we’ll be staying in the boat a lot more,” Mrs Poole said.