Green finished off the hard work of Lewis and Jones earlier in the day to give the Port Macquarie Running Festival team bragging rights.

It turned out to be third time lucky for Green after he had previously fallen short in his two previous attempts.

“I’ve done three of these 70.3 events before and it’s the second time I’ve done it in a team,” he said.

“The last time I did it we finished second so I’m happy to go one better this time.”

Green admitted he had been put into a strong position from his elite triathlete teammates so he could enjoy the third and final leg.

“They gave me a good head start,” he said.

“I was able to run pretty strong the whole time and I was able to get there in the end.

“I was hoping to do a 1:20 or 1:22 so I got to about 1:22 which I was happy about.”

A background in marathons and fun runs had ensured Green was in good form leading up to the race.

“Kevin Chilvers who organises the Port Macquarie Running Festival sponsored the team and got us together,” he said.

“I mainly do marathons and fun runs and stuff like that.”

Green said the key to the Port Macquarie’s team success was being patient and focused.

“(It’s) just (about) pacing yourself – it’s hard with a lot of triathletes in the bike,” he said.

“So it’s about running your own race and not worrying about what other people are doing.”

Meanwhile, Melbourne triathlete Troy Page was the first individual male athlete across the line.

Despite a background in middle-distance running, Page “felt amazing” throughout most of swim and bike legs.

He finished strongly in the run in his third half-distance Ironman event and first in Port Macquarie.

“I don’t really have a triathlon background,” he said.

“I’ve sort of always been that middle-distance runner and over the last five years I’ve stepped up to marathon and half marathon running.”

Page said the hard work of starting every day at 2.30am so he can balance his work as a roof tiler and family time effectively had been worth it.

“My dad has always been in triathlon and he’s always been a good age grouper,” he said.

“He gets up at 2.30am each morning with me to train and I work 10 hours a day (from 2.30am) so then all night I can enjoy (time) with the kids and wife.

“I couldn’t be happier right now.

“I’ve done it for my two boys – one is one and the other is three; I left them at home this year so I’m spewing they couldn’t be here.

“They inspire me.”