To say he engaged the right man to help him prepare is an understatement of epic proportions. Enter Courtney Atkinson, Olympian, six-time Australian triathlon champion and elite-level tri competitor across 15 years. Together, the Polar ambassadors worked to get Davison to the starting line of his first-ever Half-Ironman, with Atkinson – these days a professional inspirer and motivator – playing the role of mentor.

Davison’s 70.3 challenge was a 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21.1km run. This calibre of triathlon takes athletes to all sorts of strange, deep, personal places in the minds and bodies of competitors. Atkinson, 38, won five of the seven 70.3 events he entered during the last two racing years of his career, meaning Davison was well and truly in safe hands.